Fiesta ti Bantay ( feast of the forest) in Candon

City’s watershed rehabilitation project: Fruit Bowl of Ilocos Region

Candon City’s Watershed Rehabiltation and Development Project has another high aim.

To be the Fruit Bowl of Ilocos Region.

This is the main goal in this year’s Fiesta ti Bantay (Feast of the forest) celebration along the mountains of Palacapac and San Andres.

“The watershed rehabilitation and Development Project is one of the flagship program on my administration and from what I see we are reaping now the fruits,” City Mayor Allen Singson told the media as he personally led the annual planting.

More than one thousand people joined the city mayor including other city officials, city employees, other government officials from different agencies and students.

Other were barangay officials particularly from Palacapac and San Andres, village folks ,private sectors and non-governmental organizations.

This is the fourth straight year that the city government led such undertaking over the sprawling government owned 132 hectares.

In 2006, the city government had led the signing of Memorandum of Agreement with other government offices, agencies, NGOs and other sectors for the 10-year CCWRDP.

In has so far done reforestation on about 70 percent of the whole projected area.

Singson said that they are targeting the Fruit Bowl center of the region as the area has practically all kinds of fruit bearing trees and some are beginning to bear fruits.

In the approved project proposal, it requested 2, 850 seedlings of different kinds of fruit bearing trees this year that was planted in 18 hectares.

The proposal was prepared by Eric Gacutan, Agricultural Technologist of the City Agriculture office and was endorsed and submitted by City Agriculturist Elmor Leano.

It was recommended by City Councilors Francisco Bona, Jr and Oseas Diasen and approved by Singson.

Among fruit bearing trees planted were lanzones (duko), Rambutan (rongrein), durian, mangosteen, marang, Davao pummelo, latext-less jack fruit, sweet tamarind and Guimaras mango.

Other previously planted were mahogany, rambutan, Bangkok santol, coconut and pineapple.

The CCWRDP’s project’s vision is to be “ a sustainable water and livelihood source that is managed, protected and conserved by an empowered, culturally distinct and enterprising people as a showcase of responsible convergence.”

Its mission is for all to be “committed to organize a functional structure that will mobilize advocate, advance the continuing rehabilitation and development of the Candon Watershed through researched based technology.”

The project aims to transform and develop a total of 132-hectare marginal area into viable agro-forestry area in for the period of 10 years.

Its other objects are:

To conserve and maintain 132- hectare watershed system; to enhance and promote ecological balance and introduce appropriate technologies for watershed management.

To minimize siltation and flash flooding in the adjacent communities and to generate employment opportunities for the people of Palacapac and San Andres.

In relation to fiesta ti Bantay (Feast of the Forest), the land fill area of the city situated in Balingaoan was also including in the tree planting activities.

Supervised by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office led by Officer- In Charge Engr Ishmael Ganaban, they were able to plant to about 1,500 mahogany trees.

The City employees led the tree planting in the area together with faculty and staff and students of Candon National High School, Saint Joseph Institute, Department of Education Candon Division, ISECO and other agencies (LBJ).