Other viewpoints

Sao Paulo State University research showing that tree seeds now are significantly smaller (“Shriveled Seeds”/ 01 June) triggered comments. Was this due to unchecked hunting of fruit-eating birds? The issue is increasingly “common in tropical areas around the world.”

More people should take note of what Fr. Peter Walpole at Environmental Science for Social Change calls the “phoenix forest” (here), forester Patrick Dugan e-mailed. “They’re real. ” Phoenix forests are all around us. Everywhere. They’re a source of hope, within the grasp of people.

Nurturing these ‘phoenixes’ restores forest cover faster and at lower cost. Traditional reforestation approaches report only a 30 percent success rate. The flip side to that is 70 percent failure.

Fr. Walpole offers “Assisted Natural Regeneration. “Forests restored via ANR are made up of many species. (This) avoids monoculture risks that marred conventional reforestation projects. ANR is a practical way to restore biodiversity.”

“Few are aware that the Philippines received the Edouard Souma award from FAO for ANR accomplishments in Danao, Bohol that show how well ANR can work.” FAO hosted an international workshop at Danao last year that drew more than 20 ASEAN participants. Danao declared their town as the country’s first ANR municipality.

“When forests are gone, we’ll become the Haiti of Asia,” e-mailed Walter Paul Komarnicki from Cagayan de Oro.

“We’d be unable to feed ourselves or maintain security. (That’s a failed state.” But “Imonredneck” retorted: ‘The Philippines is already the Haiti of Asia. Look at its geopolitics.”

From Canada, Josh Alexi wrote: “Toronto went on a tree planting mania 15 years back., Now our city is green,. We pay tree cutters to trim branches and clear power lines. Fly over the 600 square kilometer city. Toronto is green, clean and beautiful.”

For more than 30 years, policy makers introduced various foreign species for reforestation, Aspirin200 recalled. These included South America’s large leaf mahogany to Africa’s gmelina aarbore.

None succeded. Why? Because, they aimed solely at producing revenue. When trees reached merchantable height and diameter, they were clear cut mahogany for lumber to mollucan sau for pulp and paper. These shoved us back to where we started 30 years ago.

There was no effort to plant endemic dipterocarp and other premium species. Despite 30 years of failure, DENR hews to the inutile approach. It even allows the export of raw or semi-finished reforestation species.

Focus on non-commercially viable species. You won’t need battalions of forest guards. Except charcoal makers, none is interested in mala bayabas to toog (baringtonia), Hinterlands of Rizal, Laguna and Zambales could best showcase this effort. In highly visible area, like North Luzon Expressway, plant highly sought after narra to dao, almaciga.

Like Cebu, “Makati has one of the lowest number of standing trees. Jojo Binay could start planting belatedly. Makati may emerge as an urban environmental renewal model. The “Ganito Kami sa Makati ” boast would then be palatable.

Pope Francis flies to Cebu City in January 2016, notes the column “Beyond the Deadwood ( PDI /June 01 ). He’ll attend the 51st International Eucharistic Congress. Francis’ simple life style and emphasis on attention to the poor are rippling out.

Over four million attended Pope John Paul’s Luneta mass in January 1995. Francis has similar drawing power. His visit could help a church where some bishops “too often close in on [themselves] instead of looking outward.”

“See? The Pope focuses on is what is essential,” Virgo Yap writes. “Often, our prelates and followers are entangled by the peripheral, such as the RH law. Go to the heart of the Gospel message by helping the poor and the deprived. But many times, this is what we evade.”

Will the high and mighty will again occupy the front seats, “Cato the Younger” foresees. Will they have some token poor in the soirees. After the pageant, balik sa dating gawi? “If the Pope is looking for a servant’s heart among the princes of his flock here, he’ll be disappointed.”

The 53-year-old beggar looks a haggard 80. Naty does not fret about Senate presidencies. (Perennial Irony / PDI May 25 ) What matters is food scraps and anti-TB medicine. But what about other Natys? Almost 3.9 million Filipinos experienced hunger this March

“Notice how chubby the kids of our politicians are?” asks Moonworshipper. “They have drivers, maids and bodyguards and attend private schools. Do they notice the hungry at all? When they grow up, they run to inherit the dynastic positions of their elders. Would they suddenly strive to end hunger which they’ve never known all their lives?”

“Those who produce the food are often the ones who suffer hunger the most,” Chloroform writes. “Traders/ middleman” cash in. Our laws thumb down direct buying from farmers” But “why single out a few?”, retorts Tgm_Erick . “The economy is booming – only for those who engage in big businesses. Increases in GNP havn’t trickled down to the lowest stratum. And many politicians were not rich when they began their careers.

Aside from emergency food aid, government should offer an uncultivated piece of land to poor families so they can raise poultry, plant fruits, vegetables, etc. corn or rice, writes Tra6 Gpeche. Pork barrels should be abolished. Instead, these should help those willing to learn farming other trades.”