THE Indigenous People (IP) community of the Bagobo Tagabawa in Sibulan, Toril had previously been featured and appreciated for their initiative to preserve their ancestral domain by planting cacaos, coffees, and other crops in an organic way.
In a previous interview with Datu Hernan Ambe, he said they allotted about 350 hectares from their ancestral domain to plant cacaos and coffee. Their organization, the Sibulan Ancestral Domain Organic Producer Cooperative (Sadopco) is being assisted by FarmCoop, a Davao-based non-government organization founded in 1995 that provides assistance and trainings to farmers' cooperatives.
With Barangay Sibulan finally being proclaimed as the first organic zone in Davao City, the organic farming practices that the IP had already established was strengthened.
It is becuase of the way they care for their land; making sure they only use organic fertilizers and pesticides. The trees and the crops in their land remain to be healthy and sturdy.
According to Datu Jovito Dolauto, chair of Sadopco, they have an estimated 20,000 Almaciga trees (Agathis philippinensis) in their ancestral domain that stretch to as far as about 9,000 hectares.
Aware of importance of these hardwood, Dolauto said they usually leave these giant trees to grow. Some he said, are even older than the old members of their tribe.
In the farther areas of their ancestral domain are Almaciga trees that are about 100 years old and are so huge it would take more than four people to hug the entire trunk.
Last November 4, 2019 a Manila-based non-government ogranization came to talk to the members of Sadupco as they took interest on the resin that could be harvested from the sturdy Almaciga tree trunks.
After their initial talk, Dolauto said they are to start inventory to find out the exact number of Almaciga trees present in the ancestral domain area.
After this, the organization will teach the members of Sadupco the technical and proper process of harvesting the Almaciga resin.
This would be after they have secured permits from the Mayor's Office and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Aware that the old Almaciga trees in their land are also hardwood, he said they are assured that the organization will only be interested in sourcing for the trees' resin.
The almaciga resins are popularly used as alternative to fuel. Dolauto said they even remember their ancestors and older relatives using the resin to fuel night lamp.
Aside from that, Dolauto is also convinced that the Almaciga resin can also be used as cosmetic ingredient because of its good scent.
Dolauto said the organization had already been working with a community in Generoso, Davao Oriental which also grows Almaciga trees.
They are also looking into partnering with Almaciga growers in Tambubong, Calinan and New Carmen.
He added they are expecting the project to push through in their community by early 2020.