Written by Paul John Tolentino

Consistent with the mandate to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystems, the University of the Philippines Los Baños spearheads the CONserve-KAIGANGAN biodiversity program in selected municipalities in Samar Island, starting January 2019.

The program, entitled “Assessment and Conservation of Forest over Limestone Ecosystem Biodiversity in Selected Municipalities of Samar Island, Philippines,” aims to assess and conserve plant, animal, and microbial diversity in kaigangan (Samar local term for forest over limestone) towards sustainable management, particularly in the municipalities of Paranas, Taft, Basey, and Guiuan. These municipalities were chosen due to their intact vegetation, noteworthy biodiversity, geological differences, active peoples’ organization, and safety from insurgencies.

Furthermore, the program is composed of four projects with the following objectives: to assess the unique plant and animal biodiversity in Samar Island for its current ecotourism activities for Project 1; to perform ethnobotanical studies to account for the economically important native plants in the peoples’ lives used for food and biopesticides for Project 2; to determine soil microbial floral diversity in forest over limestone to understand their roles in soil integrity, tree species, and ecosystem health for Project 3; and to strategize community-based conservation of plants in forest over limestone for Project 4.

Findings of the study from the different sites will be used in crafting appropriate and strategic sustainable management initiatives towards the proper use of the unique resource as a watershed, ecotourism destination, and source of livelihood for the many dependent villagers. This study can also uncover socio-economically and culturally important native plant species and unique endemics relevant to various community-based initiatives and provide guidance for its management.

The CONserve-KAIGANGAN program is composed of researchers from the UPLB Institute of Biological Sciences and the College of Forestry and Natural Resources, UP Manila, and Samar State University. The program is headed by Dr. Inocencio E. Buot, Jr., who also leads Project 1. Other researchers include Prof. Marjorie Delos Angeles (Project Staff II), Prof. Desamarie Antonette Fernandez (Project Staff II), Mr. Paul John Tolentino (URA I), Mr. John Ryan Navidad (URA I), and Ms. Gina Malison (Clerk III) for Project I; Prof. Marlon Rivera (Project Leader), Dr. Maribel Sese (Project Staff II), Prof. Therese Julienne Medina (Project Staff II), Prof. Eleanor Villaverde (Project Staff II), and Mr. Jomari Domingo (URA II) for Project II; Prof. Edmerson Geronimo (Project Leader), Prof. John Daniel Ong (Project Staff II), Prof. Marilen Balolong (Project Staff II), Mr. Kristian Villarama (URA I), and Ms. Eula Francia Bosito (SSRS) for Project 3; Prof. Jiro Adorador (Project Leader), Prof. Zhereeleen Meneses (Project Staff II), and Prof. Vincent Palomo (Project Staff II) for Project 4.

The program also contributes to various areas of the Sustainable Development Goals and enhances Philippine megabiodiversity.

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(This article is previously published in CAS Accents (Vol. 21 No. 2), the official newsletter of College of Arts and Sciences, UPLB.)