Caharodin A. Cali Jose B. Arances Ermelinda Goc-Ong Tobias Emma M. Sabado Apolinario A. Alicante Lucy B. Ledres Olga M. Nuñeza Domingo S. Ramirez Participatory Rural Appraisal in the Upland Ecosystem of Mt. Malindang, Misamis Occidental, Philippines Biodiversity Research Programme (BRP) for Development in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang and Environs
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Caharodin A. Cali Jose B. Arances Ermelinda Goc-Ong Tobias Emma M. Sabado Apolinario A. Alicante Lucy B. Ledres Olga M. Nuñeza Domingo S. Ramirez
Participatory Rural Appraisal in the Upland Ecosystem of Mt. Malindang,
Misamis Occidental, Philippines
Biodiversity Research Programme (BRP) for Development in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang and Environs
Participatory Rural Appraisal in the Upland Ecosystem of Mt. Malindang, Misamis Occidental, Philippines
Caharodin A. Cali Jose B. Arances
Ermelinda Goc-Ong Tobias Emma M. Sabado
Apolinario A. Alicante Lucy B. Ledres Olga M. Nuñeza
Domingo S. Ramirez
under the
Biodiversity Research Programme (BRP) for Development in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang and Environs
Funding for BRP is provided by the Netherlands Ministry for Development Cooperation (DGIS) through the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).
The Biodiversity Research Programme (BRP) for Development in Mindanao is a collaborative research programme on biodiversity management and conservation jointly undertaken by Filipino and Dutch researchers in Mt. Malindang and its environs, Misamis Occidental, Philippines. It is committed to undertake and promote participatory and interdisciplinary research that will promote sustainable use of biological resources, and effective decision-making on biodiversity conservation to improve livelihood and cultural opportunities. BRP aims to make biodiversity research more responsive to real-life problems and development needs of the local communities, by introducing a new mode of knowledge generation for biodiversity management and conservation, and to strengthen capacity for biodiversity research and decision-making by empowering the local research partners and other local stakeholders.
Philippine Copyright 2004 by the Biodiversity Research Programme for Development in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang and Environs. SEAMEO SEARCA, College, Laguna. ISBN 971-560-108-1
Volume editor: Elizabeth M. Libas With the assistance of: Carina S. Fule and Gerlie D. Rivera
Contents
Acknowledgments
Acronyms
Executive Summary 1
Introduction 7Geographical location and topography 7Historical information 8
ConcepcionDon Victoriano
Objectives 9
Methodology 10
Capability building 10Gathering of secondary data 10Entry protocols and permits 10Reconnaissance survey and site validation 11Identifying stakeholders 11Identifying key informants 11Orientation of key informants/participants/stakeholders 11Fieldwork/PRA 11Data organization and analysis 12Community validation meetings 12Report writing 12
Results and Discussion 13
I. Biophysical characteristics 13A. East-West Transect of Don Victoriano 13
1. Mansawan2. Gandawan3. Lake Duminagat
B. Southeastern Transect of Don Victoriano 161. Lampasan2. Tuno3. Lalud
C. Northwestern Transect of Concepcion 171. Sixto Velez2. Upper Salimpuno3. Upper Potongan4. Small Potongan
D. Northeastern Transect of Concepcion 171. Small Potongan2. Virayan3. Poblacion Concepcion
Upland subecosystems 17Stakeholders identified 18Biological resources and their uses 18
a. Botanicals 18b. Avifauna 19c. Other vertebrates 19d. Arthropods 19e. Other invertebrates 20
II. Sociocultural and Economic Characteristics 20
A. Municipality of Concepcion 211. Barangay Poblacion 212. Barangay Small Potongan 223. Barangay Upper Potongan 224. Barangay Virayan 235. Barangay Upper Salimpuno 24
B. Municipality of Sapang Dalaga 251. Barangay Sixto Velez 25
C. Municipality of Don Victoriano 261. Barangay Tuno 262. Barangay Lalud 273. Barangay Lampasan 274. Barangay Lake Duminagat 285. Barangay Gandawan 286. Barangay Mansawan 29
III. Interconnectedness 30
a. Resource use and flow patterns 30b. Political flow 31
IV. Common observations and findings 31
a. Biophysical resources 31b. Sociocultural and economic findings 32c. Issues and concerns 32d. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats 33
V. Interaction analysis 33
a. Biophysical situations 33b. Sociocultural and economic situations 34
VI. Recommendations 35
a. First generation researchable areas 35b. Second generation and specific researchable areas 35c. Development needs for possible intervention by relevant GOs and NGOs 36d. Support programs 37
References 38
Appendix Tables 39
Acknowledgments
The Upland Ecosystem Team of the Pre-implementation Phase of the Philippines-NetherlandsBiodiversity Research Programme in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang, would like to thank thefollowing:
· The Department of Biological Sciences of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Tibanga, Iligan City for the use of the computer facilities,· Respective University Presidents for allowing the researchers to get involved in this unique
and innovative type of research endeavor,· Hon. Rodolfo Luna, the Municipal Mayor of Don Victoriano, for allowing researchers to
enter and conduct the PRA in the different barangays, for accommodating the team in hisresidence, for providing the team the necessary logistical support, and for the kindnesshis family has shown to the team,
· Hon. Juanidy Vina, vice-mayor of Concepcion, for all the support extended to us fromstart to finish, against all odds,
· Hon. Melquiades D. Azcuna, Jr., mayor of Lopez Jaena, for the heartwarming welcome accorded to the researchers,
· PASu Rolando S. Dingal for all the support and information his office extended to us,· Bert Cajeta for his kindness, cooperation, and support,· Paul for the milk and others, Bebs for everything,· Dodong, for his down-to-earth attitude which the team needed most,· Merriam, Pacit, Virgie, and Marilyn for being so accommodating,· All the barangay captains who helped us in all aspects of the PRA,· Dr. William Sm. Gruezo for always being there for the team,· Ms. Helen Dayo and Lucy for accommodating the Upland Team,· SEARCA, Dr. Sajise, Gil, Alice, Marhz, Auring, Jess who kept us on our feet,· RAWOO, Ed Maan, Paul, Marc, Colin, Gerard, Thom for the support,· All resource persons who were always in high spirits,· All PRA teams, for the synergy and strength, and· All members of the Upland Team for the cooperation and support.
A million thanks to one and all.
Acronyms
ABC Association of Barangay Captains BRP Biodiversity Research Programme BHW Barangay Health Worker CBFM Community-Based Forest Management CIDSS Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services CML Centre of Environmental Science CMU Central Mindanao University DA Department of Agriculture DECS Department of Education, Culture and Sports DENR Department of Environment and Natural Resources DSWD Department of Social Welfare and Development DOSCST Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology EIA Environmental Impact Assessment ENR-SECAL Environment and Natural Resources - Sectoral Adjustment Loan GO Government Organization IEC Information, Education and Communication IP Indigenous People LGU Local Government Unit MATCO Mt. Ampiro Timber Company MHO Municipal Health Officer MSU Mindanao State University MSU-IIT Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology NAMRIA National Mapping and Resource Information Authority NGO Nongovernment Organization NIA National Irrigation Authority NIPAP National Integrated Protected Areas Programme NIPAS National Integrated Protected Areas System PAMB Protected Area Management Board PASA Protected Area Suitability Assessment PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal PRE Population-Resource-Environment PTCA Parent-Teacher-Community Association RA Republic Act RIC Rural Improvement Club RRMP Regional Resource Management Program SALT Sloping Agricultural Land Technology SEARCA Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in
Agriculture SK Sangguniang Kabataan SKPSC Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College SPAMAST Southern Philippines Agribusiness, Marine and Aquatic School of Technology SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats TACDRUP Technical Assistance Center for the Development of Rural and Urban Poor TRICAP Tribal Communities Association of the Philippines
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 1
Executive Summary
The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) of theupland ecosystem during the pre-implementation phase of the Philippines-Netherlands Biodiversity Research Programmein Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang was donein April to May 1999. This activity aimed to:
1. describe the biophysical, sociocultural andeconomic conditions and status of theupland ecosystem;
2. assess the biodiversity conditions of Mt.Malindang Range;
3. identify the stakeholders and their needs;
4. determine the strengths, weaknesses,opportunities, and threats to the communitiesin relation to biodiversity conservation; and
5. identify researchable areas in the uplandecosystems of Mt. Malindang Range.
The Upland Ecosystem Team consisted of eightmembers with multidisciplinary backgroundsuch as forestry, ecology, zoology, wildlifebiology, entomology, and socio-anthropology.They come from the different institutions ofhigher learning and agencies based inMindanao. Two members (Dr. Jose B. Arancesand Prof. Lucy B. Ledres) are from CentralMindanao University (CMU), Musuan, Bukidnon,two (Dr. Olga M. Nuñeza and Dr. Ermelinda G.Tobias) are from the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), three(Dr. Caharodin A. Cali, Dr. Emma M. Sabado, andDr. Apolinario A. Alicante) are from MSU, MarawiCity, and Mr. Domingo Ramirez from theDepartment of Environment and NaturalResources (DENR)-National Integrated ProtectedAreas Program (NIPAP)-Protected AreaManagement Board (PAMB). The team was ledby Dr. Caharodin A. Cali as key person and Dr.Jose B. Arances as PRA team leader.
The PRA sites for the Upland Ecosystem Teamwere the municipalities of Concepcion and DonVictoriano. Both are located in the Malindangmountain range which is within the core of theProvince of Misamis Occidental. Only sixbarangays of Don Victoriano and five barangaysof Concepcion were included. To establish
interconnectivity with the lowland ecosystem,one barangay of Sapang Dalaga, Sixto Velez,was included.
Preparatory activities for the PRA were done.All PRA participants attended trainings andworkshops conducted by SEARCA. The PhilippineWorking Group, Dutch experts, and resourcepersons of various disciplines were also present.The first training and workshop was held inDapitan in August 1998, where all theparticipants were introduced to participatory,multidisciplinary, and multisectoral approachesto biodiversity research. Major activities of thepre-implementation phase were determined andkey persons and members for each activity wereidentified to: (1) gather secondary data aboutMt. Malindang and its environs, (2) identifystakeholders, (3) identify problem areas, (4)form a research team, and (5) identify researchareas.
During the training, ocular visits to the researchsite were undertaken to encourage theenthusiasm of the participants. Further trainingand workshop were undertaken at CMU, Musuan,Bukidnon where additional participants wereinvited to join. Team building, interdisciplinarity,and commitment were emphasized by thetrainors. Different methods of PRA wereintroduced, including transect walks,semistructured interview, and focus groupdiscussions. The landscape approach tobiodiversity assessment was fine-tuned. Hence,three ecosystems were named: upland, lowland,and coastal ecosystems. Three ecosystem teamswere formed. Likewise, the teams for stakeholdersanalysis and biodiversity research programmewere also formed. Each training participant wasidentified for a particular ecosystem.
Entry protocols and requirements to the PRA sitesfollowed. These were facilitated by theStakeholders Analysis Team and enhanced bythe different ecosystem teams themselves.Permits to enter and conduct fieldwork in thedesignated barangays were secured from therespective municipal mayors.
The Upland Ecosystem Team conducted thereconnaissance survey in the two towns of DonVictoriano and Concepcion in early April 1999.
2 Technical Report
Courtesy calls and consultative meetings withlocal government officials followed and thePhilippines-Netherlands Biodiversity ResearchProgramme in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindangwas presented and discussed. In addition,multisectoral meetings were conducted tofurther enhance the community’s understandingof the biodiversity research programme. Keyinformants, stakeholders, and participants wereidentified and orientation of prospectiveparticipants followed in preparation for thefieldwork.
Fieldwork of the PRA commenced in early May1999 at Barangay Mansawan, Don Victoriano.Transect walks were done toward variousdirections within the barangay taking note ofits biophysical, economic, and cultural features.Documentation of observations and activitieswas done. Spot mapping and resource mappingof the main thoroughfare of the barangay wereaccomplished. To enhance the gathering ofinformation about biophysical, sociocultural andeconomic conditions, interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted amongresidents encountered along the transect walksand those in their homes. Small group discussionsensued whenever people flocked with the teammembers due to curiosity. In effect, furtherverification and validation of information/datagathered was accomplished. At the end of theday, the team members shared, discussed, andanalyzed the data/information gathered.
The team continued the transect walk towardthe next barangay, taking note of the biophysicalfeatures along the way. Identification andcounting of number of specific species weredone to determine biodiversity status. The nextbarangay is Gandawan. Similar methods ofgathering information about flora and fauna thatwere prevalent a long time ago and aboutsociocultural and economic conditions of thepeople were employed in all barangays of thetwo municipalities of Don Victoriano andConcepcion where the team conducted the PRA.Barangays include Mansawan, Gandawan, LakeDuminagat, Lampasan, Tuno and Lalud of DonVictoriano, and Upper Salimpuno, UpperPotongan, Small Potongan, Poblacion, andVirayan of Concepcion, and Sixto Velez ofSapang Dalaga.
Data/information gathered from each barangaywere organized and analyzed in terms of therelationship among the population, resources,and the environment (PRE analysis). Strengths
and weaknesses of the local people wereidentified and opportunities for courses ofactions to be taken were determined. Activitiesthat were threats to environmental security andbiodiversity conservation and sustainabledevelopment were identified and analyzed. Fromthese, researchable and development areaswere generated.
Validation of the PRA results and their analyseswere conducted in the communities of DonVictoriano and Concepcion toward the end ofJune 1999. Government officials and local andindigenous people from various barangaysattended the community validation meetings.Their excellent participation in the validation ofthe results was noted and appreciated.
A. Biophysical features
The Upland Ecosystem PRA sites in DonVictoriano and Concepcion are located withinthe elevation that ranges from 600 to 1500meters above sea level and with a slope rangingfrom 0 to 90 degrees. The ambient temperatureranges from 15 to 22 degrees Celsius. The sitesare located in the Mt. Malindang Range. Thearea consists of rugged mountains, which arevolcanic in origin. Boulders, cobblestones, andsolidified magma are commonly found inmountain flanks and slopes and along creeksand rivers. Basically, the soil type includes clayto clay loam with highly eroded topsoil. Thus,it has insufficient nutrients, and therefore isinfertile.
Various forms of life in the PRA sites were notedand documented. Direct observations andethnobiological interviews were employed toassess the biodiversity status of the differentbarangays. Both floral and faunal species wereidentified on site with the naked eye or with theaid of binoculars.
The total number of species of floral resourcescovered within the entire transects is 507,involving 369 genera and 129 families.According to conservation status, thoseclassified as common consisted of 194 generaand 256 species. Those classified as rareconsisted of 28 genera and 35 species. Thoseclassified as scarce consists of 158 genera and203 species.
Several faunal species were also observed anddocumented. These were vertebrates and
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 3
invertebrates. Sixty-seven species of avian faunawere recorded through observation and from keyinformants. Likewise, 11 species of reptiles, 2species of amphibians, 12 species of mammalsand 8 species of ichthyofauna were alsodocumented.
Among the invertebrates, arthropods were themost prevalent. Insects are the most dominantin terms of number of species and number ofindividuals per species. Insects have significantroles in maintaining biotic communities. Theyact as pollinators, food for birds, fish and otheranimals, as predators, as scavengers, and asparasites of harmful insects. Sixty-three familiesbelonging to 10 insect orders were recorded.Many families (13) belong to Order Lepidoptera.This is followed by Diptera with 11 families,Coleoptera with 9 families, and Hemiptera and
Homoptera with four families each. Dermopteraand Thysanoptera have only one family each.
The following are the relevant observations andfindings on biophysical resources:
1. Severe pest infestation on cabbage: Uponexamination, the pest was identified asdiamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Thisis the major pest of cabbage in Mansawan,Gandawan, and Lake Duminagat such thatfarmers are forced to apply insecticides tominimize their impacts.
