Clenro pushes eco-tourism in Oro’s last rainforest

CAGAYAN DE ORO – The city environment office has never stopped hunting down illegal activities believed committed by some members of the Higaonon tribe to protect the last remaining forestland in Cagayan de Oro City – Barangay Dansolihon.

Edwin Dael, chief of the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro), said Dansolihon is one of the last rainforests in the country.

He said hydraulic mining, using high-pressure jets of water to dislodge rock material like gold sediment or other minerals, has been rampant in Dansolihon.

“This hydraulic mining contributes to flooding as it has been eroding the landscape of the mountain,” Dael said.

He added that aside from illegal mining and illegal felling, most of the lumads are armed with guns and allegedly pose threats to residents who opposed their illegal occupation.

“In fact, I also received threats from these entities,” Dael said.

The Nahilaran Community Forest Development Association Inc. (NCFDAI) and Monigue Community Forest Development Association Inc. (MCFDAI) are pushing for the develop- ment of the 2,000 hectares of land in Dansolihon into an eco-tourism hub that could help conserve and preserve the forestland there.

Fernando Balbon Sr., project coordinator of both NCFDA and MCFDA, said that his family has been residing in the area long before the administration of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.

He said his family has applied for a Timber Licensing Agreement (TLA) of 16,000 hectares during the Marcos regime but it was repealed during the time of former President Corazon Aquino.

“The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) manages the forestlands which only allows two entities – the Indigenous People and the tenurial instrument – e.g. timber, industrial, mining to name a few,” Balbon said.

He said the lumads in the area are not pure Higaonons and don’t hail from Dansolihon.

“This young generation of lumads in Dansolihon is selling lands to investors which are illegal. They commercialized the culture and bastardized the customs and traditions of Higaonon tribe.