Antipolo City's Ecopark provides jobs, promotes environmental awareness
By Nel Andrade
The forested Mount Purro Nature Reserve, located within the 26,000 plus hectare Upper Marikina Watershed in Purok 5 in Barangay Calawis in Antipolo City, not only provides a quick escape from the noise and pollution of the metropolis with its nipa-hut inspired accommodations for tourists but also helps native Dumagats in their education and provides jobs for the locals.
Established by Toto Malvar and his family a few years back by reforesting it with some 700,000 trees, the ecological park has been helping the Dumagats who are the native of Sierra Madre mountains in Rizal Province, with their vocational and livelihood needs, and livelihood for other locals living within the upland community at Purok 5.
Among the residents who have been working as maintenance staff and tour guide at the nature reserve since 2007 is 62-year old Ruben Caraballedo, who talked about how working in the park enlightened his mind on becoming an environmentalist from being a charcoal maker who contributed in damaging the forest.
Caraballedo said working with the Malvars at the ecopark has taught him to care for the environment.
“Kagaya din ako noon ng mga Dumagat na hindi iniisip ang mangyayari sa kapaligiran sa pamamagitan ng pag-uuling, pagpuputol ng puno at pagkakaingin, basta lamang mabuhay, (I was like the Dumagats who did not care for the environment by doing charcoal making, cutting trees and practicing slash and burn, in order to survive),” Caraballedo said while having a quick rest at Mount Purro’s Malvar Peak.
Caraballedo, who was raised in Quezon Province but chose to settle in Antipolo to have his own family, added that like him, the Dumagats, who are living in different tribal communities within the watershed area, are now aware of how the trees and the ecosystem protect themselves and those living in the lowlands, those living in Metro Manila.
Workers and staff at the mountain park are mostly residents of Barangay Calawis.
Antipolo City government’s tourism office head, Mar Bacani, told Manila Bulletin that the nature reserve is among the places in the city that promote eco-tourism.