Mt. Makiling watershed program gets DA support

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna — The Mt. Makiling watershed development program has received support from the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The Participatory Upland Development Program in the Dampalit watershed of the Makiling forest reserve is being implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños Foundation Inc. through the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME), in cooperation with the Institute of Agroforestry and Forestry Development Center, both units of the UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources; and the Institute of Community Education of the UPLB College of Public Affairs.

To be completed in April 2008, the two-year program aims to ensure the productive and sustainable management of the Dampalit watershed through the empowerment of the upland communities by providing them with adequate information, skills, and means of livelihood from farm-based activities.

Recently, BAR officials and staffers led by director Nicomedes Eleazar visited the project in Barangay Dampalit and had a dialogue with officials of the project’s implementing agencies and beneficiaries.

Dr. Portia Lapitan, MCME director and project coordinator, presented the accomplishments of the project, among them site reconnaissance; community and farm mapping; production of information, education, and communication materials; and partnership with officials of Barangay Lalakay, under whose jurisdiction the Dampalit watershed falls, and the barangay people’s organization Samahan ng Magsasaka sa Mataas na Lupa sa Bundok Makiling.