ADVOCACY and environment groups signed an accord to protect Kitanglad and Kalatungan mountain ranges during the Earth hour on Saturday.

Raoul Geollegue, executive director of Enterprise Works Worldwide Philippines, together with the other environment and advocacy groups, observed the Earth Hour by highlighting the signing of a policy paper on the protection of Mounts Kitanglad and Kalatungan in Bukidnon province dubbed as the “KitKat” Accord.

The two mountains are the watershed of Cagayan de Oro. The accord is the fruition of studies and policy papers, public forums and consultations on the use of Kitanglad and Kalatungan mountain ranges.

Geollegue said both mountains are in terrible condition, especially with the intrusion of the plantations on the slope that caused erosions of soils and siltation in the rivers.

The KitKat accord is a policy paper on the mix used of the slopes on both mountains that emphasizes on the recovery of rainforest cover to avoid erosion.

“It is also a measure on conservation of the environment around the mountains,” Geollegue said.

Ralph Abragan, vice chair of the environmental advocacy group Sulog, said the atrocious state of the Kitanglad and Kalatungan ranges mirrored the situation of the rivers.

Geollegue said the mismanagement and intrusion of the plantations on the slopes of the mountains has been causing soil erosion of about 100 tons per hectare in one year.

The buffer zones of the Kitanglad and Kalatungan have been intruded by pineapple and banana plantations.

The accord was signed by about 12 organizations, including the environmental groups Earth Soul Solutions, Sulog, World Agro-Forestry Center, EWWP and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Copies of the KitKat accord will be furnished to the local government units in Bukidnon.

The groups hoped that the technical suggestions on the management of the mountains will be translated into laws and policies in the province including its 22 towns and two cities.

Part of the solutions provided in the accord is the adaptation of principles of governance, regulatory measures, technical suggestions including the adaptation of the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (Salt).

Geollegue said that the accord, if adopted by local government units in Bukidnon, will result in better managed watershed, more absorbed rainfall yielding to less inundation, and removal of toxic residues of pesticides and fertilizers.

If the accord gets implemented, it will surely cost industries money and changes in the plantation practices that will harmonize agricultural practices in the watershed areas.

Geollegue said the slopes of the mountains should not be planted with cash crops but agro-forestry products.

80 tons of CO2 saved

About 80 tons of carbon dioxide on March 23 had been saved by the country during the Earth hour.

Geollegue said the Philippines emits roughly .003 percent of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, and yet it is one of the countries in the world most vulnerable to climate change.

“What we need to do is to have climate adaptation policies because we are really below the 1 percent carbon emission that developed countries are trying to accomplish,” Geollegue said.

Earth Hour is an annual worldwide event organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) March that encourages households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for an hour to raise awareness about climate change.

Reduced power consumption

Ralph Paguio, Cepalco’s executive vice president, said there was a reduction in power usage on Saturday night during the Earth Hour.

“It was basically to remind the people that energy supply is limited and people have to conserve electricity. The Earth Hour was also meant to raise awareness on the need to take action to address climate change,” he said.

Paguio said he had no idea how many households and establishments turned off their lights during the activity. He joined the observance of the Earth Hour at SM.

“But if we are going to match the power shortage in Mindanao including sa mga rotating brownouts I think mas taas ang atong na save sa power during the Earth Hour celebration sa Mindanao,” Paguio added. (Bobby Lagsa and Annabelle Ricalde)