NUEVA ECIJA – WHEN farmer Roberto Jacob, 38, found a shivering serpent eagle in his farm in Barangay Puncan, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija, he took care of it.
He knew that his find, which is smaller than the famous Monkey Eating Eagle, is an endangered species. He didn’t mind getting richer by P5,000 when an interested party approached him to buy the bird.
Jacob immediately brought the eagle to Roy Manuzon, president of the “Kalinga sa Kalikasan ng Puncan” (Kapuncan) organization, in which he is a member.
“We nursed the eagle to health. We released it after a few days and Jacob was one of the happy men and women who watched the eagle soared high in the mountains,” Manuzon said.
Manuzon said Jacob is just one of the members of their 109 organization in their village who advances the cause of their organization which is taking care and improving their environment.
The Kapuncan head said their organization, established in 2007, had adopted 387 hectares in the mountain near their village. Their members, mostly farmers from their village, have been joining tree-planting activities carried out by the organization and in maintaining a seedling nursery.
They also help in patrolling the whole area for protection against fire, treasure hunting, and charcoal makers who were cutting down trees.
“Napagkasunduan lang po naming magkakapit-bahay na magsama-sama at tumulong para sa pagpapaunlad at proteksyon ng kalikasan. Naisip po namin na kami rin ang makikinabang sa gagawin naming kaya dapat kami ang kumilos (Our neighbors here agreed and joined together to do help in improving and protecting the environment. We thought that nobody but ourselves and our community which will benefit from it so we should take charge),” Manuzon said.
Last year, he said, they planted 20,000 hectares of various species of trees in their adopted area. This year, he said, they already planted 18,000 trees.
They have also planted about 50 hectares of land to various endangered species of trees.
Manuzon said several agencies and institutions have been helping them in their voluntary work. He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Central Luzon State University, Ateneo de Manila University, Department of Agrarian Reform, and other organizations.
“Many students and other volunteers have been coming here to join our tree planting activity. They also conduct research and development work here,” he added.
As they carried out their work in the mountain, Manuzon said several vintage bombs and grenades were found scattered in the area. They already turned two bombs and 11 grenades to the authorities concerned for proper disposal.
“We are glad that we found them. They pose danger to those going up the mountains,” Manuzon.
The Kapuncan head said about two hectares in the top portion of their adopted mountain has been developed into “Batong Amat Peace Park”. The park features three tunnels and a water falls.
“Many Japanese visit the place once a year to offer prayers for their departed relatives during the war,” Manuzon said. “Many Japanese soldiers who used the area as their quarters during the war were killed by the liberators,” he added.
Manuzon said that they feel proud that their adopted mountain has now many vigorously growing trees and other vegetative growths.
“We are already seeing wild pigs and deer in our adopted mountain. There is no more “kaingin” planting (slash and burn farming) and no one is cutting trees for charcoal making,” Manuzon, who is an employee of the Department of Agrarian Reform in North Nueva Ecija, said.
Barangay Puncan is about 60 kilometers north of Cabanatuan City.
He knew that his find, which is smaller than the famous Monkey Eating Eagle, is an endangered species. He didn’t mind getting richer by P5,000 when an interested party approached him to buy the bird.
Jacob immediately brought the eagle to Roy Manuzon, president of the “Kalinga sa Kalikasan ng Puncan” (Kapuncan) organization, in which he is a member.
“We nursed the eagle to health. We released it after a few days and Jacob was one of the happy men and women who watched the eagle soared high in the mountains,” Manuzon said.
Manuzon said Jacob is just one of the members of their 109 organization in their village who advances the cause of their organization which is taking care and improving their environment.
The Kapuncan head said their organization, established in 2007, had adopted 387 hectares in the mountain near their village. Their members, mostly farmers from their village, have been joining tree-planting activities carried out by the organization and in maintaining a seedling nursery.
They also help in patrolling the whole area for protection against fire, treasure hunting, and charcoal makers who were cutting down trees.
“Napagkasunduan lang po naming magkakapit-bahay na magsama-sama at tumulong para sa pagpapaunlad at proteksyon ng kalikasan. Naisip po namin na kami rin ang makikinabang sa gagawin naming kaya dapat kami ang kumilos (Our neighbors here agreed and joined together to do help in improving and protecting the environment. We thought that nobody but ourselves and our community which will benefit from it so we should take charge),” Manuzon said.
Last year, he said, they planted 20,000 hectares of various species of trees in their adopted area. This year, he said, they already planted 18,000 trees.
They have also planted about 50 hectares of land to various endangered species of trees.
Manuzon said several agencies and institutions have been helping them in their voluntary work. He said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Central Luzon State University, Ateneo de Manila University, Department of Agrarian Reform, and other organizations.
“Many students and other volunteers have been coming here to join our tree planting activity. They also conduct research and development work here,” he added.
As they carried out their work in the mountain, Manuzon said several vintage bombs and grenades were found scattered in the area. They already turned two bombs and 11 grenades to the authorities concerned for proper disposal.
“We are glad that we found them. They pose danger to those going up the mountains,” Manuzon.
The Kapuncan head said about two hectares in the top portion of their adopted mountain has been developed into “Batong Amat Peace Park”. The park features three tunnels and a water falls.
“Many Japanese visit the place once a year to offer prayers for their departed relatives during the war,” Manuzon said. “Many Japanese soldiers who used the area as their quarters during the war were killed by the liberators,” he added.
Manuzon said that they feel proud that their adopted mountain has now many vigorously growing trees and other vegetative growths.
“We are already seeing wild pigs and deer in our adopted mountain. There is no more “kaingin” planting (slash and burn farming) and no one is cutting trees for charcoal making,” Manuzon, who is an employee of the Department of Agrarian Reform in North Nueva Ecija, said.
Barangay Puncan is about 60 kilometers north of Cabanatuan City.
