DSWD’s Php70.7M cash-for-work helps Ilocos Norte ‘green wall’, water tributaries

San Fernando City, La Union—Since 2016, the Cash for Work on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CFW-CCAM) program has reforested and protected at least 4,500 hectares of forest lands in Ilocos Norte. CFW-CCAM has also preserved rivers, riverbanks, coastline barangays and provided temporary jobs in partnership with Ilocos Norte governor Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO).

Aside from continuous tree planting, ‘kaingin’ or burning of trees for charcoal making has ceased in many parts of the areas where assigned barangay ranger officers (BROs) have maintained and protected seedlings planted through CFW-CCAM and guarded the mountains from any grass fire or man-made fires.

In Saguigui, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, tribal chieftain Emiliano Rabago is maintaining at least 4 hectares of forest land planted with fruit-bearing trees and coffee. During CFW activities, everyone in the community participates to include the elderly and youth, who are very thankful of the 10-day work especially during lean months wherein they have no source of income at all. In here, they maintain 60,000 coffee seedlings ready for planting to other open and devastated lands in Ilocos Norte through its “greening program”.

Twelve areas are part of the greening program through CFW-CCAM including Laoag City, Solsona, Dingras, Badoc, Bangui, Pagudpud, Pasuquin, Vintar, Nueva Era, Pinili, Burgos, and Bacarra.

Also, the CFW-CCAM intensified the mangrove planting program along the coastlines and other bodies of water in Ilocos Norte. The Ilocos Norte government is hopeful that if they sustain their projects, these will protect many families and communities from extreme weather event, such as storm winds and floods, storm surges, and tsunamis particularly in Laoag City, Badoc, Currimao, and Pasuquin. Wastes and water lilies use to fill Mangato River in Laoag City, especially during high tide. After the mangrove and nipa palm planting funded by CFW-CCAM, the area is now a beautiful scenery and which they hope to develop as an eco-tourism park in the future.

On the “green wall” of Ilocos Norte and PENRO greening program, the Ilocos Norte government provided the seedlings required as a counterpart for the said program. As mentioned by PENRO head Estrella Sacro, CFW-CCAM is necessary to sustain the workforce, thus, maintaining the progress of projects towards proper management and conservation of the environment through local greening initiatives.

During the project monitoring, community folks appreciated the efforts of the government under the leadership of Ms. Marcos and DSWD regional director Marcelo Nicomedes J. Castillo. (Iryn D. Cubangbang)

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