Author: Jun Ariolo Aguirre (308 Articles)

KALIBO, Aklan – The Kalibo Save the Mangrove (KASAMA) community is eyeing the production of charcoal briquettes using available technology as alternative livelihood for the residents of Barangay Old Buswang, Kalibo.
KASAMA executive chairman Atty. Allen Quimpo said that the community organization will use the mangrove as their resource for the production of charcoal briquettes once the needed technology will be acquired.
“At least 70,000 mangrove trees have been destroyed by typhoon Frank last year. We are planning to use the destroyed mangrove as a priority for charcoal briquettes production. Right now, we already have over a million mangrove trees growing in the sprawling Kalibo Mangrove,” said Quimpo.
The production of charcoal briquettes serves as alternative fuel used either for commercial or homemade cooking with the increasing prices of the liquefied petroluem gas (LPG) in the world market.
“The idea here is to promote the management of forests. I do not believe in the ideology of total log ban for the forests but instead use the forests responsibly as a resource for the poor,”
Quimpo, who was a three-termer congressman of the province, explained.
The Kalibo Mangrove is being considered by the local government of Kalibo as a tourist destination after it won recognition from the United Nations for exemplary innovations.
In 1980’s, the KASAMA has been recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as in-charge of the mangrove management for 25 years.