Feature: Unique "beauty contest" have contestants planting mangroves

By Venus G. Villanueva

Tuesday 10th of July 2012

New Washington in Aklan may yet have the distinction of having the most-luxuriant mangroves as ladies in the area "fought" to become the "Mutya" of mangroves by planting the most number of bakawan (mangrove) propagules in the area.

Daisy Soriano of Sitio Pangpang, Barangay Lawaan of New Washington, Aklan emerged as a Mutya (pearl or amulet) in their barangay during their fiesta celebration through a very unique contest – bakawan planting.

During the fiesta in April in honor of San Vicente Ferrer, New Washington Mayor Edgar Peralta crowned her, all because she, along with her sitio-mates in Sitio Pangpang were able to plant a total of 4,500 bakawan propagules.

With this unique contest, the mangrove areas of Barangay Lawaan were newly planted with 15,000 bakawan propagules. But even as the declared “Mutya Ng Bakhawan Sa Lawaan” and the runners up all won cash and other material prizes, all were one in saying that the real winner was the environment.

According to Lawaan village head Pascual Remetio, the idea of the Mutya ng Bakhawan Sa Lawaan contest is an innovative, participatory and community-based approach to promote and support the National Greening Program of President Benigno Aquino III .

“At the same time, the initiative is also in line with the Millennium Development Goal – global warming reduction, and in the long run restore the destroyed mangrove resources that will ultimately improve fish and other fishery resources stocks and the fishermen’s income,” Remetio said, in sharing their barangay’s story to more than a hundred participants of the National Greening Summit held recently in Aklan spearheaded by DENR-Aklan.

Pascual related that the Mutya search tried to shift from the usual popularity contest using money which is difficult to raise and source especially in this time of economic hardships in the rural areas and which has nothing to do with the environment, livelihood, poverty alleviation intervention and many others.

Barangay Lawaan, according to Remetio, has five sitios and for the contest, each sitio was assigned an area for tree-planting. The sitio leaders were also instructed to select their respective candidates/representatives or entry – preferably wives of fishermen or community members who are stakeholders of the fishing and other related activities like fish-vending.

Residents of the sitios were mobilized to support their entries by actively participating in the mangrove tree-planting, with their planted propagules credited as points for their respective candidates.

Other stakeholders were also invited to plant propagules and have their points counted for their chosen candidates.

As its support, the barangay council of Lawaan provided the needed propagules, sticks, and tying materials used in planting.

Embarking on the unique contest by Lawaanons did not just come as a sudden whim.

Earlier in their barangay, the DENR and LGU New Washington had a joint ocular inspection in Lawaan and identified some 30-35 mangrove areas available for restorative reforestation.

After the inspections, various agencies – DENR, LGU-New Washington, Aklan State University (ASU), and the Lawaan Barangay Council too planted 10,000 bakawan propagules as part of the NGP.

Even the Grade Six pupils of Lawaan Elementary School, high school students, and fishermen joined in.

In January this year, another 6,000 bakawan propagules were planted by ASU-Banga campus as part of their National Service Training Program (NSTP).

“Being the recipient of several tree-planting initiatives from outsiders, we members of the barangay council felt we should also take the program seriously by actively participating or initiating the activity,” Remetio said.

“Bakhawan tree-planting should be transformed as one of our barangay’s flagship programs, to minimize the effects brought by massive fishpond development and wood cutting. For us in Barangay Lawaan, the intervention is an attempt to replicate the success story and lesson learned of Isla Kapispisan, a joint project of New Washington and ASU which obtained a prestigious award. Furthermore, we also want to be a part of the MDG to reduce global warming and at the same time improve fishery resources in various mangrove areas and river systems for the benefit of fisherfolks who depend on fishing as their main source of livelihood,” Remetio explained.

With the unique approach to protect the environment in Barangay Lawaan which earned admiration from all sectors, it would not be far-fetched if the barangay would conduct a repeat of their innovation next year during their fiesta, and for other barangays to replicate the same in their areas – which would make them and the environment as a whole – as winners. (JCM/VGV-PIA 6, Aklan)