2. A practical mechanical control of pests oncabbage seedlings was installed andobserved in Barangay Lake Duminagat. Thefarmers used nylon net mesh to enclosetheir nursery beds.
3. The presence of parasitic cocoons on deadlarvae of diamondback moth in Gandawanclearly indicates the presence of naturalenemies that suppress the populationgrowth of insect pests.
4. Dead larvae observed on the way to LakeDuminagat were believed to have beenattacked by pathogenic organisms such asbacteria and viruses.
5. Cotton stainer, Dysdercus cingulatus, wasobserved as a pest of okra in Lampasan.
6. Water striders and ripple bugs are abundantin the waters of Lake Duminagat, GuibanRiver, and Virayan River. These arebioindicators of water quality. Their presenceindicates the absence of pollutants in thebodies of water.
7. Most of the avian, reptilian, mammalian,amphibian, and ichthyofauna speciesobserved had ecological value as pollinators,seed dispersal agents, and insect pestcontrol agents. Their social value lies in theirbeing used as pets and experimental orresearch materials. Economically, they areused as food and trading items.
8. The municipalities of Don Victoriano andConcepcion are all situated within a protectedarea where the status of bioresourcesremains unresolved.
The following data on number of genera andspecies were obtained according to use and habit:
From direct observations and interviews of keyinformants, participants, and stakeholders inthe PRA sites, information and data on thefollowing were gathered. In addition, theseinformation were validated in focus groupdiscussions and multisectoral meetings.
1. The number of households in all barangaysrange from 53 to 362. Population figuresbased on estimates and latest reports rangefrom 210 to 1,829. The average householdsize is six.
2. About 3-5% of the population in eachbarangay is composed of old (65 years andabove) folks. The young (0-14 years old)accounted for about 45% of the totalpopulation. The middle age group (15-64years old) comprises about 50%.
3. There are more females than males.
4. In Barangays Mansawan, Gandawan, LakeDuminagat, Small Potongan, UpperPotongan, and Virayan, more Subanons wereobserved than any other ethno-linguisticgroup. In these barangays, Subanonsprobably account for 85% to 100% of thepopulation. In Lalud and Tuno, the Subanonsmake up 70% of the total population.
5. The barangays have barangay healthworkers (BHW) but no municipal healthofficer (MHO). Medicines are very muchlacking.
6. Only five barangays have electricity. Themost common mass media facility is thetransistor radio. Barangay captains in DonVictoriano have ICOM radios.
7. Houses are mostly made of galvanized ironsheets and wood/wood shingles. Very fewhouses use cogon as roofing material.
8. Two barangays have high schools. UpperPotongan does not have any elementaryschool. Five barangays have Grades I-II,three barangays have Grades I-IV while threebarangays have complete elementaryschools.
9. Farming is the main source of livelihood.Secondary sources of income include“manungha” (hired help in the farm),“karyada” (hauling), hand-sawing, andselling firewood.
10. Cash crops from Mansawan, Gandawan, andLake Duminagat are mainly onions,cabbage, and chayote. For Lalud, Tuno, andLampasan, cash crops are corn and rootcrops similar with Barangay Poblacion ofConcepcion.
11.The average area cultivated is only ¼ of ahectare. People occupy forest lands. Theycannot get titles for the land they till sincethey live within the protected areas. Somepossess certificates of stewardship over thepiece of land they occupy.
12.There is no definite cropping pattern for rootcrops, onion, cabbage, and other vegetables.Corn is planted from April to May. Thesecond cropping starts in September.
13. Rainy months are the lean months in SmallPotongan and Upper Potongan, while forVirayan, every month is a lean month.
14.Poultry is seldom raised due to problems ofpests and diseases.
15.Soil fertility is a big problem.
16.Women often help in the farm in addition todoing household chores. They plant, doweeding, and desucker onion plants. Theyalso engaged in “karyada” to augment familyincome.
C. Issues and concerns
The data and information gathered throughdirect observations, interviews, and meetingswith the local residents and their localgovernment units point to important issues andconcerns. In the following list, the first two arethe local residents’ main concerns. The othersare concerns raised by the team and residents.The team agrees with residents in believing thatthese issues and concerns are linked with eachother in an intertwining manner.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 5
1. Socioeconomics
a. Food security among uplandcommunities
b. Social stability/peace and order situationc. Alleviating family income above the
poverty lined. Availment of credit facilities at low or
no interest at alle. Availment of social amenities and
servicesf. Improvement of literacyg. Increased productivity
2. Policy formulation needs
a. Resolving the status of the towns of DonVictoriano and Concepcion which arewithin the protected area
b. Tenurial rights of residents in themunicipalities
c. Integrated approach to projectimplementation
d. Advocacy and information campaigns
3. People’s empowerment through trainings andworkshops
a. Agroforestry technologyb. Soil rehabilitation and ameliorationc. Enterprise development and cottage
industry
4. Infrastructural needs
a. Rural electrificationb. Farm-to-market roadsc. Improved health servicesd. Improved water system
5. Habitat destruction
a. Shifting cultivation within grasslands andbrushlands
b. Unfavorable weather conditions andedaphic factors
c. Soil erosion/landslides
6. Chemical pollution
a. Application of pesticidesb. Application of inorganic fertilizers
7. Biological pollutiona. Indiscriminate introduction of alien
speciesb. Species extinction
D. Interconnectedness
The landscape approach to environmentalassessment for biodiversity status is quitetimely and appropriate. The upland ecosystemof the Mt. Malindang Range highly affects theactivities of the lowland and coastal ecosystems.Likewise, the reverse is true. Many aspects ofdaily life are interconnected. The PRA site,located in the mountain flanks, is endowed witha rich riverine system. Headwaters drain fromthe mountain range and together the water runsdown with silt, flora, and fauna. In exchange,products for household use are purchased fromthe lowland and brought to the upland.
E. Areas for research with impacton biodiversity resources
The issues and concerns discussed earlier formthe basis for identifying research areas:
1. Human resource studies: demographicprofile, cultural practices, local governance,and economic profile
2. Inventory of flora and pathological surveyof fauna: ecological and socioeconomicvalues
3. Studies on appropriate and sustainablefarming systems consistent with biodiversityconservation: soil fertility, water analysis,farming systems applicable to the locality
4. Biological studies and management: surveyand identification of pests and diseases ofcommon crops, their life history, populationdynamics and control measures, and IPM
5. Environmental impact assessment ofdevelopmental projects: road construction,irrigation construction, ecotourism andagrotourism studies, and hydroelectricpower construction
6. Forest management and rehabilitationstudies
7. Ex situ breeding of rare and endangeredspecies with a possibility of theirreintroduction into the natural habitat
8. Genetic diversity studies of flora and fauna
9. Biotechnology studies
6 Technical Report
Fig. 1. Location map of the research sites.
•
Baliangao
Plaridel
Calamba
Sapang Dalaga
Lopez Jaena
Oroquieta City
Aloran
Panaon
Jimenez
Sinacaban
Tudela
Clarin
Ozamiz City
Tangub City Bonifacio
Don Victoriano
Concepcion
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 7
The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) in theupland ecosystem of the municipalities of DonVictoriano and Concepcion was undertaken as apre-implementation phase activity of thePhilippines-Netherlands Biodiversity ResearchProgramme in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang.It is a process of getting a better understandingof the biophysical, sociocultural, economic andpolitical conditions of the locality to analyze theproblems and issues impinging on the communityand their impacts on biodiversity. Identificationand approximation of flora and fauna encounteredduring the transect walks indicate the biodiversitystatus of the area. Knowledge of theseconditions and analyses of their interplay indicatestrengths, weaknesses, opportunities, andthreats to biodiversity. Strengths andopportunities within the locality can bemaximized. The same way that weaknesses andthreats can be reduced and transformed intopositive features. From these, areas for differentbiodiversity researches are defined anddelineated as developmental, action, and supportprograms.
Geographical location andtopography
The municipalities of Don Victoriano andConcepcion are located within the Malindangmountain range which are within the core ofthe province of Misamis Occidental (Fig. 1). Thisprovince is situated within the northwesternpart of Mindanao Islands or at thenortheasternmost part of the ZamboangaPeninsula. This is within the coordinates123°31’45” to 125°55’30” East longitudes and8°30’30” to 8°45’55” North latitudes. Theprovince is bounded on the north to east-northwest by Mindanao Sea, on east-southeastby Iligan Bay, on the south by Panguil Bay andon the west by Zamboanga provinces (PASAReport 1993).
The towns of Don Victoriano and Concepcionare located within the proclaimed protected areaboundary (RA 6266, June 19, 1971) of Mt.Malindang National Park which is declared as anIntegrated Protected Area under the new NIPAS
Law as RA 7567 (June 1, 1992) (Bukagan Report1994).
The PRA sites for the Upland Team include sixbarangays of Don Victoriano (Mansawan,Gandawan, Lake Duminagat, Lampasan, Lalud,and Tuno); five barangays of Concepcion (SmallPotongan, Upper Potongan, Upper Salimpuno,Poblacion, and Virayan). To establish theinterconnectivity with the lowland ecosystem,one barangay in Sapang Dalaga, Sixto Velez,was included. These barangays are locatedwithin the elevations that range from 600 to1500 meters above sea level (masl) and with aslope ranging from 0 to 90 degrees. The ambienttemperature ranges from 15 to 22° Celsius.Within the Malindang Mountain Range, the sites’terrain consists of rugged mountains which arevolcanic in origin. Four major physiographicfeatures (PASA Report 1993) were observed:volcanic mountains, volcanic flanks, isolatedhillocks, and volcanic footslopes.
The volcanic mountains occur in a linear clustergenerally oriented in a north-south direction.The prominent peaks and their respectiveelevations are: Mt. Balabag (1,484 masl), Mt.Ampiro (1,532 masl), North Peak (2,183 masl),Mt. Malindang (2,404 masl), South Peak (1,850masl), and Mt. Moralong (1,417 masl).
Most of the barangay settlements are locatedwithin intervening sites between mountainpeaks. These barangays are steep to very steepwith a slope of more than 75o, and moderatelyto severely dissected by ravines, gullies andgorges (PASA Report 1993). Craters or calderaformations are evidences of the presence ofvolcanic mountains. These are shaped likecircular sunken places or areas bounded by highrocky walls. These are distinct and highlypronounced in the barangays of Gandawan andLake Duminagat. The focal point in the area isa crater lake.
Volcanic flanks lie on the mid-slopes of themountains with altitude that ranges from 600 to1000 m and slopes of 18-45o. These occupy theperimeter of the protected area of Concepcionto Don Victoriano. These are moderately to deeply
Introduction
8 Technical Report
dissected by ravines and deep to very deepnearly vertical prominent gullies (PASA Report1993). The Dimorog Valley resembles anamphitheater while the poblacion area of DonVictoriano forms a hinterland valley.
The mounds of Gandawan and Mansawanrepresent the isolated hillocks. These aregenerally dome-shaped, moderately steep tosteep to very steep, and slightly to moderatelydissected by gullies.
Footslopes of the mountain range comprise theareas with 10 to 600 meter elevations andslightly to moderately dissected by stable gulliesand streams. These are common in thebarangays of Bagong Clarin and Lampasan,where the cliff-like areas become steeper asthe slope rises from 3 to 8o from gently tomoderately rolling topography (PASA Report1993).
The municipality of Concepcion, which has aland area of 61.6 km2, consists of 18 barangayswhich are rugged and mountainous. These areBagong Nayon, Capule, Guiban, Laya-an,Lingatongan, Maligubaan, Mantukoy, Marugang,New Casul, Poblacion, Pogan, Sosoon, SmallPotongan, Upper Dapitan, Upper Salimpuno,Upper Potongan, Upper Dioyo, and Virayan. Themunicipality is located within the coordinates123°31’45” to 123°55’30” East longitudes and8°30’30” to 8°45’55” Northwest latitudes.
The municipality of Don Victoriano has a totalland area of 284.55 km2 with 11 barangays.These are Bagong Clarin, Lampasan, Lalud,Tuno, Mara-mara, Petianan, Napangan,Mansawan, Gandawan, Lake Duminagat, andLiboron. The municipality is located within thecoordinates 123°33’ to 123°40’ longitude and8°9.6’ to 8°19’ latitude (PASA Report 1993).
Among the prominent mountains in Concepcionare Mt. Balabag and Mt. Ampiro. In DonVictoriano are four prominent peaks: Mt.Malindang, South Peak, North Peak, and Mt.Moralong on its western side.
Historical Information
I. Concepcion
Concepcion, during the early 1950s was knownas Sitio Balabag under the municipality ofBaliangao. Its name was derived from the Feastof Immaculate Concepcion which is celebratedon December 8. When Concepcion became abarangay in 1954, it was under the politicaladministration and jurisdiction of Aloran,Misamis Occidental. Concepcion became amunicipality by RA 1515, signed by the latePresident Ramon Magsaysay in 1956.
Concepcion’s population of 3,989 in 1960decreased to 3,046 in 1970. By 1984, thepopulation decreased further to 2,332 due todeteriorating peace and order conditions. In1998, the population was 5,973 with morefemales (64%) than males (36%).
The first municipal mayor, Hon. Cornelio E.Baluyos was a political appointee. In the firstlocal election held in 1980, Hon. Roldan A.Chong, Sr. was elected mayor. He served from1980 to 1986 and from 1988 to 1998. Since hewas no longer qualified for a fourth term underthe law, his wife Reparada L. Chong, ran formayor and won the mayoralty race in 1998.Her vice-mayor is Hon. Juanidy Viña who ispermanently residing in Barangay Poblacion.
II. Don Victoriano
The municipality of Don Victoriano was originallycalled “Egos” according to the Subanons. Itmeans a meeting place of tribesmen when theygather rattan from the nearby forest. They stayunder the shady trees to clean the rattan foruse in tying the cogon roofings and weavingthem into baskets. “Egos” is “bagus” in Cebuanowhich means “cleaning the rattan”.
During the Marcos regime, the place wasrenamed Don Mariano Marcos and was decreedas a municipality on February 6, 1982 by virtueof Batas Pambansa Blg. 11.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 9
The municipality is composed of 11 barangayswhich were formerly part of differentmunicipalities in the lowland areas. BarangaysBagong Clarin, Lampasan, Lalud, Tuno, and Mara-mara were formerly under the jurisdiction of themunicipality of Tudela. Mansawan, Gandawan,Napangan, and Liboron were formerly under themunicipality of Sinacaban, Petianan was underthe municipality of Bonifacio, and Barangay LakeDuminagat was under the jurisdiction ofmunicipality of Jimenez. Hon. Quinticiano J.Ninang was appointed as the first municipalmayor.
On January 20, 1990, Republic Act no. 6845changed the name of Don Mariano Marcos intoDon Victoriano, in honor of Don Victoriano
Chiongbian, the richest and the most influentialfigure in the municipality.
Succeeding mayors were Hon. Warlito S. Olarte,Hon. Jenaro S. Paredes, Hon. Catalino Maloloy-on, and the present Municipal Mayor Hon.Rodolfo D. Luna.
The seat of local government of Don Victorianois in Barangay Tuno, the centralmost part ofthe entire municipality. Both commercial andinstitutional centers expanded up to BarangayLalud where the central school, high school,health center, basketball court, tennis court,and the public market are located.
Objectives
The PRA of the upland ecosystem during the pre-implementation phase of the Philippines-Netherlands Biodiversity Research Programme in Mindanao: Focus on Mt. Malindang was conductedin April to May 1999.
It aimed to:
1. describe the biophysical, sociocultural and economic conditions and status of the uplandecosystem;
2. assess the biodiversity conditions of Mt. Malindang Range;
3. identify the stakeholders and their needs;
4. determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the communities in relationto biodiversity conservation; and
5. identify research areas in the upland ecosystems of Mt. Malindang Range.
