ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines (PNA) - Gov. Arthur Defensor, Sr. and the Iloilo Provincial Development Council are endorsing to the Western Visayas Regional Development Council the implementation of the Forest and Climate Protection Panay (Forclim) project of the German Ministry for the Environment (BMU). The project, which costs costing 2.2 million Euros will cover the Central Panay Mountain Range extending through the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo. Of the total cost, Germany will contribute 1.95 million Euros or P110 million as grant. The counterpart of the local government units (LGUs) concerned, along with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will come to 205,000 Euros or P12 million. Before the council's endorsement, German International Cooperation Principal Adviser Jurgenn Schade presented recently to Gov. Defensor and the members of the Provincial Development Council executive committee the details regarding the project. Towns in Iloilo towns involved in the project are Calinog, Lambunao, Janiuay, Alimodian, and Leon. The project will cover the establishment of forest land use plans (FLUP) for sustainable decentralized management and protection of forest resources by local communities; establishment of protection areas for endangered flora and fauna, development of protection plans and measures; and, reforestation, forest rehabilitation and agro-forestry measures in selected buffer zones.
Furthermore, the project entails the creation of alternative income opportunities in the buffer zone and promotion of alternative energies from biomass and fuel wood plantations to replace fossil fuel and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. ''I hope that we can put flesh into this project,'' Defensor said, adding ''we should act fast in order to save our environment for the sake of our children.'' The Forclim project will be presented during the Regional Development Council meeting this February for approval.
