South Cotabato targets 20,000 seedlings planted in Lake Sebu KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, Oct 21 (PIA) -- At least 20,000 trees should be planted in and around Lake Sebu by the end of this year, an environment official here said. Loida Villa, senior environment specialist of Provincial Environment Management Office said that recently they have already distributed at least P16,500 seedlings of balabago (a mangrove specie) and madre de cacao to the target cluster areas around the lake as well as the islands within the lake. Some 3,500 seedlings of fruit trees are also set for distribution soon, Villa said. “The tree planting was conducted around the perimeter of the lake, including the four islets in the lake,” she said, explaining further that the tree planting is part the ongoing Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) Program in seven cluster areas in Lake Sebu. These areas include Purok Pag-asa – Estaris Resorts (Cluster 1), Arellano – Fishport (Cluster 2), Lambanig-Lamnabol-Tabite (Cluster 3), Lamsufo- 3 Fingers (Cluster 4), Isla Grande, Isla Tbenwo, Isla Valenzuela and Isla Tupas (Cluster 5), Bacdulong (cluster 6) and Tabaay – San Miguel Outlet (Cluster 7). “We hoped to accomplish the tree-planting before the year ends,” Villa said. These initiative form part of the continuing efforts to rehabilitate and clean Lake Sebu, one of the most important tourist attractions in South Cotabato. It began early this year with the demolition of illegal structures such as fish cages, resorts cottages within the lake, designating a 20-meter passageway for bancas and small boats and putting limits to the size and distance of fish cages. Recently, the PEMO also launched the Lakeshore Beautification Contest between the communities in and around the lake as clustered. Criteria include General Cleanliness – 40%; Planting Materials (combination of ornamental plants, forest and fruit trees) – 15%; Healthy Seedlings (with tree guards) – 15%; 100% Survival Rate (planted trees and ornamental plants); Attractiveness of the landscape design – 15%; No existing structures in the lakeshore that can destruct the landscape – 5%. Prizes at stake for the top three winners are as follows; First Prize – P20,000.00, Second Prize – P15,000.00, Third Prize – P10,000.00, Fourth Prize – P5,000.00. Non-winning communities will receive consolation prices of P2,000 each. Evaluators from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Information Office, Arts, Culture, Tourism, Sports and Museum Promotions Unit and the Department of the Interior and Local Government provincial office will determine the winners. The PEMO plans to declare the winners before 2014 ends. (DEDoguiles-PIA 12)
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 05:32:29 +0000
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