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Capability building
Participants from various academic institutionsin Mindanao and government and non-government agencies were given an orientationon the framework of the research programme:
1. Central Mindanao University (CMU), Musuan,Bukidnon
2. Mindanao State University (MSU), MarawiCity
3. Mindanao State University-Iligan Instituteof Technology (MSU-IIT), Iligan City
4. Mindanao Polytechnic State College (MPSC),Cagayan de Oro City
5. Sultan Kudarat Polytechnic State College(SKPSC), Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat
6. Southern Philippines Agribusiness, Marine andAquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST),Malita, Davao del Sur
7. Davao Oriental State College of Science andTechnology (DOSCST), Mati, Davao Oriental
8. Department of Agriculture (DA)
9. Department of Environment and NaturalResources (DENR)
10. Technical Assistance Center for theDevelopment of Rural and Urban Poor(TACDRUP)
The first training and workshop was held inDapitan in August 1998. All participants wereintroduced to participatory, multidisciplinary,and multisectoral approaches to biodiversityresearch. Major activities were determined andkey persons and members for each activity wereidentified to: (1) gather secondary data aboutMt. Malindang and its environs; (2) identifystakeholders; (3) identify problem areas; (4) formresearch team; and (5) identify research areas.
Ocular visits to the research site were also doneto encourage enthusiasm among participants.Further training and workshops were conductedat CMU on February 11-18, 1999. Moreparticipants were invited to join.
Team building, interdisciplinarity, and commitmentwere emphasized by the trainors. Differentmethods of PRA were introduced such as transectwalks, semi-structured interviews, and focusgroup discussions. Participants were trained todevelop their skill in conducting PRA. Actualexposure in Lake Apo in Musuan enhanced theirknowledge and skills gained during the training.
The landscape approach to biodiversityassessment was determined. Hence, threeecosystems were named: upland, lowland, andcoastal ecosystems; three ecosystem teamswere also formed. Likewise, the teams forstakeholders analysis and biodiversity researchprogramme were also formed. Each trainingparticipant was identified for a particularecosystem.
Gathering of secondary data
Secondary data such as aerial maps, vicinitymaps, road maps, river systems, blueprints,published articles, and write-ups about Mt.Malindang and its environs were obtained fromvarious agencies (National Mapping and ResourceInformation Authority (NAMRIA), DENR-NIPAP-PAMB, PIPULI, Provincial Planning andDevelopment Office, local government offices,and nongovernment organizations). These datahelped the team in understanding the researchsite. These gave them insights on the conditionsprevailing in the area. A short bibliographicalsurvey was conducted by the Centre ofEnvironmental Science (CML) in Leiden, theNetherlands, to add to the available secondarydata collected by the Filipino researchers.
Entry protocols and permits
Entry protocols and requirements to the PRAsites were done. These were facilitated by theStakeholders Analysis Team and improved bythe different ecosystem teams themselves.Permits to enter and conduct fieldwork in thedesignated barangays were secured from localgovernment officials including the respectivemunicipal mayors, vice-mayors, the ExecutiveCommittee of Protected Area Management Board
Methodology
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 11
(PAMB), cluster PAMB, and military officials whomaintain peace and order in Mt. Malindang andits environs.
Reconnaissance survey and sitevalidation
The team conducted reconnaissance survey andsite validation to finalize the areas to be includedin the PRA. The ocular visits to the researchsites enabled the team to assess the actualcondition to prepare for the fieldwork.
The Upland Ecosystem Team conducted thereconnaissance survey in the two towns of DonVictoriano and Concepcion in early April 1999.Multisectoral meetings were conducted tofurther enhance the community’s understandingof the biodiversity research programme.
Identifying stakeholders
Stakeholders were identified primarily to knowgroups or individuals who play vital roles in thebiodiversity conservation of Mt. Malindang andits environs. This was facilitated by a series oflong listings and short listings of names.
Identifying key informants
Key informants, residents who provided vitalinformation on biodiversity status in theirrespective barangays were likewise selected.They also guided the team in going to the nextbarangay.
Orientation of key informants/participants/stakeholders
Various stakeholders, participants, andinformants were given an orientation and weremade to understand the relevance ofbiodiversity research programme in Concepcionand Don Victoriano. The team requested theirassistance in identifying resources currentlyavailable, and compared to those that were onceavailable or present. Through multisectoralmeetings and group discussions, they identifiedproblems and needs in relation to biodiversityconservation, sustainable use, and equitability.
Fieldwork/PRA
The PRA was conducted on May 3-17, 1999covering six barangays of Don Victoriano(Mansawan, Gandawan, Lake Duminagat,Lampasan, Tuno, and Lalud) and five barangaysof Concepcion (Upper Salimpuno, UpperPotongan, Small Potongan, Poblacion, andVirayan). Barangay Sapang Dalaga wasincluded to interconnect the upland to thelowland ecosystems.
Barangay Mansawan can be reached byfollowing the Barcelona-Pinan route, both inZamboanga del Norte. From Mansawan, theteam hiked through the muddy, newly bulldozed,but old logging road to Gandawan, thenproceeded to Lake Duminagat through the foottrail.
The other three barangays were reachedthrough the Molave-Mahayag-Josefina route inthe province of Zamboanga del Sur and onwardsto Lampasan passing through the so-called “all-weather road” (Municipal Profile 1999). The seatof the local government is in Tuno and thecommercial and institutional centers are locatedin Lalud.
The five barangays of Concepcion were reachedby passing through Calamba-Sapang Dalagaroute, a very rugged road.
Transect walks going to the north, south, east,and west directions were done in each barangayto obtain and document representativesampling data on biophysical, economic, culturalfeatures, and other relevant information. Toenhance data gathering, semi-structuredinterviews were conducted among the localresidents along the transect walks and those intheir homes.
Identifying and counting the number of specificspecies in the areas were done to determinebiodiversity status. Interviews regarding theflora and fauna that were prevalent in the pastand compared to the present were conductedto further analyze the biodiversity status of thearea.
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The rapid appraisal of faunal species was donethrough observations or sightings andethnobiological interviews. The species wereidentified with the aid of a 7X50 pair of binocularsor through avian vocalization (songs and calls).To facilitate the identification of each birdspecies, an illustrated book on Philippine Birdsby Gonzales et al. 1988 and Philippine Birds byJ.E. duPont 1971, were brought to the field siteduring each trip.
An ethnobiological survey on birds, mammals,reptiles, amphibians, and other life formspresent in the area including their local names,frequency of observations, and their economicimportance was conducted.
Spot and resource mappings were done withthe help of local key informants (KI) and ruralfolks. Prepared checklists were used by eachteam member in obtaining vital information fromthe local indigenous people.
Further verification and validation ofinformation/data gathered were accomplishedthrough small group discussions with localresidents. Focus group discussions proved tobe very useful in obtaining vital information,i.e., tracing the history of the municipality andidentifying existing resources, problems, andneeds.
After each day’s activities, the team membersshared, discussed, and analyzed the data/information gathered.
Data organization and analysis
The data obtained were organized and analyzedin relation to the population, resources, andenvironment (PRE analysis). The team metseveral times in Cagayan de Oro, Musuan, andIligan City for this activity. Strengths andweaknesses were identified, including threats in
relation to environmental security, biodiversityconservation, and sustainable development inMt. Malindang. Opportunities, likewise, wereobtained after analyzing vital information leadingto the formulation of researchable areas.
Community validation meetings
Validation meetings were conducted in DonVictoriano and Concepcion on June 29-30, 1999.The upland ecosystem team presented theresults of the PRA and their analyses. Thesemeetings allowed the team to verify or clarifycertain information and issues, in addition toobtaining additional information which the teammissed during the conduct of PRA. Localgovernment officials and the indigenous peoplefrom various barangays attended andparticipated in these validation meetings.
Report writing
Workshops and writeshops were scheduledfollowing the validation meetings. Intensiveanalyses of validated PRA results were reported.Results were analyzed using SWOT (strengths,weaknesses, opportunities and threats) anddiscussed in relation to the current status ofbiodiversity conservation in the study areas.Other issues and concerns regarding theenvironment affected by human intervention orvice versa were also discussed.Interconnectedness among ecosystems wasemphasized, especially in identifying researchareas.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 13
Results and Discussion
I. Biophysical characteristics
The Malindang Mountain Range is characterizedby a series of mountainous peaks, ruggedmountain ranges, and crater valleys. The UplandEcosystem PRA sites in Don Victoriano andConcepcion are located in elevations rangingfrom 600 to 1500 masl and with a slope rangingfrom 0 to 90°. The ambient temperature rangesfrom 15 to 22°C. These areas consist of ruggedmountains which are volcanic in origin.Boulders, cobblestones, and solidified magmaare common in mountain flanks and slopes andalong creeks and rivers. Basically, the soil typeincludes clay to clay loam with highly erodedtopsoil indicating insufficient nutrients, andtherefore infertility.
A. East-west transect of DonVictoriano
This transect covers barangays Mansawan,Gandawan, and Lake Duminagat.
1. Mansawan
The biological resources of Mansawan arecomposed of flora and fauna. Floral resourcesidentified during the transect walk consisted of244 species. The flora are dominated by grasses,herbs, and shrubs and only very few trees. Nomore natural forests are found in this barangay.The domesticated/cultivated plants are onions,cabbage, sweet potato (camote), lutia, taro(gabi), and chayote. The perennial plants arebananas, avocados, and jackfruit (nangka). Thecomplete listing of the flora is shown in AppendixTables 1-5.
The faunal resources are dominated by birdsand arthropods consisting of about 39 species.Most of the birds are grass warblers andPhilippine bulbuls which are consideredinsectivores. The complete list of birds areshown in Appendix Table 6. The arthropodsconsisted of arachnids, diplopods, and insects.The insects are dominated by beetles, moths,butterflies, syrphid flies, wasps, and bees(Appendix Table 12). The larval stage of mothsand butterflies are potential pests, while the
bees are pollinators and wasps are parasitic tosome insects. The syrphid flies are predators ofaphids. Parasitic wasps are more diverse andabout three of them are considered rare. In termsof biodiversity status, Mansawan is classified asmoderate.
Barangay Mansawan is located on top of theridge. The terrain is broken and the side slopesrange from 12 to 35° (Fig. 2). The elevationrange is 1,250-1,300 masl. Land use is basicallyvegetable and rootcrops gardening on one sideand grassland/brushland on the other. Drainagechannels are in the form of gullies and intermittentcreeks, draining toward the Kalilangan River atthe northwest side of Mansawan and DipologRiver at the southwest side. Its main source ofpotable water comes from the big spring on theside of the North Peak Range near Gandawanthrough water pipes.
Mansawan has a brown to red clay soil. Thetopsoil is very thin. The “B” horizon is composedof hardened volcanic materials that inhibit thepenetration of roots of monocots. The barangayis accessible by road from Pinan, Zamboanga delNorte.
2. Gandawan
The floral species identified along the transectconsisted of 300 species. Most of these are treeswhich are predominantly Agathis anddipterocarps, considering the presence ofnatural forests in the high rising steepmountains around the barangay. Ornamentalplants within the open grasslands are alsodiverse and rich in species.
The domesticated/cultivated plants arecabbage, onions, sweet potato, gabi, chayote,and lutia. Some farmers plant abaca for fiberproduction as another source of income. Thecomplete listing of floral resources is shown inAppendix Tables 1-5.
The faunal resources are dominated by birdsand arthropods involving about 39 species(Appendix Tables 6 and 12). Among the birds,the dominant ones are grass warblers andPhilippine bulbuls which are considered beneficial.
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Being insectivores, they eat insects harmful tofarm crops. Arthropods are composed of threeclasses: Arachnida, Diplopoda, and Insecta. ClassInsecta was found to be dominated by beetles,moths, butterflies, syrphid flies, wasps, and bees(Appendix Table 12). In terms of biodiversitystatus, Barangay Gandawan is rated high.
Barangay Gandawan and Mansawan contrast interms of physical characteristics. BarangayGandawan is situated in the crater valley withan approximate area of about 30-40 ha up tothe foot of the surrounding mountains, whileMansawan is situated on top of the ridge. Thesurrounding mountains in Gandawan abruptly risein a steep slope from the base. Most farms arelocated at the base of the mountain, while someare located within the valley. Houses are mostlylocated in the valley; some are dispersed at thebase of the mountains (Fig. 3). The side slopeand base of the mountains where farms aremostly located ranges from 22 to 26°. Theelevation ranges from 1,100 to 1,280 masl fromthe barangay site to the highest farm site. Land
use is similar to Mansawan and the surroundingmountains are still thickly forested. There is onlyone drainage channel that continued toKalilangan River and joins the Dapitan River.
Gandawan is blessed with abundant watersupply. Potable water supply comes from thewater source tapped by Barangay Mansawan.Several springs are found at the base of themountains.
The top soil is characterized by black silty loam.It is thick and the “B” horizon is composed ofsolidified volcanic materials.
Gandawan is accessible by foot trail fromMansawan, which is about an hour’s hike.
The valley can be used for rice production sincethe irrigation system can work well in this area.An irrigation system can ensure food supply inthe community. Residential areas can berelocated to higher grounds.
Fig. 2. Panoramic view of Barangay Mansawan.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 15
3. Lake Duminagat
The biophysical resources are composed of flora,fauna, and land. The floral resources along thetransect consisted of 274 species. Most of theseare tree species belonging to Syzgium andPodocarpus genera, considering the presenceof natural forests in the high steep mountainssurrounding the barangay. Ornamental specieswithin the open grasslands and inside thenatural forests are also abundant and diverse.The domesticated/cultivated crops are similarto Gandawan. These are cabbage, onions, sweetpotato, gabi, chayote, and lutia for food andcash needs. Floral resources are listed in AppendixTables 1-5.
The faunal resources are dominated by birdsand arthropods involving about 49 species.These are shown in Appendix Tables 6 and 12.Grass warblers and Philippine bulbuls areregarded as beneficial birds, eating harmfulinsects. Biodiversity status is moderate andsimilar with that of Mansawan and Gandawan.
Barangay Lake Duminagat is a crater valleysimilar to that of Gandawan. The barangay siteand the residential houses including the primaryschool are located within the valley (Fig. 4).The farms and gardens are at the base of themountain ranges around the barangay,predominantly in the North Peak mountainrange rising at an elevation of 2,199 masl.
The lake itself is located across the ridge on thewestern part, about 1 km away or about 1-hourhike. The lake elevation is 1,400 masl. The cratervalley is about 20-30 ha and the lake is estimatedat 5-10 ha. The side slopes of the farms/gardensat the base of the mountains range from 19 to33°. Land use is similar to that of BarangaysGandawan and Mansawan. A shallow stream onthe eastern side drains the surface water towardKalilangan River, ultimately joining the DapitanRiver.
Barangay Lake Duminagat is also blessed withabundant water supply. Potable water supplycomes from different springs through waterpipes. The topsoil is thick black clay loam. The“B” horizon is solidified volcanic materials.
The barangay is accessible by foot along arugged trail, about one and a half-hour hike fromGandawan passing through thickly forestedmountains.
With the abundant water supply, the valley caneasily be converted into a rice-producing areaand houses can be relocated to the sides of themountains together with other governmentinfrastructures. Presently, the communitydepends on root crops as their staple food.
Ecotourism can be another source of income forthe barangay. However, there should be anenvironmental impact assessment (EIA) beforethis project can be implemented.
Fig. 3. Panoramic view of Barangay Gandawan with residential houses predominantly at thevalley.
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B. Southeastern transect ofDon Victoriano
The southeast transect of Don Victorianoincludes Barangays Lampasan, Tuno, and Lalud.Since these barangays are of the sameconditions, their biophysical characteristics arediscussed together.
The biophysical resources identified through thePRA are composed of flora, fauna, and land.The floral resources recorded through thetransect walks consisted of 190 species inLampasan, 172 species in Tuno, and 207 speciesin Lalud. Most of these species come frompatches of brushlands along the creeks andplanted species because of the absence ofnatural forests in these barangays. Thedomesticated plants are corn, bananas, fruittrees, sweet potato, lutia, gabi, lowland rice,other fruit trees, and onions (Appendix Tables1-5).
