By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
BUNAWAN, Agusan del Sur— A collaborative effort between the government and a mining company is set to facilitate easier access to the globally acclaimed Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary (AMWS) located in Lake Panlabuhan, adjacent to the Loreto town.
On Wednesday, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Philsaga Mining Corp. (PMC) to revitalize the riverbank of Dagon Creek in Barangay Mambalili, streamlining travel for tourists to AMWS to just 20 minutes by boat, compared to the longer route through Agusan River, which currently takes over an hour.
This project, funded by PMC with a total cost of P624,000, will focus on rehabilitating the nine-kilometer on both side of the riverbanks of Dagon Creek through extensive tree plantation, using endemic tree species capable of withstanding flooding during heavy rains.
The aerial view of Lake Panlabuhan. Photo courtesy of Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary- Protected Area Management Office
The route from the AMWS-Protected Area Management Office Integrated Protected Area System Complex in Mambalili, where Dagon Creek is located, involves only a 4.5-kilometer boat ride to reach Lake Panlabuhan, home to a Manobo community residing in 36 floating houses.
The primary objective of the project is to reforest brushland areas along the riverbank to mitigate siltation during periods of heavy flooding.
Nonito Tamayo, Regional Executive Director of DENR Caraga, outlined that indigenous tree species such as Bangkal, Catmon, Lanipao, and Narra will be planted in a 10-meter wide strip on both sides of the riverbanks of Dagon Creek, reducing the distance to reach Panlabuhan Lake.
Lake Panlabuhan where the Panlabuhan Manobo floating village is located. This is one of the most popular and most visited lakes in Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary. Photo courtesy of Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary- Protected Area Management Office
Tamayo assured that the rehabilitation funds provided by PMC will be allocated directly to the People’s Organization called Kanimbaylan Bonkogon Lumad Agusan Marsh Loreto Organization (KBLAMLO), disbursed per activity budget until the project’s completion within a year.
In his address prior to the MOA signing, Engr. Ferdinand Cortes, Vice President of PMC, emphasized the importance of diligent project implementation, expressing PMC’s readiness to contribute additional funds for project enhancement.
“Let us not just confine on the MOA signing but to make it sure to realize the project,” Cortes said.
Responding to Cortes’ challenge, Remy “Datu Kanimbaylan” Reyes, chairman of KBLAMLO, expressed gratitude for the extensive planting activity along the Dagon Creek riverbanks.
“ The (Manobo) tribe in our community have now realized the impact of climate change that the trees could protect us from strong winds and heavy floodings,” Reyes said in vernacular.
Forester Norman Asugan, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer, explained that the project stemmed from PMC’s commitment to fund environmentally sustainable initiatives, a condition for obtaining an Environmental Clearance Certificate from the DENR.
“The project is simple but important in the long term. The objective is for for people to appreciate the rich biodiversity of Agusan Marsh,” Asugan remarked
According to the DENR Agusan del Sur provincial office, AMWS stands out as one of the most ecologically significant wetlands in the Philippines.
It encompasses unique habitats like the Sago and Peat Swamp Forest, providing refuge to rare and endangered species including the freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis), saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), oriental darter (Anhinga melanogaster), and Philippine sailfin lizard (Hydrosaurus pustulatus).
AMWS serves as a crucial stopover for migratory birds in Asia, with over 15% of the nation’s freshwater resources stored within its boundaries. Its role as a natural “sponge” helps mitigate floods by absorbing excess water from heavy rainfall and rivers coursing through Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, and Compostela Valley, safeguarding downstream communities from catastrophic inundation.
