Upland Forest Rehabilitation Project

OISCA Ajuy led by Mr. Jett Rojas organized training on Sustainable Forest Management involving the 86 typhoon survivors and members of the local government of the upland community of Barangay Badiangan in Ajuy, Iloilo. The resource person during the two-day training was Engineer Jose Ronie Esposada of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Mr. Esposada emphasized among the participants the importance of having a good balance between the community residents` increasing demands for forest products and the maintenance of a healthy and diverse forest.

Prior to the training, the community residents were organized through a meeting to identify and find solutions to the socio-economic and environment related problems in their community. As a result of the meeting, the participants realized and agreed on the immediate need to immediately rehabilitate their community forest that was damaged by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. After the typhoon, the survivors realized the importance of protecting their forest as it will soon serve as their natural shields from natural disasters.

Meanwhile, in preparation for the scheduled massive tree planting activities in June until July, a nursery with a dimension of 20 ft x 60 ft and has a capacity of 15,000 seedlings was built in Barangay Central. For easy maintenance, seedlings will be grown and raised in the nursery and will just be hauled in the planting site during the tree planting activities. So far, the locals have prepared 8,500 pots for jack fruit, calamansi, star apple, coffee and tipolo seedlings.

Other than the rehabilitation of the devastated forest of Ajuy`s upland communities, OISCA is also implementing income generating projects to improve the quality of life of the typhoon survivors such as duck raising and egg processing, honey bee production and sustainable crop diversification both coastal, lowland and upland communities of Ajuy. 

I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our donors who have supported our reforestation project in Ajuy, Iloilo, Philippines.

Lying on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines is known to be one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. Because of this, we are always vulnerable from various kinds of disasters including floods, droughts, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and typhoons.

After experiencing the terrifying super typhoon that landed in the Philippines last November 8, 2013, we are now constantly in fear, especially the kids who were traumatized that at a very young age have experienced such a calamity. It was one of the most unforgettable dates in our generation.

Our municipality, Ajuy was one of the areas that were badly hit by the typhoon. Located in the Northern part of Iloilo, it consists of 35 barangays (15 coastal areas, 17 upland areas, 3 island barangays) with a population of 50,000 people.

Before the typhoon, our municipality was blessed with a very good climate. It is something that we always attributed from our forest. Even though there is no irrigation, local farmers can still grow crops because of the abundant supply of water from our streams. However, when the typhoon damaged at least 80% of our total forest, we no longer have natural shield from direct heat so we now seldom enjoy a pleasant weather. We are also afraid that we will soon lack supply of water which will affect our crop production.

Despite all of this, we are lucky and grateful that we have been receiving support from various organizations and individual donors who have been very generous in supporting our endeavor to rehabilitate our forest. In collaboration with the local government and my fellow residents, we are gradually replanting the damaged trees using local species and fruit bearing trees. So far, in spite of the low precipitation rate, we have managed to meet 87% survival rate of our planted seedlings.

This year, we are targeting to plant more than 10,000 seedlings with the help of the mobilized volunteers.

Jett C. Rojas
OISCA Ajuy Chapter
President