First seminar-workshop on biodiversity conservation held in Apayao

The key message in community development practice today in engaging

communities to face the environmental crises is to be ecosystem-based as
we think and act locally while linking globally, across levels, scale (spatial
and temporal), sector and disciplines to attain human and ecosystem well,
said retired UPB professor, social and environmental scientist, Dr. Rowena R.
Boquiren here May 31, 2016 during the first seminar-workshop on
biodiversity conservation in Apayaos forests, farms and communityrole of
the education sector, held in Apayao State College, Luna campus.
The seminar-workshop was participated by faculty and staff as well as the
key officials from both ASC campuses headed by its President, Dr. Nieves A.
Dacyon. Also among the participants were the agriculture, forestry and
education graduates of the said institution.
Said participants reviewed the earlier learning on the concepts of
biodiversity, forest protection, conservation. Afterwhich, Dr. Boquiren
updated them and made them to explore of the engagements in meeting the
education sectors role in conservation.
The Philippines is one of the Seventeen (17) megadiverse countries in the
whole world. This means, it is one of the countries which carry 2/3 of the
earths biological resources, and where 80% of flora and fauna at risk are
found., hence must be prioritized in conservation.
The Philippines is an archipelagic country with 7,100 islands and which its
formation over the past 50 million years made it biologically diverse, rich in
endemic species (in unique ecosystems which are our global patrimony) and
with ecologically linked ecosystems from ridge to reef. Factors affecting
patterns of biodiversity are the island biogeography, soils, topography, as
well as the climate and temperature in the countrys location. The
biodiversity status of the country is therefore an advantage where
community development practitioners operate with conservation (wise use of
resources) as key concept.
Apayaos vision of becoming the Agro-forestry center and eco-tourist
destination in the farnorth supports its being the last frontier of nature in the
north making the activity most timely and relevant.
As a major output of the seminar, the participants were oriented on
Classroom-Based Research and ways to maximize the National Service
Training Program (NSTP) as opportunities to sustain the academic
institution/s role in conservation.
The education sector is expected to sustain its function in society by living
up to its mandate to have curricular programs and extension services that
respond to the challenges from the environmental and economic crises that
we face. Science-based and technologically prepared graduates must be
produced by the education sector, Dr. Boquiren stressed in the said event.

Elated to climate change issues globally, we have lost 13 million hectares of

forest each year over the last decade, and population increases and
economic growth have produced a nearly 50% increase in global CO2
emissions between 1991 and 2007, from 21.9 to 29.6 billion metric tons. This
2010 Millennium Development Goals Report (UN, 2010) indicates very low
and uneven progress.
Classroom-based research (CBR) is as much a strategy to learning as it is an
approach to research. It is therefore used to meet several objectives of the
school system to improve instruction and learning, as well as to generate
information. Oftentimes, however, it is conveniently perceived as the
practice of assigning research tasks to students in line with the inquiry
approach in instruction, said Dr. Boquiren.
From an institutional perspective, the possibilities in CBR constitute an
innovative, if not a radical shift in educational practice, Dr. Boquiren also
said.
The advocacy also intends to level up the conventional National Service
Training Program (NSTP), as a part of the curriculum, practices from
community clean and green drive to a more productive action research
based in the classroom.
As an output of the workshop which followed the seminar, the participants
were grouped and were tasked to prepare CBR proposals. One of the outputs
which surfaced was the proposal presented by Conner Campus R&D Director,
Dr. Agustina G. Pattung. It was titled Indigenous Biodiversity Conservation
Practices of the Different Tribes in Conner with components such as
migration pattern of the various tribes in Conner, etymology of the tribal
areas in Conner and documentation of the literatures of the different tribes in
Conner and biodiversity conservation practices of the different tribes in
Conner.
Other proposals include aggressive interventions against Invasive Alien
Species (IAS) in the field of forestry and agriculture as well as culturally
related proposals which end goal is to come up with Instructional Materials
(IMs) that would revolves around the functions of the college such as
research, extension, instruction and production.
The activity was timely and made even more relevant with the presence of
the government officials during the culminating program of the said activity.
It was attended by the Apayao out-going Vice Governor and incoming Mayor
of Pudtol, Hector Reuel Pascua, out-going Pudtol Mayor Batara P. Laoat,
National Commission for Indigenous People (NCIP) Provincial Director, Dr.
Corazon Claveria, and Community Environment and Natural Resources
(CENR) Officer-In-Charge, Dr. Candido J. Tuscano.
The entire officialdom of Apayao is in full support to this advocacy. We
waiting for your proposals to approve especially with respect to what our
Father in the Province [the late Calanasan Mayor Elias K. Bulut Sr.]

continuously reminded us about in taking care of our very rich biodiversity

here in the province, said Vice Gov. Pascua.
We are thankful to have leaders and community people who are now
modeling stewardship and accountability to take care of our mother nature.
We should also do ours as this is the critical role of us in the Higher
Education Institution (HEI). Our dreams are now coming true as envisioned
by the late Mayor Bulut, said Dr. Dacyon in response.
I hope that this very rare opportunity that we had today is just a start in
saving the last frontier in the north. It is from effort like this that we can give
our environmental activism really running, Dr. Boquiren expressed with
fulfillment.
We can continue having this dream but also fulfilling these with actions. Let
us save the last frontier! she reminded everyone.
This is a big challenge to all of us. To translate these into outputs is another.
With the expression of support from the provincial and local government as
well as from the other oversight agenciessuch as CHED who support SUCs
who have strong advocacy on biodiversity conservationis actually a favor
for us not only in ASC but also in the province as a whole, Dr. Dacyon
expressed.
We are indeed within the direction of ASC Vision, said Dr. Pattung in
closing.