In faunal resources, the dominant ones arebirds, domesticated animals, fowls, andarthropods (Appendix Tables 6 and 12).
Insects are still dominant among the arthropods.The three barangays have low biodiversitystatus.
Its topography can be described as rolling tobroken steep side slopes; the side slopes rangefrom 8 to 20° in Lampasan and 15 to 30° inTuno and Lalud. In general, the three barangaysare situated along the sides of the mountainousterrain. Elevations range from 600 to 815 masl.
Land is used for corn and rice with trees plantedalong the sides and patches of brushlands andgrasslands. The soil is red clay loam.
Creeks, streams, and river systems drain thesurface water toward Clarin River on the easternside and Zamboanga del Sur on the westernside. Most prominent of these creeks areMuradje, Dimoroc, and Lampasan. These creeksdrain the surface water toward Zamboanga delSur.
These barangays are accessible by road fromMolave, Zamboanga del Sur, ending at Lalud.
Potable water supply comes from the springsthrough water pipes. Some residents get theirwater from open springs.
Fig. 4. Panoramic view of the crater in Barangay Lake Duminagat at thesouthwestern side.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 17
C. Northwestern transect ofConcepcion
This transect includes Barangays SmallPotongan, Upper Potongan, Upper Salimpuno,down to Sixto Velez of Sapang Dalaga, anoverlapping area with a lowland ecosystem.
The floral resources recorded along the transectare shown in Appendix Table 1. Most of thesespecies come from brushland areas. Inbarangays Upper Salimpuno and Sixto Velez,planted trees grow with naturally-growing plantspecies in coconut plantations. Except in SmallPotongan, there are no natural forests in thesebarangays.
The faunal resources may be classified intobirds, domesticated fauna, and arthropods(Appendix Table 6 and 12). Biodiversity statusin Sixto Velez is low.
The topography is level to rolling in barangaysSixto Velez and Upper Salimpuno. For UpperPotongan and Small Potongan, the topographyis rolling to broken and steep slopes. The sideslopes range from 10 to 35° in Small Potongan,10 to 20° in Upper Potongan, 0 to 6° in UpperSalimpuno, and 0 to 5° in Sixto Velez. Elevationranges from 840 to 1,400 masl in thesebarangays.
Land use involves small gardens and brushlandsin Small Potongan; brushlands and residentiallands in Upper Potongan; tree plantation, cornfields, and coconut plantation in UpperSalimpuno; and coconut plantation, fruit trees,and corn fields under coconut canopies in SixtoVelez.
The soil is red and white clay in Small Potonganand brown clay loam in all other barangays ofConcepcion.
Surface water in these barangays drains towardDioyo and Langaran Rivers. Potable water comesfrom spring reservoir on the side of Mt. BalabagRange.
These barangays are accessible by road fromthe municipality of Sapang Dalaga.
D. Northeastern transect ofConcepcion
This transect covers Barangay Virayan toPoblacion Concepcion from Small Potongan.
Floral resources consist of 249 species inVirayan and 272 in Poblacion Concepcion(Appendix Table 1). Most of these species arefrom vast areas of brushlands and patches ofsecondary growth forest. Old forests are absentin these barangays.
Thirty species of fauna were observed in Virayanand 10 species in Poblacion Concepcion. Thebiodiversity status is moderate in these areas.
The topography is from level to rough terrain.The side slopes range from 15 to 32° in Virayanand 8 to 20° in Concepcion. The elevationranges from 1,000 to 1,250 masl.
Land is used for coconut, fruit trees, and corn;also as brushland and residential lands inVirayan and Poblacion Concepcion. No farmscould be seen around Barangay Poblacion. Thesoil is reddish brown clay in these twobarangays.
Potable water comes from a spring. Eachbarangay has a separate water source. Surfacewater drains toward Dapitan River on thenorthwest side of Concepcion proper.
1. Upland subecosystems
The upland ecosystems in all barangays underPRA in both municipalities of Concepcion andDon Victoriano were subdivided intosubecosystems. Each barangay is subdividedinto agrosubecosystem, grassland/brushlandsubecosystem, and forest subecosystem.Biological resources were analyzed in relationto stakeholders and their impact on theenvironment (PRE). The following criteria wereused in this analysis: (a) identified bio-resources, (b) resource quantity, (c) equitabilityand sustainability of use by differentstakeholders, (d) resource use pattern, (e)impact on environmental security, and (f)impact on biodiversity conservation.
Appendix Tables 13-25 show the stakeholdersand subecosystems in the different barangaysand stakeholders’ roles in relation to biodiversityconservation. Needs relative to biodiversity werealso identified.
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2. Stakeholders identified
The indigenous people (IP) in the barangays whoare also members of the different organizationsare the primary stakeholders (Appendix Table 13).Groups or organizations that have impacts onbiodiversity were Piniling Nasud, Farmers’Association, BANWA, Tribal CommunitiesAssociation of the Philippines (TRICAP), localgovernment units, government organizations, andother NGOs. The stakeholders’ role andperceptions relative to the various resourceswithin each subecosystem are described in matrixform.
3. Biological resources and their uses
Various forms of life in the PRA sites were notedand documented. Direct observations, sightings,and ethnobiological interviews were employedto assess the biodiversity status of the differentbarangays.
a. Botanicals
The floral resources (Fig. 5) covered within theentire transects number 507, involving 369genera and 129 families (Appendix Tables 1-5).In terms of conservation status, these areclassified as common (194 genera and 256species), rare (28 genera and 35 species), andscarce (158 genera and 203 species).
Their uses can be classified into two: economicand ecological. Basically, all these resourceshave ecological roles not only in the specifichabitat where they abound but also in nature.Any of these resources which help alleviateeconomic conditions have economic use.
Economically important species are those usedfor timber, construction, cottage industry, food,medicine, fiber, feed (forage/pasture), and fuel.
Fig. 5. Botanical/floral resources commonly observed in Mt. Malindang and its environs.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 19
Ecologically important species are thoseornamentals, landscape plants, hedges, and otherplant resources used for soil erosion and weedcontrol.
b. Avifauna
Appendix Table 6 shows the avian species foundin all barangays.
Thirteen avian species were found in BarangayMansawan, 21 species in Barangay Gandawan,28 species in Barangay Lake Duminagat, 14species in Barangay Lampasan, 13 species inBarangay Tuno, 8 species in Barangay Lalud,48 species in Barangay Small Potongan, 14species in Barangay Virayan, 10 species inBarangay Poblacion Concepcion, 11 species inBarangay Upper Potongan, 8 species inBarangay Upper Salimpuno, and 11 species inBarangay Sixto Velez.
Barangay Small Potongan has the highestnumber of avian species followed by BarangaysLake Duminagat and Gandawan.
The common avian species observed in almostall barangays are Pycnonotus goiavier, Laniusschach, Centropus sinensis, Artamusleucorynchus, and Megalurus palustris. Thesespecies are practically lowland dwellers and arefruit and insect-eaters.
Forest birds were seen in Barangays LakeDuminagat and Small Potongan. Moreimportantly, a big eagle believed to bePithecophaga jifferyi was seen southwest of SitioPalale of Barangay Small Potongan at 10:24 a.m.on May 13, 1999.
C. Other Vertebrates
Species listing of Class Reptilia, Class Amphibia,Class Mammalia, Class Pisces, and ClassCrustacea are shown in Appendix Tables 7-11.These data were furnished by informants of everybarangay, except in the cases of Gehyramutilata, Sphenomorphus; Calamaria, a grasssnake under Class Reptilia; Rana magna and Bufomarinus, Class Amphibia; Callosciurus sp. andPtenochirus sp., Class Mammalia; the crabletlocally called as “kalong” and scientificallyknown as Portunus sp. “Pait-pait” or “paitan”,is a freshwater herring very common in streamsand riverine systems. Scientifically known as
Harengula tawilis, it is endemic to Taal Lake inTaal, Batangas (Conlu 1986). “Kasili” or eelswere also present in most of the rivers duringthe years when forest destruction was unknownto settlers.
Information gathered during interviews with oldsettlers suggest the presence of several wildlifefauna in the 1970s such as the rufous or tarictichornbills which they use as time indicators. ThePhilippine deer, monkey, flying lemur, eagles,palm civet, civet cat, squirrel, insects and fruitbats were abundant. According to the BukaganReport (1994), these still thrive in the northpeak.
Still present in the Malindang Mountain Rangeare reptilian species such as monitor lizard,python, Oligodon snake, and flying lizards (Mt.Malindang: A Rapid Appraisal 1994). Giant flyingfox, tree and mountain ground shrews, commonfield rats and mice, Philippine cobra, skunk,sailfin lizard, freshwater turtle, river frogs andtree frogs, horned toad, and flying lizard werepresent but in a threatened state (PASA Report1993). The local residents hunt thesevertebrates for food and for medicine.
Fish like freshwater eel, goby, carp, tilapia,mudfish, gorami, archerfish, and the freshwatercatfish were also reported but in a threatenedstate (PASA Report 1993).
D. Arthropods
Three important classes of arthropods wereobserved in seven barangays of Don Victorianoand Concepcion. These included Arachnida,Diplopoda, and Insecta. Among thesearthropods, insects (Appendix Table 12) werethe most prevalent in terms of number and kind.
Insects are valuable to man and other animals.They play a significant role in maintaining bioticcommunities of different habitats. As pollinators,they make possible the production of manyagricultural crops including vegetables andlegumes. They serve as food to many birds, fish,and other useful animals and also as scavengers.As predators and parasites, they contribute toecological balance through the regulation ofpopulation of prey species. Also, their usefulnessin medicine and scientific research has beenrecognized for a long time.
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Sixty-three families belonging to 10 insect orderswere identified (Appendix Table 12). OrderLepidoptera has the highest number of families(13) represented, followed by Diptera (11),Coleoptera (9), Hymenoptera (8), Orthoptera (5),Odonata, Hemiptera and Homoptera (4), andDermaptera and Thysanoptera (1).
Lepidopterans are economically importantspecies. The larvae of most species arephytophagous and many of them are seriouspests of cultivated plants. The diamondbackmoth, Plutella xylostella is the major pest ofcabbage in Barangays Mansawan, Gandawan, andLake Duminagat. Infestation is quite severe,hence, farmers have to spray insecticides. Afew farmers in Barangay Lake Duminagat practicemechanical control. They usually enclosecabbage seedlings in nylon mesh cloth beforetransplanting them in the field. OtherLepidopterous pests identified include thecommon cutworm, Spodoptera litura and thepotato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella.
A very significant finding during the PRA inGandawan was the recovery of parasitic cocoonson dead larvae of diamondback moth. This is aclear indication that natural enemies aresuppressing their population under fieldconditions. Dead larvae suspected to beattacked by pathogenic organisms such asbacteria and viruses were also found along theway to Lake Duminagat.
Many species of Coleoptera are also pestsincluding the squash bug, Aulacophora similisand the green tortoise beetle, Casida sp. whichattack sweet potato. Click beetles and snoutbeetles are likewise abundant in grasses andshrubs of Mansawan, Gandawan, and LakeDuminagat. Beetles which are predaceousinclude the tiger, ladybird, and carabid and evenlarvae of fireflies.
Some Diptera such as houseflies and bowfliesare important vectors of diseases. However,many of them are useful scavengers andpredators too, like the syrphid flies which feedon aphids. The Hymenoptera is the mostbeneficial in the entire class of insects. Many ofthese insects are valuable as parasites and
predators of various insect pests and the mostimportant in the pollination of plants such asbees and wasps.
The Hemiptera consists of both terrestrial andaquatic booms. Cotton stainer, Dysdercuscingulatus, a pest of okra was observed inLampasan. Aquatic and predaceous ones suchas the water striders and ripple bugs are quiteabundant in Lake Duminagat and in the Virayanand Guiban Rivers. These insects arebioindicators of the rivers’ water quality.
All the Homoptera are plant feeders, while theOdonata are all predaceous. Cicadas forexample, damage and feed on roots of perennialplants. Aphids and leafhoppers are well-knownvectors of economically important viruses.
The Orthoptera and Thysanoptera are plantfeeders, some of which are very destructive tocrops, while the Dermaptera are mostlyscavengers.
E. Other invertebrates
Spiders, which are generally predators arepresent in all barangays, while the millipede, ascavenger, was observed in Mansawan and LakeDuminagat. Leeches with black, brown, andyellow with orange or green body colorationwere also prevalent.
The PASA Report (1993) indicated that most ofthe insects and other invertebrates found in theMalindang Mountain Range are threatened astypified by the freshwater shrimp, land andforest snail, and the red mountain crab.
II. Sociocultural and economiccharacteristics
From observations and interviews with keyinformants, participants, and stakeholders inthe different barangays, information on thesocial, cultural, and economic profile of thepopulation were gathered (Appendix Table 25).These information were confirmed and validatedby residents through validation meetings.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 21
A. Municipality of Concepcion
1. Barangay Poblacion
a. Social profile
The barangay has 62 households and anestimated population of 240. The averagehousehold size is four. There are more femalesthan males. Residents aged 15-64 years makeup about 60% of the population; below 15 yearsold, 38%; and the elderly, 65 years old andabove, accounts for only 2%. About 80% of theresidents are non-Subanons (Cebuanos,Boholanos, Siquijodnons).
Barangay Poblacion is the only site which hascomplete elementary and high schools in themunicipality. The high school was establishedin 1974 through the initiative of the municipalgovernment and was placed under nationalfunding in 1980. These two schools have Parent-Teacher-Community Associations (PTCAs).
Aside from these two schools with 14 teachers,a health center staffed by a nurse and a midwifeis located in the Poblacion. However, there isno municipal health officer and medicines areoften lacking or unavailable.
Barangay residents have access to electricity.Some own transistor radios and others havetape recorders. Houses are made of wood andgalvanized iron sheets. Residents have to fetchwater and in instances where water is availablefor home use, big jars made of rubber are usedfor storage.
The Poblacion is accessible by motorcycle andother vehicles. The graveled road, however, isrough, especially during rainy days. The 30 peso(P)/person fare for a one-way trip (17 km) bymotorcycle, locally known as “habal-habal”, orP20 by jeep is quite expensive for localresidents.
The barangay is very peaceful according to thebarangay captain.
b. Economic profile
The main source of income for most residentsis farming, although some work as governmentemployees. Farming is a family activity. Children(9 years old and above) and women help in the
farm. Plowing, however, is considered a man’sjob because farms are located in steep slopesor hills and farmers do not have draft animals.
The main products are root crops. These aregrown for cash and consumption. Corn is grownprimarily for consumption. Rainy months arelean months because farmers cannot plant cornand root crops to produce small tubers. To cope,some residents work for daily wages in localgovernment projects.
There are no regular traders or middlemen whogo to Barangay Poblacion. Products are broughtto Sapang Dalaga and sold to wholesalers or toconsumers directly. There is no public marketin Concepcion so barangay residents have tobuy provisions for their daily needs and otheritems in Sapang Dalaga. Information aboutprices of commodities come from drivers ofpublic utility vehicles, from neighbors, andfriends who frequent Sapang Dalaga.
There are no known private financiers in thebarangay. The Comprehensive and IntegratedDelivery of Social Services (CIDSS) Project ofthe Department of Social Welfare andDevelopment (DSWD) extended a loan to awomen’s group for a cutflower project. There isa ready market for anthurium flowers every 2weeks. However, the women need more technicalknow-how and proper team building for theproject to succeed.
