CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Gov. Lilia Pineda appealed to the upland farmers of Arayat and Magalang to stop destructive farming practices that endangered the mountain and mitigate soil degradation and climate change.
The appeal was made after the governor has learned that most residents from villages near the mountain are farmers who cultivate slope areas, slash and burn portions of the forest to be converted into rice and farm lands.
Gov. Pineda said these practices contribute greatly to the degradation of soil that causes simple erosion to massive landslides just like what happened in San Juan Baño portion in 2009 due to typhoon Ondoy and a week ago because of typhoon Santi while a runoff from the steep of the mountain hit Ayala, Magalang.
Engr. Noel Lacadin, officer-in-charge of the Geo-Sciences Division of the Mines and Ge0-Sciences Bureau (MGB) said loose soil materials and other sediments on the mountain causes siltation of rivers, denudation of forest lands that also contributed to the severe flooding and water runoff experienced during calamities.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said that some farming practices are really destructive of the mountain such as burning of the forest, intensive tillage of slopes, burning of stubbles,indiscriminate use of pesticides, and over application of synthetic fertilizers.
Pineda planned to meet with the upland farmers in the province together with other concerned government agencies to inform them of the situation of Mt. Arayat and educate them on the preservation of the protected areas of the mountain.
She also vowed to give them alternative livelihood to refrain them from too much dependence on the environment that endangered the natural resources and the people living near it.
BY JENNA LUMBANG
