July 22, 2009
by: striker_jem
Butuan – A group of students initiated a signature campaign to call the attention of the Sangguniang Panglunsod, DENR, MGB, NEDA, Caraga Conference for Peace and Development and other concerned government agencies to stop illegal logging and mining activities at Taguibo watershed area.
Jesus Chavez Jr. of Partido Malayang Urian of Father Saturnino Urios University said, as of yesterday close to a thousand students signify their support by affixing signatures and pinning a green and blue ribbon on their uniforms: blue for water and green for the environment, carrying a message on the importance of having a sense of social responsibility in the protection, preservation and rehabilitation of the Taguibo watershed forest reserve.
The signature campaign is an outcome of the BCWD presentation over the weekend at FSUU relative to the alleged mining and illegal activity within the Taguibo watershed.
On May 26, 2009 a multi-sectoral composite team led by NCIP – Caraga visited a portion of the proclaimed Taguibo Watershed Area situated at Barangay Anticala, Butuan City to look into the presence of alleged illegal activities such as road construction/ rehabilitat
ion, mining activities and timber cutting within the proclaimed Taguibo Watershed Area.
Reports from NEDA Caraga said, that the integrity of the proclaimed Taguibo watershed has been affected by human activities such as illegal mining activities, timber poaching/illegal cutting of trees and other inappropriate development activities. These may consequently lead to the degradation and depletion of the watershed’s natural resources particularly, the quality and quantity of water for Butuan City.
Taguibo watershed is the source of potable water distributed to Butuan concessionaires of BCWD.
FSUU President Rev. Fr. John Christian Young emphasized, they will have a continuing advocacy about the importance of watersheds, the disastrous effect of illegal logging and log poaching and illegal mining activities.
“We need to create awareness of what is really happening not just because water district is saying so. The idea is to form networks who are concerned about water supply to save Taguibo watershed
,” said Fr. Young.
It was learned, the network has grown into more than 40 groups involve in the campaign.
FSUU had more or less 7,000 student population and organizers are optimistic that by the end of this week majority will affix their signatures signifying their support to the Save the Taguibo Watershed network.
However, FSUU President would like to emphasize to the public, that they are not part of the composite team who made an ocular inspection, and though there are indicators of who are responsible of the destruction of the watershed area, identifying those responsible will not be the primary concern of the network.
The signature campaign accordingly is more of students’ understanding the issues and taking a stand to stop any illegal activities in the area.
Fr. Young likewise invited all sectors to join in the advocacy to pressure concerned agencies in the urgency to save the watershed.
The signature campaign is being made at FSUU main campus lobby at San Francisco Street until this week and on July 29, a free concert will be held at FSU
U Gym as part of Butuan’s advocacy dubbed as “Save the Taguibo Watershed Forest Reserve, Now!”
The Taguibo watershed is one of the critical watersheds in Caraga that was declared as Forest Reserve by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1076 issued by then President Fidel V. Ramos on September 4, 1997. It covers a total area of 4,364 hectares for protection and conservation under the public domain of the City of Butuan and Municipalities of RTR and Cabadbaran in the province of Agusan del Norte.
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