Soil erosion is a problem for farmers becausethe farms are located in slopes and no measuresto conserve soil and water are in place. Tenurialstatus is also a concern. Barangay residentsare occupants of forest lands in protected areaswith an average size of 2 ha. Farmers cannotget land titles and have not yet applied forancestral domain rights and privileges. If theysucceed in getting stewardship of the lands, theywill be encouraged to conserve existing resourcesand plant additional trees because they can besure that the fruits of their labor can be inheritedby their children.
c. Cultural profile
Food is inadequate and families aspire toimprove their livelihood to have enough foodfor the family. They also aspire to send theirchildren to school. To be able to provide for thefamily, husbands and wives work together in thefarm and share in the decision-making.
22 Technical Report
2. Barangay Small Potongan
The name “Potongan” was derived from thePotongan River which dissects the barangay.
a. Social profile
In 1998, there were 66 households with a totalpopulation of 394, and an average householdsize of six. There are more females than males.Fifty percent of residents are aged 15 to 64years old, 45% are below 15 years old, andonly 5% are 65 years old and above. About 90%of the residents are Subanons.
Small Potongan has a classroom with only oneteacher handling Grades I and II. Children hiketo Barangay Poblacion for an hour to attendGrades III-VI. There is no health center but thereare two barangay health workers. The NationalIrrigation Administration (NIA) completed itsconstruction of a farmers’ hall and it has plansto put up an irrigation project.
Houses are made of wood and GI sheets.Barangay proper residents received 14 GIsheets and 4 kg of nails from the DSWD to buildtheir houses. Water from Mt. Balabag reachesthe barangay through pipes. Barangay residentshave no access to electricity.
The barangay is accessible by motorcycleslocally known as “habal-habal” from SapangDalaga. The P40 fare is quite expensive forresidents. Jeepney fare is cheaper but few jeepsseldom go to “Small”, the name often used forthe barangay by local residents.
b. Economic profile
The main source of income is farming. Farmsare located in Sitio Migubay, a 2-hour walk fromthe barangay proper. The route is not evenaccessible by horse or carabao. Farming is afamily activity. Women and children help inplanting, weeding, harvesting, and cuttinggrasses. Plowing is done only by men.
The main products are rice, corn, and root crops.Rice is primarily for consumption. Part of theharvest is reserved for seeds. A ganta of seeds,if it grows well, means a sack of rice duringharvest. Corn is also grown for consumption andthe extra supply is for cash. Corn is usuallyplanted in April to May and is harvested after
four months. Fertilizers are bought from storesin Sapang Dalaga. Root crops are for cash andconsumption when rice or corn is no longeravailable. Wild pigs and rats pose a big threatto the crops.
There are no regular traders who go to SmallPotongan. Products are brought and sold toSapang Dalaga by the farmers themselves.
Residents of Small Potongan are occupants ofsmall forest lands. They can only manage tocultivate one-fourth of a hectare of forest land.
Another source of income is “manungha” orhired help (P50/day).
c. Cultural profile
Residents of Barangay Small Potongan believethat they have the right to cultivate and owntheir farms because they have cultivated thearea for many years. They also find the watersupply sufficient for the needs of the increasingpopulation. They look at the dam to be builtfavorable in improving rice production. Theyaspire to clothe and feed their children well tokeep them healthy.
3. Barangay Upper Potongan
Some residents refer to the barangay as“bansohan” because it was the site of thesawmill, Mt. Ampiro Timber Company (MATCO),during the 1970s.
a. Social profile
Upper Potongan has 35 households with 152residents and an average household size of four.Residents aged 15-64 years old make up 53%of the population, below 15 years old 45%, and65 years old and above only 2%. Ninety-eightpercent of the population are Subanons.
The barangay does not have an elementaryschool. Children go to Small Potongan orBarangay Poblacion. There is only one barangayhealth worker (BHW) and no health center. Thebarangay hall does not have cemented flooring.The water supply comes from Small Potongan.There is no electricity. Houses are clusteredalong the partly graveled road leading toBarangay Poblacion and Small Potongan.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 23
Motorcycles and jeepneys coming from SapangDalaga pass by Upper Potongan on their way toBarangay Poblacion. Most of the time, though,residents hike to Barangay Poblacion due to thelong wait for vehicles. Upper Potongan is thebarangay nearest to the town proper ofConcepcion.
b. Economic profile
Farming is the main source of income. Somefarm within the barangay. Others farm in SitiosMigubay and Palale in Small Potongan and haveto walk for 2-3 hours to reach their farms.Children and women help in the farm, makingfarming a family activity. Another source ofincome is “manungha” or a person rendering laborfor P50/day.
The main farm products are rice, corn, and rootcrops. Rice and corn are primarily forconsumption, while root crops are for cash andconsumption especially during rainy or leanmonths. Products are sold in Sapang Dalaga.Goods for daily use are also bought in SapangDalaga.
Residents of Upper Potongan are occupants offorest lands. The average farm size is ¼ ha.They want to get land titles for the farms toensure that their children will inherit the landsthey cultivate.
c. Cultural profile
Key informants could still remember that kasili,kalong, and paitan were found in the PotonganRiver. They believe these species are becomingextinct.
Residents also think that the wild pigsdestroying their crops can be hunted becausethese are not in the protected area. They areaware of the restrictions implemented by theDENR within the protected area.
4. Barangay Virayan
The name “Virayan” is derived from the VirayanRiver which cuts across the barangay. Noinformant could recall the year Virayan becamea barangay.
a. Social profile
In 1998, there were 58 households with a totalpopulation of 219, and an average householdsize of four. There are more females than males.More than 50% of the population is 15-64 yearsold. Forty-five percent of the residents areSubanons.
Virayan has only one classroom made of lightmaterials. A teacher handles Grades I and II.There is no health center but there is onebarangay health worker. The barangay hall doesnot have a cemented floor. There is a basketballcourt in the barangay proper. There iscockfighting every Sunday, where residents betsmall amounts of cash. The women play“spang”, a local version of volleyball, whereonlookers can also bet.
Houses are made of wood slots locally called“inak-ak” and cogon roofing. Very few use GIsheets. There are only 14 households in thebarangay proper. Houses follow a dispersedpattern. The barangay has no electricity.Drinking water comes from a spring.
Virayan is accessible from Barangays Poblacionand Small Potongan by foot or by horse.
b. Economic profile
The main source of income is farming. The mainproducts are root crops for cash andconsumption. Coconuts are primarily for cash.Corn, when grown, is only for consumption.Farming is a family activity. Women and childrenhelp in farm activities. Another source of incomeis “manungha”, where a person is hired to workin another man’s farm for a daily wage of P50.
No traders go to Virayan. Products are broughtand sold in Sapang Dalaga. Provisions for dailyuse are bought in Sapang Dalaga. Sometimes,farmers bring their products to Libertad inZamboanga del Norte.
Few residents raise chickens because they areeasily affected by diseases. Pigs are raised eitherfor sale or for special occasions like the fiestaor “buhat-buhat”. Cattle is raised for cash andhorses are for transport purposes.
24 Technical Report
Residents of Barangay Virayan are occupants offorest lands with an average farm size of ¼ ha.Some residents from the lowland bought rightsto some pieces of land. For Subanons who arenot familiar with their rights, these non-IPs whoare absentee landowners may become a problemin the future.
c. Cultural profile
Residents of Barangay Virayan are aware thatthey can be arrested if they are caught cuttingtrees in the PAMB area. They are also awarethat water is sufficient because of the trees andmountains in the PAMB area. They believe thatthe trees will prevent landslides. They also thinkthat the water for the irrigation project in SmallPotongan comes from the Virayan river.
They claim that there are still wild pigs,monkeys, and birds in the PAMB area. They donot hunt for wildlife but insist that once outsidethe protected areas, these animals can behunted. Wild orchids should not be taken outfrom protected areas, according to the son of abarangay official.
Insufficiency of food is a problem especiallyduring the rainy months. They believe that theycan improve their livelihood if only they canget water for their fields and plant rice. Theyalso want a better school building for theirbarangay.
5. Barangay Upper Salimpuno
Upper Salimpuno was still a forest in 1948. Theresidents from Salimpuno in Sapang Dalagastarted to farm the area in the 1950s and namedthe place Upper Salimpuno.
a. Social profile
The total barangay population is 264 with 53households and an average household size offive. Almost 60% of the residents are aged 15-64 years old. About 40% are Subanons and 60%are Cebuanos and Boholanos.
The barangay has an elementary school withGrades I-IV. It has no health center but thereare two BHWs. The barangay hall does not havewalls or even a cemented floor. The barangayhas access to electricity since 1994 but fewhouses have electric lights. Residents have to
fetch water from the springs, which serve as aprimary source of drinking water. Most housesare made of wood and GI sheets. Residents owntransistor radios. Among the 55 children belowseven years old, 14 are mildly malnourishedand 10 are moderately malnourished.
The road from the national highway to BarangayUpper Salimpuno is partly graveled making thebarangay accessible to motorcycles and othervehicles. The fare (P25) for a one-way 12-kmtrip by motorcycle is expensive for residents.
b. Economic profile
Farming is the main source of income. It is afamily activity because women and children helpin farming activities. Secondary sources ofincome include selling firewood and hand-sawing of tree species such as falcata andGmelina. Another source of income is “pasuhol”or hired help for a daily wage of P70.
The main products are corn, root crops, andcoconut. Corn is planted for consumption. Rootcrops which are grown for cash and consumptiondo not grow well like corn, during continuousrainy season. Coconut is grown primarily for cash.Copra commands a good price (P16.80/kg) butthe coconut trees are not bearing fruit well. Inthe past, the meat from three coconuts weigheda kilo, but now, a farmer needs seven coconutsto get a kilo of coconut meat.
Some traders go to Upper Salimpuno for copra.In most instances, however, products for sale(i.e., firewood) are loaded in public utilityvehicles for Sapang Dalaga where these are soldto wholesalers or to consumers directly by theproducers themselves.
Residents have an average farm size of 2 ha.Some residents do not like to cultivate theirlands and plant trees and other species becausethey only have Integrated Social Forestry (ISF)from DENR. Although they have land declarations,they need land titles for security and theassurance that their children will inherit the land.
c. Cultural profile
Residents of Barangay Upper Salimpuno areaware that when there are no more trees,landslide, locally called “unas”, will take place.One key informant remembered that she saw atrunk of an apitong, a tree species with a
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 25
diameter of about 170 cm, loaded in a truck forexport. At present, apitong that big can no longerbe found in the vicinity of Upper Salimpuno.During the 1970s, logging was at its height andthere were about 10,000 residents in thebarangay. The roads were good but when thelogging companies left in 1980, the barangaybecame a haunted and deserted place.
Barangay residents aspire to improve theirlivelihood. They want to be able to fertilize theircorn fields to improve production. They wantto maintain the peace and order that theirbarangay enjoys.
B. Municipality of Sapang Dalaga
1. Barangay Sixto Velez
Its old name is Medallo Alto. When the petitionwas passed to convert Sitio Medallo Alto to abarangay in 1966, the name Sixto Velez wasadopted so that the high-ranking governmentofficial named P. Velez would not turn down thepetition.
a. Social profile
There are 74 households with a total populationof 311. The average household size is four.Sixty-one percent of the population are aged15-64 years old. There are more females thanmales and there are no Subanons in Sitio Velez.
The barangay has one day care teacher andone elementary school teacher who teachesGrades I and II. For Grade III, pupils go toBarangay Salimpuno or Barangay Sipac in SapangDalaga. There are two barangay health workers.The barangay has access to electricity and wateris an abundant resource.
Houses are generally made of wood and GIsheets. A few have nipa roofs. Houses are foundalong the road from Sapang Dalaga toConcepcion. One-way fare from Sapang Dalagato the barangay is P10 by jeep and P20 bymotorcycle.
b. Economic profile
Farming is the main source of income and coconutis the main cash crop. Coconut trees have nofootholds so coconuts are harvested throughthe use of long poles. For every 100 maturecoconuts harvested, the farmer is paid P10.Women and children of school age help ingathering the coconut. Coconut meat isextracted from the shell and dried using dryers.The entire family is involved from harvesting toprocessing of the coconut. Cassava is grownprimarily for consumption while extra supplies aresold. Planting and harvesting of cassava are doneby both men and women. Land preparation,however, is a man’s activity. Corn is grown forconsumption. However, it needs fertilizers, whichsome residents cannot afford to buy.
Farm products are sold in Sapang Dalaga.Although there are “sari-sari” stores in thebarangay, residents still prefer to buy goodsfor daily use from stores in Sapang Dalaga.
From September to October, mangosteen are inseason. This is another source of income forsome barangay residents. Others become hiredhelp in other farms at P50/day.
Pigs are raised for cash and special occasions,such as fiestas. Cattle is primarily for cash whilechickens are raised for consumption. There areresidents, however, who do not like to raiseanimals because they easily get sick during therainy season.
About 70% of the barangay residents aretenants of land owners from other areas ofMisamis Occidental. Tenants get one-third ofthe income from coconut production. Mostlandlords do not go to Sixto Velez to get theirshare. Instead, their share is brought to themby the tenant.
The main problem faced by residents is the lackof money to buy food. They wish to improvetheir livelihood to overcome this difficulty andalso be able to send their children to school.
26 Technical Report
C. Municipality of Don Victoriano
1. Barangay Tuno
Barangay Tuno was under the jurisdiction of themunicipality of Tudela before the municipality ofDon Victoriano was created. The barangay wasnamed after the color of the water from springsflowing in the creeks. The water is white, similarto coconut milk which is known locally as “tuno”.It is located on the southeastern part of DonVictoriano, with a total land area of 300 ha basedon the parcellary survey (ENR-SECAL Report1999).
a. Social profile
The most recent population data from themunicipal social welfare and development officeindicate the presence of 166 households withan average of five individuals per family and atotal population of 861. Fifty-five percent isbetween the ages 15 to 64 years old; 43% isbelow 15 years, and only 2% is 65 years oldand above. There are more females than males.
Seventy percent are Subanons; the rest areCebuanos, Boholanos, and other groups.
Residential settlements are clustered along thegraveled road leading to the next barangaywhich can be reached either by jeep ormotorcycle. Houses are made of GI roofings andwooden walls. Some have cemented houses.
Residents have access to electricity. Some havetransistor radios, tape recorders, television;ICOM radios are commonly used by barangayofficials.
A primary school (Grades I-IV) is operated bythe Department of Education, Culture and Sports(DECS) with four teachers and four classrooms.School children hike to Barangay Lalud to finishelementary education.
There is no barangay health worker. Theresidents need to go to the next barangay forhealth concerns. Patients are brought toMahayag or Molave hospitals for treatment orconfinement. There is no available data on thehealth and nutrition status of residents. However,no one was observed to be malnourished duringthe PRA.
The residents have access to a free-flowingwater system provided by the local government.There is a basketball court and cockpit. Themunicipal hall of Don Victoriano is located in thisbarangay.
b. Economic profile
Farming is a family activity and is the mainsource of income for most residents. When notin school, children help their parents in the farm.The main farm products are corn, rice, rootcrops, and vegetables. Corn and rice are mainlyfor consumption, while root crops andvegetables are for cash. During lean months(rainy season), root crops are their main staple.
Some residents engage in trading or buy-and-sell of vegetables and root crops which theydirectly sell to consumers in Molave. Manyhousewives have small stalls in Molave onweekends. Their daily needs are also purchasedmostly from Molave or Ozamiz.
Residents domesticate animals for cash orconsumption. Chicken is raised mainly forconsumption and cattle is mainly for cash. Pigsare raised both for cash and consumption, forspecial occasions like fiestas or “buhat-buhat”.The carabao is mainly used for plowing the field.
Credit is extended to farmers by “compradors”or traders who also buy their farm products.Trading is done in Lalud.
Labor is provided by the whole family. Thehusband plows the field, while the wife andchildren help plant and harvest the crops. Hiredlabor is at P60-70/day.
Another source of income for residents duringlean months is employment in construction, whichthey usually find in Dipolog.
