DENR, BFAR donate boat, truck to urban poor group

CEBU, Philippines -  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Bureau of Fish and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) turned over yesterday a truck and a motorized boat to an urban poor and fishermen association in Cordova town.

The Catarman Urban Poor Beneficiaries Inc., headed by its president, Clarita Menguito, and the Catarman Fisherfolk Association, headed by Tiburcio Villasor, Cordova Municipal Councilor Cesar Suan, Mayor Adelino Sitoy and other municipal and barangay officials received the truck and the motorized boat from DENR’s Rose Saya-ang and BFAR 7 director Andres Bojost.

“For being a very responsible association and partner in protecting the environment and mangrove reforestation we have equipped them with mobility units under their custody to become self-reliant,” said Bojost.

The associations are partners of DENR and BFAR in the mangrove reforestation in bigger protected areas of Cordova.

In 2010, members of the association planted propagules in a 10-hectare protected area in the town.

In 2011, mangroves were planted in a 20-hectare marine protected area.

The urban poor group had just signed a contract with DENR to plant 70,000 propagules.

“Duna man ni sila’y share per propagule nga ilang matanom,” Saya-ang said.

The groups protect and take care of the mangroves. 

“Now it has grown to 5 feet high. The ones we planted in 2010 have started to spread in the area,” Villasor, fisherfolk association president, said. - THE FREEMAN