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Ttrue
to his guiding principle in governance of building alliances
with the private sector, last-termer Bohol Gov. Erico
Aumentado is tapping the group of Norris Oculam, president
of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI)
in reforesting some denuded areas in the province.
Oculam
had submitted to Aumentado a proposal called the "Private
Sector Assistance to Land Management (PSALM) project
that seeks to reforest the Ubay-Mabini-Alicia (UMA)
area in the Caro-od Watershed in eastern Bohol.
In
turn, the governor personally submitted it to Environment
and Natural Resources Secretary Jose "Lito"
Atienza Jr. for him to provide ready information
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AUMENTADO |
on
the province's macro reforestation program not covered by the
proposal.
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"The
proposal will accelerate the reforestation by the private
sector of the denuded forest land in the UMA area thru
an innovative strategy which could enhance our environmental
thrust for eco-tourism, food security and for the water
requirements of our people for irrigation and domestic
consumption, as well as flood control," the governor
told Atienza in a reiterative letter received by the
department on March 7.
Once
fully grown, the planted trees will also provide protection
as windbreakers during typhoons, he added.
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"Since
the government lacks the financial resources to reforest Bohol's
denuded forest zones, I am strongly pushing for your kind
approval of the PSALM Project which the private sector can
replicate in other denuded watersheds and forest zones in
Bohol," he pointed out.
These
areas include Abatan in Maribojoc town, Wahig-Pamacsalan in
Pilar and other towns, Inabanga, Loboc, Ipil in Trinidad and
Alejawan in Jagna and Duero towns which support major river
basins that are the sources of water for irrigation facilities,
hydroelectric power and municipal waterworks systems as identified
under the Bohol Integrated Water Resource Supply System -
a study funded by the Australian Agency for International
Development (AusAID).
Reforestation
became a major component of the study upon the insistence
of Aumentado after the consultants presented their raw output.
The
study covers the entire province and the governor intends
to jumpstart its implementation within his final term.
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