PISTA Y ANG KAGUEBAN 2018: Students of the Seminario de San Jose in Puerto Princesa join in the celebration of the 28th edition of the Pista Y Ang Kagueban (Feast of the Forest) in Barangay Montible Saturday (June 30). (Photo courtesy of Seminario de San Jose)
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- All roads here on Saturday led to the lowland forest of Barangay Montible for the 28th Pista Y Ang Kagueban (Feast of the Forest), a mass tree planting event that reminds city residents of the vital role forests play in preventing global warming and building sustainable communities.
An estimated 15,000 volunteers, residents, and guests of Puerto Princesa assembled in Montible as early as 4 a.m. to take part in the planting of 10,000 seedlings of a variety of tree species that will later provide shelter and food for birds.
Mayor Lucilo Bayron, who led the tree planting feast, said Montible was chosen as the site of this year’s Pista celebration because it has recently become a significant territory for birds, especially for the critically-endangered Philippine cockatoo or Red-vented cockatoo (katala).
“Ito ay kinikilalang habitat, sabi ng mga mahihilig sa bird watching ay dito matatagpuan ang maraming ibon kaya ito ang pinili para makapagtanim ng mga fruit trees at iba pang mga matataas na kahoy. Kailangan din nating protektahan ang mga endemic at pambihirang ibon na dito lang matatagpuan sa Palawan (This place is recognized as a habitat, according to bird watching enthusiasts, that’s why this was chosen as planting site for fruit and other tall species of trees. We need to protect endemic and rare birds that can only be found in Palawan),” Bayron said.
He said that to date, at least five poachers and illegal loggers had been arrested in Montible. It has also become a hot spot for informal settlers who illegally occupy forestlands in the area.
With the trees planted Saturday, the city government would have regular workers keeping watch of the barangay that will soon be home, too, to the Montible & Lapu-Lapu Water Project by the Puerto Princesa City Water District.
“Itong area na ito ay nagiging subject ng illegal occupation. People are squatting, kaya kailangan natin itong ma-proteksyunan from those illegal occupants (This area has become a subject of illegal occupation. People are squatting that’s why we need to protect it from illegal occupants,” he said.
Bayron hinted that this year’s edition of the forest feast will not be the last due to the importance of the site to the city’s environmental conservation and protection goals. Continuously holding the Pista Y Ang Kagueban in the area, he further said, would help ease the pressure it has suffered in recent times due to persistent attempts by illegal occupants to squat on lands.
“Malaki ang ating pasasalamat sa mga nag-participate ngayon, pati na yung mga nauna sa atin na nagpasimula nito, namana na natin ang sinimulan nilang pag-create ng mga kagubatan (We appreciate everyone’s participation in this, even the past city government officials who started this and left to us the legacy of rehabilitating the forest),” he said.
Meanwhile, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Felizardo Cayatoc of the local Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said the mass tree planting will be credited as the city government’s contribution to the National Greening Program (NGP) reforestation drive.
“Ito ay magiging part ng accomplishment ng city government sa NGP natin. Atin natin itong sinusuportahan dahil sa magandang layunin na pagyamanin ang environment (It will become part of the city government’s accomplishments in the NGP. We support this because of its good intention to rehabilitate the forest),” he said.
Among those planted were Narra, African kapok, yellow shower trees, and wild mangosteen -- trees that birds love to feed on. The Pista Y Ang Kagueban, which is the Cuyunon language equivalent of “Pista ng Kagubatan,” was established in 1991 by the Palawan Integrated Area Development Project Office to institutionalize forest protection and conservation amongst the youth and city residents. (PNA)
