CITY OF MALOLOS—Challenged by officials and students from colleges in Metro Manila showing concern and conducting efforts to help save and protect the Biak-na-Bato National and Historical Park from destructive mining operations, officials, faculty and students of the Bulacan State University (BulSU) launched Monday a Rain Forestation project to contribute preserving the said rich national wealth of the province.
Ray Naguit, dean of the college of social sciences and philosophy who lead the project launching said they felt insulted when it’s other universities and colleges outside Bulacan who have been initiating moves for the protection of Biak-na-Bato Park which is a cultural and historical wealth of Bulacan.
“Nahihiya kami na tayong mga mga university dito sa Bulacan walang nagagawang effort para tumulong mahinto ang pagmimina at quary sa Biak-na-Bato at pagtatanim ng puno para mapagyaman pa ang kagubatan nito,” he told NEWS CORE.
Participated in by different government organizations and socio civic groups in Bulacan, BulSU with the help of Buklod Unlad ng Dalitang Umaasa sa Kabundukan (Bundok) Inc., a local folk group in San Miguel for the protection of Biak-na-bato and their counterpart Dumagat tribe members is set to gather wild species of trees—lawaan, yakal, palusapis, malatagum, tibig, luknab from the inner forest area of Sierra Madre.
Naguit said the trees once gathered and initially grown in a semi-nursery area near the Biak-na-Bato area will be planted and taken care of by the BulSU officials, faculty and student on a sustained basis.
Victorino Villela, president of Bundok Inc. and other residents living at the foot of the Biak-na-Bato mountains in this town in San Miguel have earlier asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to declare the mountains protected areas to stop marble quarrying and mining there.
Villela said parts of Biak-na-Bato were declared a mineral reservation, that could spell disaster to nearby residents. Environmental groups have noted the damaging effects of quarrying and mining on the mountain — including soil erosion and landslides during heavy rainfall and typhoons.
At least 500 persons live in the area surrounding Biak na Bato.
Villela said quarry trucks and equipment also damaged roads leading to their villages.
Biak-na-Bato, which figured in the country’s history as one of the camps of the revolutionary Katipunan forces in 19th century Philippines, was declared a national park by former President Manuel Quezon on Nov. 16, 1937 through Proclamation No. 223. The area covers 2,117 hectares in the villages of Kalawakan and Talbak in Doña Remedios Trinidad town and the villages of Biak-na-Bato and Sibul in San Miguel town.
In 1970, then President Ferdinand Marcos issued an order guiding mineral prospecting and exploitation in government reservations.
Through Proclamation No. 401, issued on April 11, 1989 by President Corazon Aquino, the national government re-defined the boundaries of the Biak-na-Bato National Park.
The proclamation set aside 952 hectares as mineral reservation, 938 hectares as watershed reservation and 480 hectares as forest reserve.
Earlier, the Dangal ng Bulacan Foundation Inc. and multi-sectoral groups in Bulacan launched signature campaigns to ask Ms Arroyo to stop marble quarrying at Biak-na-Bato.
Former Governors Josefina Dela Cruz and Joselito Mendoza both pushed and clamor for the national government to cancel the MPSA of RMDC on claims it was operating illegally because it was not given recognition or was cleared by the provincial board.
Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado also recently ordered suspended the operation of RMDC pending national government’s cancellation of its MPSA.
Alvarado said the internal squabble on the company’s ownership should first be settled before the firm should be allowed to operate.
Mendoza who is now representative of the third district of Bulacan immediately filed on September, barely just two months after he stepped his feet in Congress House Bill 2677, “an act providing for the reinstatement of the original area of Biak-na-Bato National Park, a historical landmark of the province of Bulacan situated in the municipality of San Miguel for its preservation and protection and for other purposes”.