Thursday, November 18, 2021

2nd largest protected area of SurSur soon to be enacted

BISLIG CITY, Surigao del Sur -- Known as BarBoLaVa PLaS, the Barcelona, Bongan, Lawigan, and Valencia Protected Landscape, and Seascape is the second largest protected area of Surigao del Sur that will soon be enacted into national law.

It was primarily crafted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (DENR-CENRO)-Bislig and stakeholders from agencies such as the city government of Bislig, local barangay councils, and private sector representatives (PSRs).

The protected landscape and seascape area comprises around 754 hectares of aggregate mangrove swamp forest traversing the interconnectivity of coastal areas of the municipality of Lingig and Bislig City, both part of the second district of Surigao del Sur.

The Coastal and Marine Ecosystem Management Program (CMEMP) of the CENRO issued findings and recommendations of the Protected Area Sustainability Assessment (PASA) for the BarBoLaVa, a primary step prior to its declaration as a protected area.

The findings revealed that four barangays of the said city and the municipality have a high potential to become a declared “protected seascape” because of its notable mature and lush primary mangrove species that may still be protected. The highlight findings are found in the discovery of two two threatened species of Gapas-gapas (Camptostemon philippnense) found in Barangay Lawigan and Giant clam/Taklobo (Tridacna gigas) in Valencia, Lingig.

Such findings paved the way in the issuance of a Memorandum Order dated January 19, 2021, placing these four barangays as the initial component of the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) under the category “protected landscape and seascape” instead of seascape only since it encompasses portions of terrestrial ecosystems that needs adequate protection. 

Moved by the challenge to establish as many protected areas as possible, the DENR-CENRO crafted the ten-year BARBOLAVA PLAS Initial Protected Area Planning through a workshop and writeshop activity held on November 15-17, 2021 at Highland Function Farm. This plan shall form part of the other requirements needed in endorsing the passage of a national law declaring BarBoLaVa as a Protected Landscape and Seascape in Surigao del Sur.

Bislig Chamber, the Private Sector Representative, was given the privilege to be part of this memorable milestone. 

Other activities conducted by the DENR CENRO relative to such measures were the public hearing to stakeholders last November 12, 2021 at the DENR Conference Room and a series of public consultations of the constituents in the four barangays in the first and second week of November.

The output of the plan formulation will then be presented back to the community for the finalization of the areas to be placed under the "protected landscape and seascape", submission of the plan for the Local Sanggunian’s adoption, and securing the position paper of the stakeholders in support to the BarBoLaVa PLaS. (Bislig City-Chamber of Commerce/PIA-Surigao del Sur)