Soil infertility is a problem resulting in high costsof farm inputs for farmers. This problem alsocauses extensive soil erosion because theirfarms are situated in hills and steep slopes.
c. Cultural profile
Husbands and wives share in the decision-making. Women do housekeeping and also helpin the farm. Some are members of the RuralImprovement Club (RIC) and Farmers’ Association.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 27
Parents aspire to send their children to school.Residents hope for a better and peacefulbarangay.
“Tabo” or market day is done every Friday wherefolks exchange news, play basketball, and playmasiao.
Looting of crops is common and a concern ofthe barangay council. The “Timuay” or “gukon”is the traditional leader who settles conflictsamong residents.
2. Barangay Lalud
In the local dialect, “lalud” means wavy landterrain. In earlier years, Lalud was under thejurisdiction of the municipality of Tudela.
a. Social profile
A DSWD survey shows 360 households with anaverage size of five and a total population of1,829. Forty-three percent of the population isbelow 15 years old, 55% is between 15-64 yearsold, and only 2% is 65 years old and above.There are more females than males. Seventypercent are Subanons and 30% are Cebuanos,Boholanos, and other groups.
Residential houses are clustered in the barangayproper and along graveled and cemented roads.Houses are made of GI sheets, wood, andconcrete.
Four preschool, eight elementary, and foursecondary school teachers are helping to moldthe character and values of school-age children(15%) in the barangay. The health center ofthe municipality of Don Victoriano is in BarangayLalud and this is run by a medical doctor and anurse. The center also has an ambulance.
Jeepneys and motorcycles are the means oftransport from Tuno and the neighboring townsof Josefina and Molave to the commercial centerat Lalud. Communication facilities include ICOMradios, transistors, television, and taperecorders.
Electricity and free-flowing water supply areprovided in the barangay. In addition, there isa basketball court, a tennis court, and videoke.
b. Economic profile
Farming is the main source of income. Thesecondary means of livelihood are trading,restaurant services, and gardening. The mainfarm products are corn, rice, vegetables, rootcrops, and bananas. On the average, farmersplant on a 1 ha farm. Cultivation rights arebased on stewardship certificates given tofarmers as occupants of forest lands.
Rice and corn are planted mainly forconsumption, while vegetables are mainly forcash. Root crops are both for cash andconsumption. These farm products are sold tocompradors/financiers. Other farmers bringtheir products to Molave or Ozamiz City.
Horses are domesticated mainly for transportof farm products to the market. Cattles are raisedfor cash, while chickens are for consumptiononly. Pigs are raised both for cash andconsumption especially during fiestas and otherspecial occasions.
Similar to Barangay Tuno, soil infertility and soilerosion are the major concerns of residents.
c. Cultural profile
Residents go to Dipolog City during lean monthsto work in the construction business. Husbandsare assisted by their wives in farming and inmaking decisions particularly on their savings.Despite their low income, parents still aspire tosend their children to school and improve theirlivelihood.
3. Barangay Lampasan
“Lampas” means a way of cutting grasses. Thebarangay was officially created in 1953 andschools opened in 1980. In the mid-1980s,residents outmigrated due to the poor peaceand order situation. After 10 years, there wasa high rate of in-migration and residents startedto farm in the area.
a. Social profile
Barangay Lampasan has a total population of1,065 with 206 households, and an averagehousehold size of five. Forty-five percent of thepopulation is below 15 years old, 50% is 15-64
28 Technical Report
years old, and 5% is 65 years old and above.There are more females than males; 40% areSubanons and 60% are Cebuanos and Boholanos.
The school has five classrooms, one room forpreschoolers and four for the elementary grades.There are two teachers for elementary and onefor the preschool. Communication facilities suchas ICOM radios, television, transistors, and taperecorders are available in the barangay. Housesare made of GI sheets, wood, and concrete.
The residents have “tabo” every Friday. Theyhave basketball courts and a cockpit forrecreation activities.
b. Economic profile
The main source of livelihood is farming. Othersources of income are gardening, operating a“sari-sari” store, and “manungha” at P70/day.The main farm products are corn, onions,chayote, cabbage, root crops, and tomatoes.These are transported to Tudela by means ofhorses, jeeps, and motorcycles. According toresidents, they are able to sell 50 to 100% oftheir products to Lalud even during lean months.
Planting, harvesting, and desuckering are doneby the whole family. The average farm size is 1ha. Soil infertility is also the main problem infarming.
c. Cultural profile
There is still food inadequacy and low incomeeven though husbands and wives are intofarming. Some residents earn extra incomethrough basket weaving and most of them aremembers of BANWA and LEAF.
4. Barangay Lake Duminagat
Lake Duminagat was named after the lake whichcuts across the barangay.
a. Social profile
There are 58 households with a total populationof 391; 100% are Subanons. Age composition issimilar to that of Barangay Lampasan. Residentsare distributed in clusters due to the area’scauldron-like terrain.
The barangay has a preschool and elementaryschool with two teachers and three classrooms.
The health center (6 km away) has one healthworker. The barangay can only be reached by atrail, which makes it inaccessible to any vehicle.Residents have to walk or use horses to transportgoods to nearby barangays. The barangay hasuncemented basketball court.
b. Economic profile
Farming is the main source of livelihood.Residents also earn income by “karyada” orhauling and as hired help in other farms. Theirmain products are onions, cabbage, chayote,root crops, and corn which are bought bycompradors from Mansawan. Transportation, soilinfertility, pests, and rats are their main concerns.
The residents of Lake Duminagat are occupantsof forest lands. They can only manage tocultivate small farms and raise few chickens dueto pests.
c. Cultural profile
Most residents are Catholics. Husbands andwives do the farming. Despite the problem offood inadequacy, farmers aspire to improve theirliving conditions and send their children toschool.
5. Barangay Gandawan
“Gandawan” means wild flowers. It was officiallycreated in 1980. In the 1970s, there was a highrate of outmigration because of the poor peaceand order situation.
a. Social profile
The residents are 95% Subanons and only 5%are Cebuanos. There are 61 households with atotal population of 363 distributed in clusters.There are more females than males. Fifty percentis between 15-64 years old.
The health center is 3 km away from thebarangay proper. There is a preschool, anelementary school, and a high school.
The road going to Barangay Gandawan is a trailand can be reached only by foot and by horse.Residents have ICOM and transistor radios forcommunication. Their houses are made of woodshingles, wood, and GI roofs. They have free-flowing water, a barangay hall, and an
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 29
uncemented basketball court. The barangaycelebrates its fiesta on August 28.
b. Economic profile
The main source of livelihood is farming and themain products are onion, cabbage, chayote, rootcrops, abaca, and sugarcane. Most of theirproducts are sold in Mansawan. The residentsraise horses mainly for transport, and cattles,pigs, chickens for food, and carabaos as draftanimals.
Their main problems are pests and soil infertility.To earn extra income, some work in other farmsas hired help.
c. Cultural profile
Husbands and wives farm and share in thedecision-making. Food is inadequate, andproblems of soil infertility and pests exist.Residents still believe that soon they willovercome these problems; they continue toaspire in improving their level of livelihood.
6. Barangay Mansawan
“Mansawan” is derived from the Subanon word“mansaw” which means wild sugarcane. Thisplant was abundant in the area when the firstsettlers who were all Subanons belonging to thePiniling Nasud, a religious sect, arrived in 1964.
a. Social profile
The population is estimated to be 1,686 with362 households and an average household sizeof five as of 1998. There are more females thanmales. Sixty-five percent of residents are aged15-64 years. About 85% are Subanons and 15%are Cebuanos and Boholanos. Children of mixedparentage (¾ Subanon) are called “libog”.Although majority of the residents are Subanon,the main spoken dialect is Cebuano.
Barangay Mansawan has a day care center withone teacher. It has a complete elementaryschool with eight teachers and there is a planto have a high school soon.
Mansawan has eight barangay health workers.A midwife lives in the barangay and also servesthree other barangays. The barangay has a
health center, a public market, a basketball court,artesian wells, and communal faucets.
Barangay residents have no access to electricity.Some own transistor radios and others have taperecorders. Houses are made of wood and GIsheets. There was a time though when roofswere made of “gulayan”, a pine tree. Water isfetched either from the artesian wells locallycalled “bumba” or communal faucets where thewater is piped from a spring in BarangayGandawan.
Residents go to the Don Victoriano town properby hiking or riding on a horse. During drymonths, they ride on public utility motorcyclescalled “habal-habal”. To reach Don Victoriano,one has to cross seven streams and a river.The barangay is also accessible by jeepney andmotorcycle on graveled roads from Mutia, a townin Zamboanga del Norte.
There are four religious groups in Mansawan:Piniling Nasud, the Roman Catholics, Born-againChristians, and the Seventh Day Adventists. TheSangguniang Kabataan (SK) is composed ofyoung people (18 years and below). At the timethe PRA was conducted, the SK held a benefitdance to raise funds to finance their variousactivities (i.e., cleaning of water source, market,and other public places).
b. Economic profile
The main source of income is farming. The mainproducts are vegetables (onion, cabbage,chayote), root crops, and corn.
Onions are planted anytime of the year primarilyfor cash. These can be desuckered after fourmonths and desuckering thereafter is done oncea month. After every desuckering, inorganicfertilizer is applied. Insecticides or pesticidesare sprayed once a week. If maintained properly,onions can last for as long as five years.Maintenance includes keeping the land cleanand free of weeds.
Farmers can grow onions on a 100 m2 piece ofland which can yield 1,500 bundles a month.Each bundle weighs approximately 750 g andcan be sold at P7/bundle. Onions are sold totraders or compradors in the barangay proper.Deliveries are done preferably on a Monday,which is the “tabo”, a special market day. Traderssell the onions as far as Dipolog City.
30 Technical Report
Cabbage is another cash crop planted anytimeof the year. It requires fertilizer and insecticidesand can be harvested after three months. It isalso sold to traders in the barangay proper.
Chayote is planted anytime primarily for cash.It does not have to be fertilized or sprayed withpesticides. Farmers sell it weekly and theincome from selling is used to buy fish, meat,and other food.
Root crops are planted anytime of the year forcash and consumption. During months whenthere is no money to buy food, barangayresidents eat root crops. Corn is planted withinMarch to April. It can be harvested after fivemonths.
Few residents raise pigs because they do nothave enough cash to buy corn or rice bran forfeeds. They also find pig raising time-consuming. Chickens are raised forconsumption, horses are for transport purposesand goats are for sale. Farmers do not plowtheir fields because these are in steep slopes.To till the land, they use a “sakol”. Farmers donot practice contour farming or slopingagricultural land technology (SALT).
The compradors or local traders set the pricefor onion, cabbage, chayote, and other crops.Some of them extend loans to farmers orprovide seeds and other farm inputs. In return,farmers sell their products to traders which makeit easy for them to dictate the price.
All residents have yet to own their farms whichis why they are not secure as far as tenurialstates are concerned.
Other sources of income are “manungha”, hiredhelp on the farm for a daily wage of P50 and“karyada”, a hired help for hauling vegetablesand other crops using a horse and is paid pertrip.
c. Cultural profile
Residents aspire for better and adequate food,good health, and education for their children.BANWA, TRICAP, and Piniling Nasud areorganizations present in the barangay. Mostresidents are members of these organizations.
III. Interconnectedness
The landscape approach to environmentalassessment for biodiversity status is quite timelyand appropriate. The upland ecosystem of theMt. Malindang Range highly affects the activitiesof the lowland and coastal ecosystems. Likewise,the reverse is true. Many aspects of daily lifeare interconnected. Politics and trading areexamples. The PRA site, being located in themountain flanks, is endowed with a rich riverinesystem. Headwaters drain from the mountainrange and together the water runs down withsilt, and flora and fauna. In exchange, productsfor household use are purchased from thelowland and brought to the upland.
a. Resource use and flow patterns
Most of the farm products, like onions, cabbage,chayote, and root crops, like sweet potato,kanaka, gabi or lutia are the cash crops grownin the municipalities of Concepcion and DonVictoriano.
In Concepcion, farmers sell farm productsdirectly to consumers. From as far as Virayan,Small Potongan, Upper Potongan, and UpperSalimpuno they sell their produce during the“tabo” of their respective barangays. But mostbring their produce to Sapang Dalaga wherethey sell these directly to consumers. From theirsale, they buy salt, vinegar, dried fish, saltedfish, cooking oil, rice or corn, sometimes clothingmaterials, and fertilizers and insecticides.
In Don Victoriano, two barangays are consideredas trading centers - Barangays Mansawan andLalud. In these centers, many compradors cometo buy farm products in wholesale. From Lalud,these are delivered and sold to stall owners inJosefina, Mahayag, and Molave then to PagadianCity. Others go to Bonifacio, Tangub City, thento Ozamiz City. Household needs such as salt,salted fish, dried fish, vinegar, cooking oil, clothes,and farm needs specifically farm implements,fertilizers, and pesticides are obtained from theseplaces. Farm products such as vegetables androot crops from as far as Liboron, Sibucal, LakeDuminagat, and Gandawan are brought toMansawan during “tabo” where compradors buythem. Farmers rarely bring their farm produceoutside of Mansawan because the transportation
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 31
cost is so prohibitive. Added to hightransportation cost is the time it takes themaway from their farms if they sell their goods inplaces beyond Mansawan. Compradors bring thefarm products to Mutia, Pinan, Polanco, DipologCity, all in Zamboanga del Norte. Another routein selling farm products is from Pinan, to Barcelonato Dapitan City, then to Dipolog City, or fromBarcelona to Sapang Dalaga then to Calambathen Plaridel of Misamis Occidental. Tradersbring farm and household needs to Mansawanfor farmers to buy.
Not only are farm products and farming needsexchanged, but siltation, faunal and floralcomponents of the environment too. Thesurface water, which drains from the hills andmountain slopes carry sediment and cause highsiltation both in the lowland and coastalenvironments. Together with the surface waterrun-off, nutrients drain from the upland soilresulting in soil infertility. In addition, seeds ofplants flowed with the run-off resulting indispersal of the plants in the lowland and coastalareas. In the riverine system, which is prevalentin the upland ecosystem, aquatic fauna can godownstream and upstream. For example, theeel goes downstream to spawn and upstreamto grow and mature, and back againdownstream to lay eggs. Both seed-eating birdsand fruit bats also function as seed dispersalagents resulting in the migration of plants. Allwinged organisms go from place to place andin so doing, serve also as dispersal agents.
b. Political flow
In both municipalities, the mayors are notpermanent residents of the town they head. InConcepcion, the mayor is a resident of Lopez-Jaena. In Don Victoriano, the municipal mayorresides in Ozamiz City with the parent, althoughhis wife is from Dipolog City. His younger brotheris also the mayor of Josefina, the town next toDon Victoriano that is a part of Zamboanga delSur. The dump trucks of the Don Victoriano mayoralso serve Josefina. Somehow, the influence ofthe Don Victoriano mayor is glaring also in Josefinaalthough the Josefina mayor is not similarlyinfluential in Don Victoriano.
IV. Common observations and findings
a. Biophysical resources
1. Severe pest infestation on cabbage: Uponexamination, the pest was identified asdiamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Thisis the major pest of cabbage in Mansawan,Gandawan and Lake Duminagat such thatfarmers are forced to apply insecticides tominimize their impacts.
2. A practical mechanical control of pests oncabbage seedlings was installed andobserved in Barangay Lake Duminagat. Thefarmers used nylon net mesh to enclosetheir nursery beds.
3. The presence of parasitic cocoons on deadlarvae of diamondback moth in Gandawanclearly indicates the presence of naturalenemies that suppress the populationgrowth of insect pests.
4. Dead larvae observed on the way to LakeDuminagat were believed to have beenattacked by pathogenic organisms such asbacteria and viruses.
5. Cotton stainer, Dysdercus cingulatus, wasobserved as a pest of okra in Lampasan.
6. Water striders and ripple bugs are abundantin the waters of Lake Duminagat, GuibanRiver, and Virayan River. These arebioindicators of water quality. Their presenceindicates the absence of pollutants in thebodies of water.
