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Friday, September 12, 2003
More colorful Piyesta sa Kakahuyan seen
By Pet Melliza
MAASIN -- Mayor Mariano Malones sees a "more colorful" Piyesta sa kakahuyan fete this month, expecting more people flocking to this town "for ecological pilgrimage and picnic."
Iloilo marks every second Saturday of September as "Piyesta sa Kakahuyan," a province-wide celebration to make people aware of the ecological disasters awaiting them should the current state of deforestation continue.
Since the ordinance created the event in 2000, all past four Piyesta sa Kakahuyan celebrations were held at the Mahogany Park at Brgy. Daja, four kilometers from the poblacion here. Iloilo Province under Gov. Niel D. Tupas Sr. co-hosts the celebration.
"We will go to Maasin to learn and have something to say to others that we have to do our share in saving Iloilo from deforestation and drought," he said. He hailed his predecessor, now Rep. Arthur Defensor (Lakas, 3rd district) for initiating the reforestation of the Maasin Watershed that has became a model nationwide.
Maasin, in fact, is a finalist in the national search for Gaward sa pangulo in the category of watershed reforestation and management. It's closest rival is Palawan.
Barangay Daja lies adjacent to the 7,160-hectare Maasin Watershed and host of major nurseries that provided planting materials for the reforestation of the national reserve since 1995.
This town is 30 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital Iloilo City.
Malones in past celebrations prepared lechons, cultural performances like choregraphed bolo fights by upland dwellers, and exhibits of bamboo products. "We are grateful we have completed the reforestation of the Maasion Watershed that our only task now is to view the trees that we have planted and the new forests that are emerging," he explained.
The Maasin Watershed, main source of piped water to this city and four towns, had only seven percent forest cover when the government and NGO's started re-greening it in 1995. A basin should have at least above 50 percent of its slopes covered with vegetation to store sufficient water and replenish aquifers in the lowland.
(September 12, 2003 issue)
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