Regional officials evaluate UDP projects

by racquel m. caldez


ILAGAN, Isabela – Team from the Regional Office recently evaluated the province’s Upland Development Program from Magat Forest Reserve in Ramon and Cordon, Pinacanauan River Watersheds inTumauini and in San Pablo, as well as the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park inPalanan, Divilican and Maconacon.

The group inspected the prioritized sites and conducted interview with some of the beneficiaries who availed of the Emergency Employment and Pro-poor Livelihood Program of the government being spearheaded by DENR Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr.

DENR records indicated that there are 1,032 hectares area covered/targeted under UDP being implemented in Isabela. According to PENRO Alfredo M. Almueda, the beneficiaries were all organized upland dwellers and members of community based people’s organization.
The UDP was launched last February in support of the government’s “Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program” (CLEEP), which is part of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s efforts to curb the country’s unemployment rate being aggravated by the current global economic crunch.
PENRO Isabela has awarded 1,032 job contracts or “Letters of Agreements” (LOA) to upland farmers under UDP, representing 100 % of this year’s target goal.

CENRO San Isidro Mindo Aquino said the UDP in watershed areas is timely for the worsening scenario on global warming and climate change. He further said that Isabelinos especially upland dwellers and members of the community-based forestry programs who have been waiting for so long a time for government fund trickles, could at least breathe a sigh of relief for such alternative projects that could divert the undivided attention from the paradigm of tree cutting to tree planting.”