Upland Development Program beneficiaries receive CLEEP certificates, checks

By racquel m. caldez



ILAGAN, Isabela – Upland Development Program beneficiaries from Magat Forest Reserve in Ramon and Pinacanauan River watersheds in San Pablo in this province recently received Comprehensive livelihood Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP) certificates and checks during the Independence Day celebration.

PENRO Alfredo Almueda, CENROs San Isidro and Cabagan with Local Executives, PENRO Isabela Officials and CENRO Staff awarded CLEEP certificates to 30 beneficiaries and 150 recipients in Ramon and San Pablo towns respectively with a corresponding cost of Php 4,829.25 for Agro Forestry and Php2,282.40 for Agro Forestry each from the 15% mobilization fund downloaded to PENRO Isabela.

The identified sites in Isabela for Upland Development Program has a total of 1,032 hectares area covered as indicated in the survey results and maps submitted by CENROs Palanan, Cabagan and San Isidro

From the targeted areas in Isabela which are the Magat Forest Reserve in Ramon and Cordon, Pinacanuan River Watersheds in Tumauini and in San Pablo, as well as the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park in Palanan, Divilacan and Maconacon were prioritized to avail the Emergency Employment and Pro-poor Livelihood Program in lieu with President Arroyo’s Hunger Mitigation program to generate employment for organized upland dwellers and members of community- based forestry program by involving them in the protection of the country’s environment and natural resources.

Environment Provincial Head Alfredo Almueda said that the livelihood project beneficiaries from local communities are contracted to reforest designated areas by planting and maintaining fruit trees.

San Isidro Community Environment Natural Resources Officer Mindo Aquino said the CLEEP of the government being spearheaded by DENR Secretary Jose L Atienza, Jr. could now divert the undivided attention of the beneficiaries from the paradigm of tree cutting to tree planting activities.

The resources of the DENR for calendar year 2009 in forest development and management have been substantially reconfigured to accelerate the restoration of the environmental service functions of vital watershed and protected area. This, in addition to simultaneously catalyzing the improvement of productivity of the uplands, creating incomes of upland poor, mitigating hunger among highly vulnerable populations, engaging organized upland communities, and providing the climate for gainful economic production for poor upland dwellers.

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