by:
Rosevirico A. Tan
Pagadian
City, 1 June (PIA) -- Production of
quality planting materials in support to the reforestation program of
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the region under
the National Greening Program has been augmented through the operationalization
of a new Regional Clonal Nursery and Ecological Research and Training Center
(RCNERTC) on May 30, 2012 at Upper Pulacan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
The
inauguration ceremony was attended by DENR National and Regional officials
together with representatives from the local government units.
DENR-IX
Regional Executive Director Arleigh Adorable in his welcome message outlined
the functions of the RCNERTC which is to serve as the regional center for the
production, storage and disposition of quality planting materials of indigenous
and premium forest trees and other economically important non-timber forest
species; provide venues for trainings, conferences and symposia to its valued
clients; and to serve as model site for the conduct of verification and
documentation of research breakthrough and community-based technologies in the
region. He added that the area is a potential eco-tourism destination due to
the presence of second-growth forest in the area.
DENR
Undersecretary for Field Operations Atty. Ernesto Adobo, Jr. in his message
said that the clonal facility is a big boost in the department’s effort of
producing quality planting materials needed in support to the National Greening
Program being implemented in the region. He lauded the efforts of the Ecosystem
Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) for their role in contributing to the
department’s objective of massive reforestation through-out the country.
ERDB
Director Marcial Amaro, Jr. was impressed and congratulated the regional leadership of DENR for
establishing not only a clonal facility but also a research and training
center. Noting that the site is very appropriate being an old reforestation
project with access to water and seed source, the facility can easily achieve
its objective of producing cloned indigenous and premium species forest trees
for planting.
On
the other hand, Executive Assistant
Engr. Mapilindo Obaob read a message of
Congressman Victor Yu lauding the efforts of the DENR in establishing
the regional clonal facility as he believes that this is an answer to the
dilemma of lack of planting materials considering that under EO 26 signed by
President Benigno Aquino III, mandates for the planting of 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million
hectares of forest lands by 2016. With
this latest scientific development of cloning, we can now reproduce the much
needed seedlings of various forest species and contribute to the much needed
rehabilitation of our denuded forests.
The
inauguration ceremony began with a
ribbon cutting ceremony, blessing of the facility led by the Parish Priest of
Labangan Rev. Fr. Frank Pintac, followed with a short program, unveiling of the
RCNERTC marker and a symbolic tree planting.
Other
guests present includes National Assistant Coordinator for NGP Ronilo Salac,
ERDB staff Manolito Sy, Rosalinda Reaviles and Elsa Dialos, ERDS RTD Gil Ona,
LMS RTD Moises Butic, PENRO Carlito Tuballa, CENRO Alhambra Gumandol, other
DENR-IX regional, provincial and community representatives, and ERDS staff and
personnel.
RCNERTC
is a 12.30 hectares facility within the Baclay-Pulacan Reforestation Project
established by the DENR-IX Ecosystem Research and Development Sector with an
annual clonal production capacity of 142,000 indigenous and premium forest tree
seedlings. (R. Tan/DENR9/CAL/PIA9)