Keeping mountains green

BUCLOC, Abra – The Tinguians celebrated Earth Day last April 22 with a ritual for the integration of the reforestation component of the Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management (CHARM) project into the "lapat" systems in this municipality.

"Lapat" system is an indigenous practice of protecting the environment. It has been passed on from one generation to the next since time immemorial. Lapat is a self-imposed ban on the cutting of trees in the forest, gathering of forest products especially rattan, hunting of wild animals and fishing, and other environmental concerns for a specific period of time.

CHARM project director Cameron Odsey said "the ritual signifies the commitment of the CHARM-covered communities, people’s organizations, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples-Cordillera (NCIP), and National Irrigation Authority-Cordillera (NIA-CAR) to adopt and encourage the traditional "lapat" system as an effective strategy to achieve sustainability of reforestation projects."

Committing their support to the integration of CHARM reforestation projects into the lapat system were respected elders Ama Canuto Batoon, Ama Liagao and Ama Dakalan, project director Cameron Odsey, DENR-CHARM director Nicanor Sapla, PENRO ABRA Joseph Insigne, Bucloc Mayor Mailed Molina, Boliney-Benido Balac-as, Sallapadan Mayor Garde Cardenas, and representatives from NCIP-CAR and NIA-CAR.

Hopes run high among the agencies collaborating in this project (DA, DAR and DENR) that it will be able to attain its objectives to enhance resource management and reforestation n the Cordillera region through this traditional system. From technical support particularly in reforestation, DENR also intends to award certificates of ancestral domain claims (CADCs) for about 150,000 hectares and Certificate of Ancestral Land Claims (CALCs) for about 480 hectares through CHARM.