The trip started in the early morning of the October 26, 2012, Wednesday, with Jonathan Bus being hired to ferry the participants to the target destination-Southern Leyte. Starting at 5:00 in the morning, we had taken our breakfast at the Visayas State University (VSU) beach. After resting for a few minutes, the group proceeded to Maasin specifically Brgy Manhilo, to have a side trip to see the interventions of Maasin and the local officials of Manhilo on their Mangrove conservation and rehabilitation program. No other than the Barangay Captain of Manhilo in the person of Mr Romy Aguilar had welcome the group in the island within the mangrove area which they themselves called as the Hapitan beach. A program was conducted to welcome the participants of the visit, a briefing was also delivered giving us the idea how they conceptualized and realized the project of putting up a training center in that center island. There were reactions coming from the group and some questions and answers portion to satisfy the queries of the visitors. After eating our lunch there, we made visit to their observation tower which was donated by GIZ, a German NGO. The place was really beautiful and CLAD management are so eager to make one in Calubian.
After that mangrove rehabilitation project, we proceeded to one of Maasin’s well-managed Fish Sanctuary as well as the mangrove nursery which is being assisted by the Provincial Government of Maasin. The following are some of the photos of that area;
On the second day, October 27, we proceeded to Brgy Danao, a mountain barangay of the Municipality of Macrohon. This barangay was the site for the first project sponsored by Heifer. Although its quite far, its road is an all-weather road with some portions already concreted. We had some home visit observing how the partner families managed their different livestock such as the provision of housing to the animals, the planting of forage grasses on vacant lots and others. The following pictures have shown the different activities we have conducted at Brgy Danao;
Before going to VSU, we passed by Agas-agas bridge, one of the construction wonders in the Philippines.
On the third day of the trip, we made a side trip to the Philippine Carabao Center, one of the important government center based at VSU being an important component of the project which is soon to be implemented by CLAD and financially supported by HEIFER International. Artificial insemination technology especially for carabao and cattle will be used to further improve the breed of animal to be produced by the project. The group visited the barn were the Bulgarian buffalos were kept. The following were some pictorials in the area;
The participants were really thankful for the fruitful cross-visit to Southern Leyte. With the implementation of the new project, CLAD management were assured that learning during the said trip will surely be implemented especially that such information are very much useful to ensure the success of the implementation of the project.
