SHAGGCLAI SUSTAINS REFORESTATION PROGRAM

July 13, 2024 Community Billboard

REFORESTATION

Tree is Life… for survival Pocket miners of Saddle, Hartwell,Goldhill, Goldcoin Community Livelihood Association, Inc. (SHAGGCLAI) conduct tree planting activity at the picturesque- rugged mountain slopes of Sitio Patak, Barangay Ampucao, Itogon Benguet. The group together with some members of their families, including some members of the women and youth sectors, participated in the activity (July 6), an annual project of said association.

Photos by Primo P. Agatep/ABN

ITOGON, Benguet

Some 100 pocket miners belonging to Saddle, Hartwell,Goldhill, Goldcoin Community Livelihood Association, Inc.
(SHAGGCLAI) on Saturday (July 6) conducted tree planting activity at the scenic but rugged mountain slopes at Sitio Patak, Barangay Ampucao here. The planting site -Sitio Patak- covered by thousands of decades-old pine trees and wild plants, was among the many areas in the province razed by forest fires last summer.

Some one thousand pine trees sourced from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Cordillera (DENR-CAR) were planted within the estimated 10-hectare mountainous area, according to Noli Pal-lay, the newly installed president of (SHAGGCLAI). 100 meters in elevation, and constantly on alert of falling rocks. As early as 6 o’clock in the morning last Saturday, native the vernacular.

Carla Gabino, wife of Mike (Banite), and Imelda Cabradilla, pocket miners including lowlanders begun to assemble
at the designated area (Sitio Patak)-at the roadside leading to Philex Mines.Hours later, the group started to scale the
mountain. Pal-lay and the group vice president ,Mike Banite told this writer, it’s a regular activity of their association mainly for the good of the mining communities—protection of the environment, and In support of the Benguet
Federation of Small-Scale Miners,Inc. (BFSSM) , local government units (lgus) and the national government’s
environmental efforts.

One significant moment of Families and relatives of SHAGGCLAI pocket miners, including some members of the
women and youth sectors, respectively, and also this writer, participated in the five the day,, Charles Andry Cabansi, nine year-old ,Grade 4 pupil of Manganese Integrated School, son of a pocket miner (Sebio), 28, was among those
who planted a pine tree at the herself a pocket miner turned businesswoman, and Zeny Cagampan, the associations
secretay were among the women sector who planted.

Hours later, SHAGGCLAI pocket miners’ true bayanihan spirit once again demonstrated, and a much needed break took place. Decades indigenous people of this mining community including the forefathers of these local pocket miners have been conducting reforestation. The group claimed over a million trees were planted, spread over to the mining communities shown by the lush green scenery atop as far as one’s naked eye can see the splendor.

Other environmental regular projects conducted by SHAGGCLAI include clean-up drives in water and local road systems. hour reforestation activity, by scaling the very steep but picturesque and refreshing planting area -with estimated safe roadside. ‘Trees is an important part of our lives…we depend on trees for our survival, said Charles in
Meanwhile, pocket miners were about to leave the area when the DENR-Cordillera/ Centro Baguio, tasked to
monitor and document the group’s activity arrived.

Primo P. Agatep/ABN