Lingayen- – -As symbol of unity among farmer-residents of the upland barangays of Mangatarem town, some 25 officials of the Mangatarem Alliance of Upland Farmers Association, Incorporated (MAUFAI) took their oath before Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. at the ceremonial hall of Urduja House recently.
The association, which comprises 129 head of families, was formed two years ago in an objective to support the national government’s Greening Program.
Isabel N. Sison, MAUFAI president, said that although their association was organized in 2013 there was no formal oath-taking that signifies the group’s serious intention to live up to the objectives of the reforestation thrust that the government envisioned to achieve.
“Gusto po namin gawing pormal at opisyal ang aming grupo kaya po kami ay humiling na manumpa sa harap ng ating mahal na gobernador,” Sison said as she further expressed full support to the Espino administration.
Meanwhile, Gov. Espino commended the association for reaffirming their cause which will redound not just for the benefit of helping the government attain its goal to re-green the environment but as a realization of a mutual goal to improve the lives of upland farmers, as well.
Gov. Espino pledged support to the group as he immediately approved the association’s request for provision of power sprays and grass cutters.
One of the government’s priority program of Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III’s administration is embodied under Executive Order No. 26 known as the “National Greening Program”. It envisioned to plant some 1.5 billion trees in about 1.5 million hectares in lands of public domain.
The program covers priority areas for development which are forestlands, most specifically the tenured areas.
Aside from planting of trees, the program seeks to alleviate poverty in upland communities and provide food security through planting of fruit-bearing trees and for the protection of environment with the establishment and maintenance of forest trees while at the same time mitigate effect of climate change.
Nicasio Urbien, MAUFAI vice-president for internal affairs, said that as a means of livelihood, their group opted to plant cassava as their main cash crops in consideration of the soil type found in the mountainous barangays of Mangatarem which has a total land area of 630 hectares.
The upland barangays of Mangatarem are Muelang, Bunagan, Cacaoiten, Bantocaling, Calomboyan 2nd, and Malabobo.
By Dexter A. See
