SUGALAN CLAN, GOLDSTREAM SMALL SCALE MINERS CONDUCT TREE PLANTING

August 13, 2022 Community Billboard

Dozens of pocket miners belonging to Sugalan Clan and Goldstream small-scale mining groups on Saturday (Aug. 13) conducted separate tree planting activities in various mountain sections in Sitios Balococ Jaime and Goldstream, respectively, Barangay Camp 4, Tuba, Benguet. Several fruit bearing trees namely mango, avocado,
bugnay and guyabano, among others were planted in an estimated two-hectare mountainous area in Sitio Balococ (Camp 4), at a distance views Mount Ulap in Itogon— an epic hike for nature lovers, offering scenic views of the
Cordillera mountain range.

The mountain was Mt. Ulap , at the summit, the clouds literally kiss and touch the mountains. Mountaineers hikers
can feel and touch the “sea of clouds” at the top of the mountain. “ Tree planting, one way of showing our association and the community in preserving and protecting our environment, “ Angie Sugalan said in the vernacular, who is an active president of Sugalan Clan SSM. “It also to maintain the freshness of the mountain, our main source of drinking water for decades,” added Angie (Sugalan), who is also the treasurer of the Benguet Federation of Small-Scale Miners, Inc. (BFSSM).

Angie stressed that their environmental efforts -tree planting – is to protect mountain slopes for possible landslides, thus, served as safeguard for the people from both communities, especially school children, who braved rugged mountainous terrain, crossing two foot bridges for an almost half an hour hike to reach their school in Camp 4 as
well as villagers for food sustenance and other economic activities. The one-day tree planting activity by Sugalan Clan and Goldstream pocket miners group is in line with the Municipality of Tuba, the Province of Benguet and national government environmental protection efforts as well as BFSSM.

True “Bayanihan Spirit” was demonstrated with the active participation of Harmonious Christian Women’s
Association headed by Fe Milo and Tuba Grassroots Store Farmers and Livelihood Association headed by Gloria Gawiden. And Alfred Bugnosen, executive vice president of BFSSM, who represented the federation. Pocket miners from Goldstream SSM Association , headed by David Tomilas participated in the tree planting, covering its respective area (Sitio Goldstream). Years, countless trees of different species mahogany, Melina, ipil-ipil and native bamboo were planted in various sections in Sitios Balococ and Goldstream by local pocket miners, members of their families including the youth and children. It covered an estimated area of more than five hectares inside the Minahang Bayan (MB) applications of Sugalan Clan (15 hectares) and Goldstream SSM ,respectively.

Primo Agatep/ABN