7. Most of the avian, reptilian, mammalian,amphibian, and ichthyofauna speciesobserved had ecological value as pollinators,seed dispersal agents, and insect pestcontrol agents. Their social value lies in theirbeing used as pets and experimental orresearch materials. Economically, they areused as food and trading items.
8. The municipalities of Don Victoriano andConcepcion are all situated within aprotected area where the status ofbioresources remains unresolved.
32 Technical Report
b. Sociocultural and economic findings
From direct observations and interviews of keyinformants, participants, and stakeholders inthe PRA sites, information and data on thefollowing were gathered. In addition, theseinformation were validated in focus groupdiscussions and multisectoral meetings.
1. The number of households in all barangaysranged from 53 to 362. Population figuresbased on estimates and latest reports rangefrom 210 to 1,829. The average householdsize is six.
2. About 3-5% of the population in eachbarangay is composed of old (65 years andabove) folks. The young (0-14 years old)accounted for about 45% of the totalpopulation. The middle age group (15-64years old) comprises about 50%.
3. There are more females than males.
4. In Barangays Mansawan, Gandawan, LakeDuminagat, Small Potongan, UpperPotongan, and Virayan, more Subanons wereobserved than any other ethno-linguisticgroup. In these barangays, Subanonsprobably account for 85% to 100% of thepopulation. In Lalud and Tuno, the Subanonsmake up 70% of the total population.
5. The barangays have barangay healthworkers (BHW) but no municipal healthofficer (MHO). Medicines are very muchlacking.
6. Only five barangays have electricity. Themost common mass media facility is thetransistor radio. Barangay captains in DonVictoriano have ICOM radios.
7. Houses are mostly made of galvanized ironsheets and wood/wood shingles. Very fewhouses use cogon as roofing material.
8. Two barangays have high schools. UpperPotongan does not have any elementaryschool. Five barangays have Grades I-II,three barangays have Grades I-IV while threebarangays have complete elementaryschools.
9. Farming is the main source of livelihood.Secondary sources of income include“manungha” (hired help in the farm),“karyada” (hauling), hand-sawing, and sellingfirewood.
10.Cash crops from Mansawan, Gandawan andLake Duminagat are mainly onions,cabbage, and chayote. For Lalud, Tuno, andLampasan, cash crops are corn and rootcrops similar with Barangay Poblacion ofConcepcion.
11.The average area cultivated is only ¼ of ahectare. People occupy forest lands. Theycannot get titles for the land they till sincethey live within the protected areas. Somepossess certificates of stewardship over thepiece of land they occupy.
12.There is no definite cropping pattern for rootcrops, onion, cabbage, and other vegetables.Corn is planted from April to May. Thesecond cropping starts in September.
13. Rainy months are the lean months in SmallPotongan and Upper Potongan, while forVirayan, every month is a lean month.
14.Poultry is seldom raised due to problems ofpests and diseases.
15.Soil fertility is a big problem.
16.Women often help in the farm in addition todoing household chores. They plant, doweeding, and desucker onion plants. Theyalso engaged in “karyada” to augment familyincome.
c. Issues and concerns
The data and information gathered throughdirect observations, interviews, and meetingswith the local residents and their localgovernment units point to important issues andconcerns. In the following list, the first two arethe local residents’ main concerns. The othersare concerns raised by the team and residents.The team agrees with residents in believing thatthese issues and concerns are linked with eachother in an intertwining manner.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 33
1. Socioeconomics
a. Food security among uplandcommunities
b. Social stability/peace and order situationc. Alleviating family income above the poverty lined. Availment of credit facilities at low or
no interest at alle. Availment of social amenities and
servicesf. Improvement of literacyg. Increased productivity
2. Policy formulation needs
a. Resolving the status of the towns of DonVictoriano and Concepcion which arewithin the protected area
b. Tenurial rights of residents in themunicipalities
c. Integrated approach to projectimplementation
d. Advocacy and information campaigns
3. People’s empowerment through trainings andworkshops
a. Agroforestry technologyb. Soil rehabilitation and ameliorationc. Enterprise development and cottage
industry
4. Infrastructural needs
a. Rural electrificationb. Farm-to-market roadsc. Improved health servicesd. Improved water system
5. Habitat destruction
a. Shifting cultivation within grasslands andbrushlands
b. Unfavorable weather conditions andedaphic factors
c. Soil erosion/landslides
6. Chemical pollution
a. Application of pesticidesb. Application of inorganic fertilizers
7. Biological pollution
a. Indiscriminate introduction of alienspecies
b. Species extinction
d. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT)
From these data, the strengths, weaknesses,opportunities, and threats (SWOT) were derived.These are presented in Appendix Table 26.
V. Interaction analysis
All the natural resources in the uplandecosystem are vulnerable to human interferenceor disturbance, thus threatening both theenvironmental security and biodiversity. Withthe shifting cultivation practices of farmers,more areas are cleared of plant materials thatprevent soil erosion. In turn, the loss of plantscorrespondingly lead to the loss of animals thatdepend on them for habitat or for food. As aconsequence, animals are driven away from thearea. Human beings continue to hunt either formeat or objects of trading.
a. Biophysical situations
1. Soil erosion appears less in Mansawan,Gandawan, and Lake Duminagat in DonVictoriano, and in Concepcion based on theaverage cultivated area per household ofless than ¼ ha. However, since farmers donot practice soil conservation measures,cultivation is done on steep slopes andfrequency of rainfall is high, soil erosion isrelatively high per unit area. In addition,vegetable production has resulted in thedepletion of soil nutrients. Without sufficientreplenishment, this has led to low soil fertilityand increased incidence of soil-bornediseases (Bunders et al. 1990). Reversing thissituation needs thorough and meticulousstudies to come up with appropriateintervention strategies.
2. Abundant sources of water remainuntapped. These are not taken advantagedof to boost staple crop production inGandawan and Lake Duminagat environsand in the barangays of Concepcion. Thisnecessitated the conversion of cultivatedareas and grasslands into rice fields interraces using suitable varieties and farmingpractices. Such conversion of land use mayhave also created negative impacts on themicroorganisms in the soil, altering theecological balance. Another aspect toconsider is the sociocultural condition. Such
34 Technical Report
intervention may not be acceptable or thecommunity may not be socially prepared forsuch a shift in the manner of land use. Thus,an intensive participatory action researchalong this line is a must.
3. About 30% of the total floral species in DonVictoriano and Concepcion was not recordedand about 2% is believed to be new species.Their characteristics, habitat, distribution,and uses have to be known and understoodfor appropriate biodiversity conservationmeasures to be undertaken.
4. Several ornamental plant species have beenobserved growing wildly in the grasslands(e.g., Medinilla, Begonia, bamboo orchids,ground orchids, etc.) that have potential forcommercial growing. Conservation of thesespecies and using them for economicventures to uplift the lives of residents isimperative. These plants may becomeextinct due to frequent shifting cultivationpractices.
5. Species diversity appears relatively rich inLake Duminagat and its environs. Yet, theirhabitat dynamics, degree of speciesassociation, and ecological functions are lessknown. Understanding these factors isneded to formulate effective forestmanagement decisions and effectsustainable development.
6. Don Victoriano and Concepcion are withinthe protected area of the Mt. MalindangNational Park and their status is stillunresolved. Resolution of this issue is vitalto the conservation efforts of Mt. Malindangand formulation of biodiversity conservationmeasures for sustainable development.
7. Insect pests are the major constraint tovegetable production. Among these are thediamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), greentortoise beetle (Cassida sp.), potato tubermoth (Phthorimaea opercudela), cutworm(Spodoptera litura), squash beetle(Aulacophora similis), cotton stainer(Dysdercus cingulatus), and unidentifiedlepidopterous pest which attacks onion.Anthracnose is the major disease of Baguiobeans. Controlling pests and diseases ofvegetables necessitates immediate attentionto formulate integrated pest managementpractices.
8. Insecticides are commonly applied to controlinsect pests. It is the ultimate recourse offarmers to get high harvests. This practicethreatens biodiversity. Alternative means ofcontrolling pests that are environment-friendly and cost effective must be used.
9. Water striders and ripple bugs are quiteabundant in the waters of Lake Duminagat,Guiban River, and Virayan River. These arebioindicators of water quality since theirpresence and abundance indicate theabsence of water pollutants.
10.Most of the avian, reptilian, mammalian,amphibian, and ichthyofauna species areobserved to have ecological value aspollinators, seed dispersal agents, and insectpest control agents. Their social value liesin their use as pets and experimentalresearch materials. Their economic valuefocuses more on their use as food andtrading items.
b. Sociocultural and economicsituations
1. Vegetable production is the main source oflivelihood in Mansawan, Gandawan, andLake Duminagat. Vegetables grown includecabbage, onions, Baguio beans, chayote andsquash. Root crops are likewise grown whichsustain residents particularly during leanmonths. The common root crops cultivatedare sweet potato and lutia. The decision toplant them is governed by bothsocioeconomic and cultural values andenvironmental constraints.
2. The number of households in all barangaysof Don Victoriano and Concepcion rangesfrom 53 to 362. Latest population figuresare estimated to range from 210 to 1,829.The average household size is six. Theaverage income per month per householdof P700-1,000 is very low compared withthe P3,000 per month poverty levelindicator. Yet residents manage to survivebecause of coping mechanisms such as“karyada” (hauling) and “manungha” (hiredlabor) to augment their meager income.
3. At least 70% of the population in DonVictoriano is indigenous people. Their levelof education is low. Thus, any development
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 35
intervention to be introduced would requiremuch effort for social preparation and valueformation.
4. Fifty percent of the population belong to the15-64 years age range and 45% to 0-14years range implying available labor forceat household level. The average area ofcultivation per household in Lake Duminagatis less than ¼ ha. Due to lack or absence offarm implements and farm animals, manuallabor is used so only small farm size aremaintained per household. Farmers with smallfarms and who do not practice intensivesmall-scale farming get less harvests andmeager income.
5. Women often tend vegetable gardens inaddition to doing household chores. Thereare more females than males. Moreover, menattend most of the time to social and politicalfunctions.
VI. Recommendations
In view of these issues, problems, andinteraction analysis, the following first andsecond generation researchable areas andspecific research topics and development needsare recommended. These were analyzed usingthe following criteria: relationship to biodiversityconservation, needs, urgency, linkages, andpolicy relevance (Appendix Table 27).
a. First generation researchable areas
1. Tenurial arrangement with settlers and usersof Mt. Malindang resources, redelineationof the protected area, and empowermentof the people as effective forest managers
2. Land use pattern in the municipalities of DonVictoriano and Concepcion to determine thesuitability of plants to different ecozones
3. Patterns of forest/biodiversity resources useby Subanons and other users to provideinputs to appropriate resource managementstrategies
4. Marketing strategies, resource use pattern,income and market structures
5. Assessment of the biological resources inLake Duminagat and its environs (DonVictoriano) and inventory as input and guideto appropriate conservation and management
6. Analyses and determination of thephysicochemical parameters of the soil inrelation to biodiversity and managementstrategies
7. Hydrobiology of the freshwater ecosystemswhich include the physicochemicalproperties of the water and the dynamics
8. Study on the rate of soil erosion, water yield,and water-holding capacity, water qualityand water regimen of some waterways inLake Duminagat environs
9. Documentation and comparative studies oncultural practices of the indigenous peoplein different ecozones in relation tobiodiversity indices and status
10.Studies on impacts of resource use andincome-generating activities on thebiodiversity status in different ecozones
11.Studies on impacts of local governance onbiodiversity conservation status
b. Second generation and specificresearchable areas
1. Identification of appropriate and sustainableagroforestry systems that enhancebiodiversity conservation and sustainabledevelopment
2. Studies on using biological resources forpest control and soil amelioration
3. Propagation and mass production of locallyavailable ornamental plants
4. Identification, propagation, andperformance evaluation of forage species inLake Duminagat environs
5. Environmental impact evaluation studies onusing the waterfalls in Don Victoriano as asource of hydroelectric power
36 Technical Report
6. Macropropagation and use of localdipterocarps in rehabilitating naturalsecondary forests and grasslands
7. Environmental impact evaluation studies onthe proposed ecotourism project in LakeDuminagat and its environs
8. Ex situ breeding (captive breeding or tissueculture) of rare, endangered, threatenedspecies and establishment of biodiversityconservation and rehabilitation center foracademic purposes and for reintroductionof lab-produced species in the naturalhabitat whose performance will bemonitored and evaluated
9. In situ breeding of rare and endangeredspecies in protected areas under well-coordinated implementation rules andregulations by different agencies and LGUsconcerned.
10.Forest species composition, habitatdynamics, degree of species association,their ecological functions, and policyimplications
11.Survey and biological studies of major insectpests and diseases of vegetables in DonVictoriano and their natural enemies, andthe implications for integrated pestmanagement strategies
12.Biodiversity assessment of hymenopterousand lepidopterous insects in Lake Duminagatand its environs
13.On-farm profiling and residue analysis ofpesticides commonly used by farmers withimplications on policy formulations
14. Inventory, bioassay, and field applicationsof botanicals as alternative control measuresfor pests in vegetables in Don Victoriano
15. Inventory of pests and diseases of livestockand poultry in Concepcion and DonVictoriano and management planning forcontrol or eradication
16. Survey of ecto and endoparasites of avifaunalspecies in Lake Duminagat and SmallPotongan environs
17. Incidence of Plasmodium gallinarum in junglefowls of Lake Duminagat and its environs
18.Biodiversity assessment of timber-producingspecies in Lake Duminagat and SmallPotongan environs
c. Development needs for possibleinterventions by relevant GOs andNGOs
1. Development of farm-to-market roads
2. Lighting facilities
3. Provision of expert services for agriculturalvegetable production
4. Provision of assistance for agroforestrytechnologies
5. DENR assistance for placing the towns ofDon Victoriano and Concepcion under theCommunity-Based Forest Management(CBFM) program providing tenurial rights tothe people with corresponding empowermentas effective forest managers
6. Development of commercial ornamentalplant nurseries as alternative livelihood forthe people including empowerment
7. Development of a cooperative for cutflowerbusiness as an alternative source of incomeamong households
8. Backyard livestock and poultry raising as asmall cottage industry
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 37
d. Support programs
1. More team building activities, especiallyamong researchers of different disciplines
2. Training of local partners on biodiversityassessment: identification and inventory ofall on-site and off-site resources so they willbecome future parataxonomists
3. More training for researchers, locally andinternationally, to enhance their expertise
4. Fellowship grants for researchers who wantto update their knowledge
5. More research grants for theses students,both Filipinos and Dutch; more financialsupport for students from Mindanao
6. Intensive information dissemination onenvironmental awareness
7. Funded curricular development onbiodiversity conservation at all levels:elementary, high school, collegiate and postbaccalaureate degrees
8. Financially-supported biodiversity researchinstitute or centers in Mindanao
38 Technical Report
References
Alcala, A.C. 1976. Philippine land vertebrates: Field biology. New Day Publishers. Quezon City.
Bukagan Ecological Association. 1994. Mt. Malindang: A rapid site appraisal. May-June.
Bunders, B.G.J., editor. 1990. Biotechnology for small-scale farmers in developing countries: Analysisand assessment procedures. University Press, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Bunders, J., B. Havenkort, and W. Hiemstran. 1996. Biotechnology building on farmers’ knowledge.McMillan Education Ltd., London.
Conlu, P. V. 1986. Guide to Philippine flora and fauna. Vol. IX. JMC Press Incorporated, QuezonCity, Philippines. p. 41.
DENR. 1993. The Protected Area Suitability Assessment (PASA). Final Report Vol. 1. Mt. MalindangNational Park and Watershed Area, Misamis Occidental.
DENR and NEP. 1994. Philippine biodiversity: An assessment and plan of action.
Dove, M.R. and P.E. Sajise, editors. 1997. The conditions of biodiversity maintenance in Asia.East-West Center.
duPont, J.E. 1971. Philippine birds. Delaware Museum of Natural History, Greenville Delaware.
