Currently we are establishing a “living
museum” wherein forest and upland resource of mostly Higaonon
Indigenous People will serve as the main resource and
indexing, propagating and marketing seedlings of ASEAN’s most
important trees in
Mindanao.
The concept of the living museum is different from the
traditional herbarium, enclosed type but will feature not only
the forest resource but also their living culture and way of
life. A 6-hectare land area is being used for this initiative.
We are starting to look at how we are able to produce
and market products from plants for the local market and later
on to seek commercial partners from outside.
For example banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa) grows wild
in the area and is said to be high in corosolic acid which is
a natural plant insulin and useful in lowering blood sugar.
Cough remedies coming from plants are already marketed
locally with some success. Treatment of intestinal parasites
of farm animals using leaves of local plants are also being
done.
On
Poverty Reduction
a. A total of 1,750
draft animals provided to farmers on easy loan terms (payment
by offspring) provided cash-strapped farmers with aid in
cultivating their farms, hauling farm produce and inputs in
their tree planting activities and income when they are hired
by other farmers.
b. Value of processed human waste as
fertilizer from the 26 units ecosan already established.
One hundred units are targeted for the next 3 years.
Economic value as a result in the decrease in incidence of
diseases and mortality caused by just defecating anywhere will
be huge.
c. Economic revitalization in the rural
barrios where apathy, neglect and stagnation is prevalent.
d. Land redemption provided some solution
to the failure of the agrarian reform program.
e.
Improved nutrition and income by at
least 150% for 1,200 farming families compared to the baseline
through vegetable gardening and agro-forestry.
No River Flows from Here
(To Kaanib, for being so brave)
I am surprised why you came home grandpa
when no river flows from here
you can no longer use your
bubo
your spear is incongruous at your side
sorry, I should have asked you
but life is so bewildering we could not prevent
the plantation from expanding
they have papers grandpa and machines
that spewed death and destruction
nobody has been for us for so long
we hide behind our circle.
Yes, your grandsons can no longer soothe
their feet in the sweet, cool waters after play,
nor pounce on crabs, on frogs,
and bring home nature’s bounty.
Do not be sad, grandpa, please –
for the plantation owners
have given us Progress, inside tinned goods,
and aspirin and Mrs. Ramos, the schoolteacher
in exchange for the river that once
flowed from here
*Bubo – a
bamboo contraption used to trap shrimps and snail fish in
Mindanao.
ELMER V. SAYRE
Published in Sunday Inquirer Magazine, Volume 5, Number 3, March 18, 1990. page 21
