"Tabang sa Kinaiyahan" is a Bisaya phrase for "Aid or Help for the Environment. Bisayà is one of the recognized regional languages in the Philippines.
The ATO - ClimatEducate Project is a youth-led climate change education initiative that operates in 13 countries and was launched in 2016. ClimatEducate emphasizes youth involvement in community outreach and the development of small-scale climate initiatives in their own schools and communities. Since its launch, ClimatEducate has implemented 84 initiatives (both online and offline), which we refer to as school and community outreach activities. In this project, we aimed to empower young people and war-torn communities in Bukidnon Province, located on Mindanao Island in the Southern Philippines, through a partnership with local volunteers, organizations, and community institutions.
The project area is located in Barangay Kibalabag, which is 18 kilometers away from the urban center of Malaybalay, Bukidnon Province. The majority of the population are Higaonon, and the area is considered an ancestral domain of Bukidnon-Higaonon Tribal Association (BUHITA). Moreover, it is a watershed area where Malaybalay City, Bukidnon draws its potable water source (DENR & ADB, 2019). According to a local study by Bruno (2009), the community stakeholders of Kibalabag are highly aware of the importance of the water source and their responsibility on rehabilitating the watershed to sustain the water supply of Malaybalay City. It is important to note that the people of Kibalabag instill in themselves a sense of responsibility in maintaining the quality of the river and the whole barangay as a watershed area.
This project will focus on the estimated three-hectare land area donated to the church care situated in the said barangay. The church is currently developing it, officially naming the area as Laudato Si' Religious Park, solely dedicated to the ecological endeavor of the Diocese of Malaybalay. This is an honorable initiative started by Rev. Fr. Roimar Montezo, a member of the Bukidnon Clergy, supported by Most Rev. Jose A. Cabantan, DD (now the Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro) and Most Rev. Noel P. Pedregosa, DD, the newly appointed Bishop of Malaybalay. The name "Laudato Si'" is anchored to Pope Francis' Encyclical Letter on care for our common home.
In the dissertation of Dr. Bruno (2009), the grassland in Kibalabag proliferated as a result of the 7-month drought in the area in 1957, according to tribal leaders and elders. The area is hilly in topography and is dominated by cogon grass. With this primary condition, it is vital to provide technical assistance to ensure a higher success rate in the planned reforestation project. Since cogon grass is usually associated with poor soil quality, as it grows best in relatively acidic soil, there is a need to assess, prepare, or rehabilitate the land prior to planting. Thus, this project will focus on general site analysis, specifically planning and providing maintenance approaches that are both basic and important considerations for the success of the reforestation project.
The ATO - ClimatEducate Project is a youth-led climate change education initiative that operates in 13 countries and was launched in 2016. ClimatEducate emphasizes youth involvement in community outreach and the development of small-scale climate initiatives in their own schools and communities. Since its launch, ClimatEducate has implemented 84 initiatives (both online and offline), which we refer to as school and community outreach activities. In this project, we aimed to empower young people and war-torn communities in Bukidnon Province, located on Mindanao Island in the Southern Philippines, through a partnership with local volunteers, organizations, and community institutions.
The project area is located in Barangay Kibalabag, which is 18 kilometers away from the urban center of Malaybalay, Bukidnon Province. The majority of the population are Higaonon, and the area is considered an ancestral domain of Bukidnon-Higaonon Tribal Association (BUHITA). Moreover, it is a watershed area where Malaybalay City, Bukidnon draws its potable water source (DENR & ADB, 2019). According to a local study by Bruno (2009), the community stakeholders of Kibalabag are highly aware of the importance of the water source and their responsibility on rehabilitating the watershed to sustain the water supply of Malaybalay City. It is important to note that the people of Kibalabag instill in themselves a sense of responsibility in maintaining the quality of the river and the whole barangay as a watershed area.
This project will focus on the estimated three-hectare land area donated to the church care situated in the said barangay. The church is currently developing it, officially naming the area as Laudato Si' Religious Park, solely dedicated to the ecological endeavor of the Diocese of Malaybalay. This is an honorable initiative started by Rev. Fr. Roimar Montezo, a member of the Bukidnon Clergy, supported by Most Rev. Jose A. Cabantan, DD (now the Archbishop of Cagayan de Oro) and Most Rev. Noel P. Pedregosa, DD, the newly appointed Bishop of Malaybalay. The name "Laudato Si'" is anchored to Pope Francis' Encyclical Letter on care for our common home.
In the dissertation of Dr. Bruno (2009), the grassland in Kibalabag proliferated as a result of the 7-month drought in the area in 1957, according to tribal leaders and elders. The area is hilly in topography and is dominated by cogon grass. With this primary condition, it is vital to provide technical assistance to ensure a higher success rate in the planned reforestation project. Since cogon grass is usually associated with poor soil quality, as it grows best in relatively acidic soil, there is a need to assess, prepare, or rehabilitate the land prior to planting. Thus, this project will focus on general site analysis, specifically planning and providing maintenance approaches that are both basic and important considerations for the success of the reforestation project.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