Gonzales, R.C. et al. 1988. Birds of the Philippines. Conservation of Natural Resources, Inc.,Manila, Philippines.
Gunawan, B., Parikesit, O.S. Abdoellah, and R. Kotanegra. 1997. Rapid appraisal for biodiversitymaintenance: An alternative approach for assessing biodiversity condition and maintenance.In: Dove, M.R. and P.E. Sajise, editors. The Conditions of Biodiversity Maintenance in Asia.East-West Center.
Larausse Encyclopedia of Animal Life, 1976.
McNeely, J.A., K.R. Miller, W.V. Reid, R.A. Miermeier, and T.B. Werner. 1990. Conserving the world’sbiological diversity. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland; WRI, CI, WWF-US, and the World Bank,Washington, D.C.
NEDA. 1998. Development master plan of the First District of Misamis Occidental final report.
Rabor, D.S. 1977. Philippine birds and mammals. UP Press Quezon City.
Rola, A.C. and P.L. Pingali. 1993. Pesticides, rice productivity, and farmers’ health: An economicassessment. International Rice Research Institute. Manila, Philippines.
Sajise, P.E. and M.V. Ticsay-Ruscoe. 1997. The conditions of biodiversity maintenance in Asia:Philippine studies. In: Dove, M.R. and P.E. Sajise, editors. The Conditions of BiodiversityMaintenance in Asia. East-West Center.
SEARCA and RAWOO. 1999. Orientation and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) training course forthe pre-implementation phase of the Biodiversity Research Programme for Mindanao, CentralMindanao University, Musuan, Bukidnon, 11-18 February.
Ticsay-Ruscoe, M.V. 1997. Biodiversity as an indicator of sustainability in the Apangan landscapeof Haliap-Panubtuban, Asipolo, Ifugao Province, Philippines. In: Dove, M.R. and P.E. Sajise,editors: The Conditions of Biodiversity Maintenance in Asia. East-West Center.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 39
Appendix Table 1. List of plant and lichen species present in each of 12 barangays includedin the survey at Mt. Malindang Range, Upland Ecosystem PRA.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 49
Appendix Table 2. List of plant and lichen species recorded from 12 barangays*. Taxaarranged according to family with corresponding habit, uses, andconservation status.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 63
Appendix Table 3. List of plant and lichen species recorded from 12 barangays*. Taxaarranged according to habit with corresponding family, uses, andconservation status.
Appendix Table 4. List of plant and lichen species recorded from 12 barangays*. Taxaarranged according to uses with corresponding family, habit, andconservation status.
Participatory rural appraisal in the upland ecosystem 87
Appendix Table 5. List of plant and lichen species recorded from 12 barangays*. Taxaarranged according to conservation status with corresponding family,habit, and uses.
*** bev = beveragecm = construction materialcot = cottage industryec = ecological functioned = edible partfi = fiber sourcefu = fuelwoodgm = green manure/fertilizerhed = hedge plantins = instructional uselan = landscape plantlcm = light construction material
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Accipeter trivirgatus
Arthopyge shelleyi
Amauromis phoenicuros
Aplonis panayensis panayensisD.S. Rabor (1977)
Arachnothera elaraeGonzales (1988)
Artamus leucorhynchus
Bubulcus ibis coromandusRabor (1977)
Buceros hydrocorax
Caprimulgus macrurusmanillensis
Centropus bengalensis
Centropus sinensisJ.E. duPont
Cesticola juncidis tinnabulane
Chelcophaps indica indicaRabor (1977)
Phil. Sparrow Hawk
Lovely Sun Bird
White-breasted Swamphen
Phil. Glossy Starling;Galanciang (Bis.)
Naked-faced Spider Hunter;Siwi
White-breasted Wood Swallow
Cattle Egret; Talawong
Hornbill;Kalaw (Bis.)
Long-tailed Night Jar
Lesser Coucal;Saguksok (Bis.)
Common Coucal;Cocok (Bis.)
Common Fantail Warbler; Pirot(Bis.)
Green-winged Ground Dove;Manatod (Bis.)
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Pollinator
Seed dispersal
Control pests,seed dispersal
Control pests,seed dispersal
Control insectpopulation
Insect eater;control insectpopulation
Seed dispersal
Control insectpopulation
Control insectpopulation
Control insectpopulation
Control insectpopulation
Seed dispersal
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
Appendix Table 6. Avian species listing (summary) of Mt. Malindang.
BarangaysRef. Species and author Local name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 EcologicalNo. value
Legend:1-Mansawan 5-Tuno 9-Poblacion Concepcion 1 - present/sighted2-Gandawan 6-Lalud 10-Upper Potongan 0 - absent3-Lake Duminagat 7-Small Potongan 11-Upper Salimpao X - as informed by the residents4-Lampasan 8-Virayan 12-Sixto VelezNote: Economic value of avian species as food; social value as pet
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Appendix Table 6. Continued...
Collocalia brevirostrisRabor (1977)
Collocalie troglodytesRabor (1977)
Corvus macrorynchusRabor (1977)
Dendrocopos maculatus
Dendrocygna arcuata arcuata
Dicaeum australe
Dicaeum pygmaeumpygmaeum
Eudynamys scolopaceaemindanensisRabor (1977)
Eurystamus orientalis
Gallus gallus gallus
Geopelia striataGonzales, et al. (1988)
Halcyon chloris collarisRabor (1977)
Halcyon lindsayi
Halcyon smymensis
Haliastur indus intermedius
Harpactes ardens ardensRabor (1977)
Hemiprocne comataJ.E. duPont
Hirundo rustica gutturalis
BarangaysRef. Species and author Local name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 EcologicalNo. value
Appendix Table 13. Stakeholders in the upland ecosystem.
Stake- Man- Ganda- Lake Lampa- Lalud Tuno Small Upper Vira- Pobla- Upper Sixto Needs in relation to BRPholders sawan wan Dumi- san Poto- Poto- yan cion Salim- Velez
nagat ngan ngan puno
Piniling Nasud 1 1 1 Sustainable farming system which is consistent with biodiversity conservation
Appendix Table 14. Upland Ecosystem-Resources in agrosubecosystem of Barangay Small Potongan.
Stakeholders Vegetables Cereal Crops Root Crops Fruit Trees Livestock Fauna Wildlife Fauna Bamboos Others
Local IPs
LGUs SB Council ABC GOs DA DSWD NIA
Plant cabbage, onion, chayote, squash Share resources Sustainability not assured due to poor soil condition Environmental security not assured due to clear and well-defined boundaries of the protected area Biodiversity is threatened by use of chemicals Not their priority No support given
Grow rice and corn Limited cultivated areas, oftentimes in the form of kaingin Harvest is insufficient for the family Sustainability is not assured Environmental security and biodiversity are threatened by monoculture cropping Grow rice and corn Limited cultivated areas, oftentimes in the form of kaingin Harvest insufficient for the family Environmental security and biodiversity are threatened by monoculture cropping No support given
Plant cassava, gabi, sweet potatoes Limited cultivated areas, oftentimes in the form of kaingin Harvest is insufficient for the family Sustainability is poor Mass production not promoted No support for mass production
No attention given No campaign and support for their growth No attention given
Raise pigs and chickens Economically unsustainable Increases biodiversity No policies and support in raising them No attention given
Conserve biodiversity due to existing laws; clear or well-defined demarcation/ boundaries of protected areas Economically unsustainable Biodiversity is favored Assist in the implementation of policies re: conservation of wildlife No attention given
No attention given No attention given No attention given
AssisteWomenthroughloans toproductdue to technic NIA assin the eof irrigabut is nfunction
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Appendix Table 14. Upland Ecosystem–Resources in agrosubecosystem of Barangay Small Potongan.
Stakeholders Vegetables Cereal Crops Root Crops Fruit Trees Livestock Wildlife Bamboos Others Fauna Fauna
NGOs Plant cabbage, No attention No attention Prioritize No attention No attention No attentiononion, chayote, given given planting of fruit given given givenand squash trees to reforest
Mt. MalindangBANWA Share resources and environs
Sustainability Provide seedlingsnot assured due to membersto poor soilconditions
Environmentalsecurity assureddue to clear andwell-definedboundaries ofprotected areas
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Appendix Table 14. Upland Ecosystem–Resources in grassland/brushland subecosystem of Barangay Small Potongan.
Local IPs Left unused due to Allowed to cut trees No attention No attention Participate in livestock, Conserve biodiversityabsence of cows, for house construction given given swine, and poultry due to existing laws;
carabaos, and horses raising well-defined demarcation of protected areas
LGUs Equity is undefined Equitable use Free choice Economically unsustainable
No sustainable use Not sustainable Sustainability is yetto be determined Biodiversity is favored
Absence of policies No complete policiesof their uses Environmental security Biodiversity is
is threatened because enhancedEnvironmental security Environmental security of absence ofis strengthened is strengthened technical knowledge
Biodiversity isBiodiversity is favored Favorable to biodiversity enhanced with
conservation their domestication
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Appendix Table 14. Upland-Ecosystem Resources in forest subecosystem of Barangay Small Potongan.
Stakeholder Trees Palm/Rattan Vines/Creepers Wildlife Fauna Shrubs/Herbs Ornamentals Ferns
Local IPs Observe the policy of “no cutting of trees and kaingin” inside protected forest areas No access No sustainable use Environmental security strengthened
Some exploit those that are growing in their farms Not sustainable Environmental security and biodiversity are threatened
Undefined use Economically unsustainable Environmental security assured Biodiversity is favored
Very few and limited to birds of lowland types, snakes, insects, and arachnids Economically unsustainable Environmental security and biodiversity are threatened due to human encroachment
Only those with medicinal value were given attention for cultivation Others have no definite use Economically unsustainable Environmental security assured Biodiversity favored
No attention given
No attegiven
LGUs Observe the policy of “no cutting of trees” No access Undetermined sustainable use Empowered to implement policies Environmental security is strengthened
Not their priority No attention given
Assist in the implementation of conservation Economically unsustainable Environmental security and biodiversity enhanced
Not their priority Economically unsustainable Environmental security assured Biodiversity favored
No attention given Economically unsustainable Environmental security is threatened because of kaingin practices
No attegiven
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Appendix Table 15. Upland Ecosystem–Resources in agrosubecosystem of Barangay Virayan.
Stakeholders Vegetables Cereal Crops Root Crops Fruit Trees Livestock Wildlife BamboosFauna Fauna
Local IPs Not Not cultivated Plant cassava, Limited around Raise poultry, Protect wildlife These are naturally-cultivated due to gabi, sweet residential areas horses, and due to awareness grown
unfavorable potatoes, and lutia carabaos of PAMB policies/climate for cash and Most people regulations No attempt to use them
consumption plant coconut Economically for reforestationtrees unsustainable Limited to
Hardly enough for avifauna of Economically unsustain-basic needs Economically Environmental lowland type able
unsustainable security isEconomically threatened Economically Environmental securityunsustainable Environmental because no unsustainable is threatened
security is assured veterinarianEnvironmental is available Environmental Biodiversity issecurity is Increased security is threatenedthreatened biodiversity Biodiversity is threatened
increased withMonoculture is their domesti- Biodiversity isa threat to cation threathenedbiodiversity
LGUs No attention Not adoptable Plant cassava, Limited around Raise poultry, Promote Not their concernSB members given to the place gabi, sweet residential areas horses, and biodiversityABC potatoes, and lutia carabaosSK for cash and Most people Conservation
consumption plant coconut Economically program becausetrees unsustainable of existing laws
unsustainable security isEconomically threatenedunsustainable Environmental because no
security is assured veterinarianEnvironmental is availablesecurity is Increasedthreatened biodiversity Biodiversity is
increased withMonoculture is their domesti-a threat to cationbiodiversity
GOs None in this Not a No support No support No support Promote biodiversity Not their concernbarangay priority given given given conservation program
because of existinglaws by PAMB/DENR
NGOs None in thisbarangay
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Appendix Table 15. Upland Ecosystem-Resources in grassland/brushland subecosystem of Barangay Virayan.
Stakeholders Forage spp Small Forest Patches and Shrubs/Herbs
Ornamentals Fern and Mosses Bamboos Livestock Fauna Wildlif
Local IPs LGUs ABC SB Council
Natural pasture areas or naturally-grown Equal access Unregulated use Lack empowerment on sustainable use Environmental security need to be evaluated Biodiversity is threatened
Allowed to cut trees around brushland areas for house construction Some are used for medicinal purposes Mostly used for fencing materials Economically unsustainable Environmental security is threatened Biodiversity is threatened
Abundant but not cultivated Economically unsustainable Environmental security is threatened because burning may occur unintentionally Biodiversity is threatened
No definite use Economically unsustainable Environmental security and biodiversity are threatened because nobody attempts to lift a finger for their care and conservation
Naturally-growing along creeks and rivers Economically unsustainable Only few hills were observed Environmental security and biodiversity are threatened
Only few have carabaos, horses, chickens, and swine Economically unsustainable Environmental security is threatened Biodiversity is threatened
Only felowlanwere o Consedue tolaws/pby DENwith spattentmonkeeagle Economunsust Envirosecuritassurewith pimplem Biodivbe enhlater
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Appendix Table 15. Upland Ecosystem–Resources in forest subecosystem of Barangay Virayan.
Stakeholders Trees Palm/Rattan Vines/Creepers Wildlife Shrubs/Herbs Ornamentals Ferns/MossesFauna
Local IPs Most of them Use only No definite use Observations Only medicinal No attention No attention givensupport no those found in were limited plants are given, they just because of unknowncutting of their farm to birds cultivated grow naturally definite usenaturally- because of Economically anywheregrowing trees policy awareness unsustainable No other verte- Economically Economically
brate wildlife unsustainable Economically unsustainableNo equitable Economically Environmental was observed unsustainableuse of resources unsustainable security and Environmental Environmentally secure
biodiversity may Insects and security and Environmentally if no kaingin is doneSustainable use Environmental be threatened arachnids were biodiversity may secure if noof resources not security is because of observed be threatened kaingin is done Environmental securityyet determined threatened shifting cultivation because of is still assured if no
practices Economically shifting cultivation Biodiversity is kaingin is doneEach household Biodiversity may unsustainable practices threatenedis allowed to cut be enhanced Biodiversity may beone tree from later Environmental Biodiversity is threatened with shiftingthe brushland security and threatened cultivation practicesfor house biodiversity areconstruction threatened
LGUs Promote/ Conservation Not their Policies have Not their concern Not their concern Not their concernadvocate no is facilitated by concern been formulatedcutting of trees policies formu- by DENR/PAMBfrom protected lated for implementationareas
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Appendix Table 16. Upland Ecosystem–Resources in agrosubecosystem of Barangay Poblacion, Concepcion.
Stakeholders
Local IPs
Vegetables
Grow squash,chayote andonion for cashand consumption
Location of farmsare very far fromresidences
Low sustainabilitydue to poor soilconditions
Prevalence ofkaingin system/shifting cultivation
Economicallyunsustainable
Environmentalsecurity isquestionable
Monoculturecroppingthreatensbiodiversity
Other Crops/Corn
A number plantcorn mainly forconsumption
The size of theircornfield is verylimited
Non-use ofchemicalpesticides favorsbiodiversity
Very few engagein production ofcoconut andsmall scalerubberplantation
Increasesbiodiversity
Root Crops
Many peoplegrow sweetpotatoes, gabi,cassava, andlutia for cashand consumption
Assurance ofsustainability andenvironmentalsecurity may betrue for a shorttime but manyyears after,withoutreplenishment, itcan endangersustainability andenvironmentalsecurity. This willlead to threatenedbiodiversity
Stakeholder
Piniling Nasud
LGUs
Localindigenouspeople
GOs
NGOs
Shrubs/Herbs
Some are usedfor medicinalpurposes
Presence ofabaca which is asource of fiber(as an additionalsource of income)