2008.05.01 Sand Quarrying

The day after dad's 9th day (April 16), I organized a Lake Mainit tour to help design a future EcoTourism Packages for our tourists.

But before we were able to board our pumpboat, the surrounding was full of reminders that Sand Quarrying IS NOT SOLVED and WILL NOT BE SOLVED soon! You can see its presence from the lake to the shores.

Here's a banca fully loaded of sand for delivery...

Transported by sack

And stacked into around 20 mounds of sands, for hollow blocks factories. These are right at the back of the Mainit Lake Park, in front of the Mainit Agricultural Training Center.

When will our precious sand, our beloved Lake Mainit, rest from this environmental destruction?

2008.03.29 Monitoring the 2006 Bangkal Trees

18 months old

The 18 month old trees were still underwater after the Dec 2007 heavy rains and guob (flooding)

2008.01.09 Monitoring the 2006 Bangkal Trees

Heavy rains in December flooded the Panayakpan Area

Bangkal seedlings surviving in the midst of floodwater and thick grasses

2006.12.26 Three Months after the 2006 Round

December 26, 2006
The author was able to visit the Tree Planting site after 3 months. 

It was raining in the past 3 days. The site was swampy. Grasses were beginning to grow tall.

The view of the Eastern Shore (Panayakpan) after 3 months since the September 2006.

The tree guards and nametags are still visible from 300 meters away.

2006.09.16 The Pioneering Lakeshore Tree Planting Project

Pioneering Concept
The humble beginnings of the Lake Mainit Reforestation Program started in 2006. The actual tree planting was done on September 16, 2006.

Within just few days of launching the project in April 2006, the organizers reached the target of 250 tree sponsors . We have added 100 more trees, and by August 31, 2006, all of these were adopted. Few day days before the tree planting date, the team already reached 371 sponsored trees, amounting P76,000.00.

Partnership

• Mainit National High School (MNHS) through its Principal, Mrs. Esther Mordido
• Surigao del Norte College of Agriculture and Technology (SNCAT) through its Superintendent, Dr. Wilfredo Tiu, and Forester, Mr. Jerry Acero
• Mainit Catholic Youth Movement through the Parish Priest, Fr. Roman Alaan, and Parish Coordinator, Ms. Bebot Mosende
• Lake Mainit Development Alliance (LMDA) through its Project Manager, Engr. Kaiser Recabo
• Local Government Unit of Mainit through the Mayor, Hon. Roger Gatpolintan, and Executive Officer, Ms. Rhodina Madria
• Mainit Dot Org, Inc (MDO) through our President, Ms. Jomarie Libarnes

Photos

Forester Jerry Acero giving instructions on how to properly remove seedling bags before planting the Bangkal (Nauclea orientales) wildlings.

Mainit Parish Priest Fr. Roman Alaan, MSc with his tree.

CYM Volunteer with Forester Jerry Acero posing for a photo op.

MNHS Principal Dr. Esther Mordido with Mainit LGU Executive Officer Bingbing Gatpolintan-Madria... putting the tree guard for the newly planted Bangkal cutting. You can see at the background the rest of the participants to the tree-planting project.

Her Cairiness (Queen of Cairo!), MDOer Jocelyn Mosende-Roshdi, beaming with pride and joy after planting her adopted tree. Ate Joy has been out of the country for 19 years!

Mayor Roger Gatpolintan, one of the projects major partner, is joined with LGU officials.

Student volunteers from Mainit National High School. Look at how they dirtied their hands for a cause... then see them a day after as parade leaders in elegant costumes (find them in the following photo).

Leading the Fiesta Parade (September 17) as twirlers and band majorettes.

Dream: Restoring the Lakeside Forest of Lake Mainit

As I was writing the Historical Timeline of our town, I read in Arcilla SJ, Jose S., 1990. “Jesuit Missionary Letters from Mindanao”. Vol. V: The Surigao Mission, that in the mid-1800s towards the early 1900s, the shores of Lake Mainit were heavily forested with Magcono and other Philippine Hardwoods. And through my travels and documentation in the past 15 years, I saw remnants of that forest... seeing tuod (tree trunks) along the lakeshores. 

Then, I had a dream... a lake ecopark... where its 62km shoreline is heavily forested with trees... where my sons, their grandchildren... roam around, running, playing, enjoying nature at its best. 

Hi everyone, I am Peter. I am also Zimmbodilion. I have created this site to document the advocacies from our town Mainit, Surigao del Norte (Southern Philippines) for the country's CLEAREST, 2nd DEEPEST, and 4th LARGEST lake... our beloved Lake Mainit.

Many of those who saw my passion to help conserve and preserve our lake has given me names. I can't recall all, but here are some from whom I also know are fellow environmental enthusiasts:

"One of Surigao's staunch enviromental warrior" 

Atty. Cocoy Rebuta, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, Inc, Manila, Philippines

"Most consistent and dedicated Mainitnon"

Kap. Gaudencio Mondano, Punong Barangay 2013-present, Barangay Quezon, Mainit, Surigao del Norte  

"Ang banggiitang Mainitnon. Di napapagod sa pakikibaka"

Atty. Mai Taqueban, Cagayan de Oro City

My Bangkal Seedling! This is one of the 371 trees planted on the Western Shores of Lake Mainit (Panayakpan) during the September 16, 2006 Tree Planting Project.

With fellow Lake Mainit environmental warriors, siblings Al Rodin Behagan and Lodella Mae Behagan-Mosca planting a Bangkal seedling on the west bank of the Barangay Quezon coastal area of  the lake (Bitan-ag shores) last May 31, 2015.

Hugging the 8-year old (6cm thick) Bangkal tree planted in 2006 at the Panayakpan area (Eastern Shores) of Lake Mainit.

I was inspired to design shirts for Lake Mainit. I am not am enterpreneur but since people liked my shirts, I got orders and have since sold almost a thousand pieces. Here's one example... an embroidered Lake Mainit logo on a honeycomed collared premium cotton black shirt. Taken in January 2016 with an 8-month  Bangkal tree.

One of the 2006 Batch of Bangkal Trees, now towering at above 30-feet and diameter of 10 inches (planted September 16, 2006)