Bantay Kalikasan joins NQMI’s bamboo project

Bantay Kalikasan of ABS CBN Foundation through lawyer Gloria Paculdo is the latest to join Nepa Q-Mart (NQMI) Bamboo Propagation Project in a move to further rehabilitate La Mesa Dam. Marlo Mendoza, project director of Bantay Kalikasan, sought the assistance of NQMI to donate bamboos to be planted along the waterways of the dam.

Under the initial agreement of Paculdo and Mendoza, NQMI will give 200 bamboo seedlings. The arrangement is to donate about 2000 seedlings, but the lady lawyer stressed that NQMI is willing to donate more if the need arises.

According to Mendoza, the bamboos will be a big boost to the cause of Save The La Mesa Dam Watershed Project which started as early as 1999. Mendoza took note of the fact that when they decided to rehabilitate La Mesa Dam four years ago, almost 50 percent of the total land area of 2,700 hectares were denuded. At present, about 70 percent of the area has been reforested.

Mendoza noted said at least 42 species of Philippine hardwood have been planted with a survival rate of 90 percent. Included in the list are kamagong, banaba, molave. narra, dao, amugis, talisay, among others.

He said their foundation intends to reforest about 1200 hectares of the dam. Bantay Kalikasan has a 15-year contract with MWSS to manage the said forest/dam.

He likewise gave emphasis to the importance of rehabilitating the dam as it serve as a water reservoir for Metro Manilans.

The La Mesa dam project is the third for Bantay Kalikasan. Prior to this, they were involved in Yes To Clean Air Campaign which solicited five million signatures, and Hot Line, wherein the public can report environmental abuses and they assist the government in pinpointing this cases.

For his part, lawyer-businessman Nereo J. Paculdo, NQMI chairman and chief proponent of the nationwide Bamboo Propagation Foundation, expresses hope that other deserving individuals and group will join NQMI bamboo propagation project as he explained that the bamboo is the easiest, fastest and the most economical means of reforestation, environmental rehabilitation and enhancement of the fertility of productive farm lands from erosion, among others.