CENRO-Baguio shares Smart Lawin, Cyber tracker app to Indonesia Ministry of Environment

The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Baguio led by officer Rainier Balbuena has shared their experiences in using the Smart Lawin and Cybertracker application called Lawin Forest and Biodiversity Protection System (LFBPS) to some employees from Ministry of Environment of Indonesia.
In the country, said application aims to provide accurate information about the status of protected areas covered by Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act.
Epler Pagnas, forest ranger from the enforcement section of CENRO-Baguio, said the sharing of experience using the mobile application is a success where the participants learned.
Recently, an experiential learning was conducted in the forested area of Camp John Hay attended by the Indonesian visitors together with personnel from the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), DENR-CAR Enforcement Section and USAID using the Cyber tracker application installed in Android phones.
The participants have trekked about 3.89 kilometers in Camp John Hay Forest where they have observed and recorded the condition of the forest. They have also seen different threats such as typhoon related damages, pieces of garbage, houses and other structures, landslide and mudslide areas and some wildlife within.
Participants have likewise taken photos of their observations such as the different threats and wildlife. Data collected were synched at CENRO-Baguio and thereafter transmitted to DENR regional office and the DENR Central Office at the same time.
The participants were also taught on some features like how to track the distance of the protected areas as well as the threats using the application to take actions by reporting their observations to proper authority. A procedure was demonstrated like reporting illegal cutting in some protected areas to authorities. Some of the experiences shared are texting the local officials for assistance or calling the police to apprehend violators of the law.
Bryan Lachica from FMB said the application of records data is also essential for the government to know the necessary actions against the different threats in protected areas.
Meanwhile, participants from Indonesia assured to apply what they have learned from their experiential learning in Baguio City.
Said application was launched in the country by DENR and USAID last year which was used in recording necessary data in the different protected areas. CENRO-Baguio patrollers have been using also the application within its jurisdiction namely Baguio, La Trinidad, Sablan, Itogon, Tuba, Bokod, and Kabayan. Ian Jefrey Addatu / ABN

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