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First
District Rep. Edgar Chatto initiated the tandem of government
and private sectors in the effort to protect the remaining
breed of tarsiers, world's smallest and oldest living primate
found only in Bohol.
In
a meeting here Friday last week, regional and provincial officials
of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
and officers of the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, Incorporated
(PTFI) agreed on a coordinated execution of projects and programs
funded by the first district's share in the now refined pork
barrel through Chatto, an allocation in the General Appropriations
Act (GAA) released annually starting 2007.
They
expected some refinements in the DENR plan, though, considering
the upcoming follow-up meeting of PTFI officials next Saturday
and the take-over of incoming Provincial Environment and Natrual
Resources Officer (PENRO), Nestor Canda.
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The
tarsier sanctuary covers 167 hectares of timberlands
in barangays Canapnapan and Canangcaan in Corella and
Can-agong and Abucay Sur in Sikatuna.
Chatto,
Congress' tourism committee chair, cruised with Department
of Tourism (DOT) Sec. Ace Durano to Balicasag island
off Panglao, a tourist spot like the tarsier habitat,
hours before returning to Tagbilaran City in mainland
Bohol for the meeting on tarsier.
Joining
Chatto and Durano to Balicasag was Provincial Board
Member Alfonso Damalerio II, member of the Sangguniang
Panlalawigan Committee on Tourism, who also attended
the meeting on tarsier.
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The
conference was important to attaining a unified tarsier conservation
approach considering the assumption this Tuesday of new PENRO
and Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) chiefs.
Canda
will replace outgoing PENRO head Eduardo Inting while incoming
CENRO head Eusalem Quiwag will take over Samuel Racho, all
present in the meeting.
Among
those who came for the PTFI were board chairman Fr. Florante
Camacho, SVD, banker Richard Uy, Alturas' Marlito Uy and Bohol
Beach Club's Anos Fonacier, father of Bohol tourism.
All
activities toward tarsier conservation complement Bohol's
eco-tourism thrust, according to Chatto.
Tarsier
sanctuary eco-trail and viewing deck have been established.
The
DENR will continue what it calls "enrichment planting"
of species found to be endemic only in the tarsier habitat.
People's
organizations (POs) in the tarsier barangays have been formed
and granted livelihood assistance by the government.
Officials
also lead in bracing against unwise human utilization of resources
within the tarsier habitat that can negate conservation efforts.
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