The City Government of Davao, through the Vice Mayor’s Office and the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO), and in partnership with real estate firm Anchor Land, has turned over kits of essential outdoor gears to 71 Bantay Bukid volunteers in Barangay Tawantawan, Baguio District on Friday.
The Bantay Bukid volunteers in Baguio District protect the southern mountain ranges of Davao as well as the Panigan and Tamugan river– the cityâs main source of potable water –from environmental decline.
The gear sets distributed contained items that will help the volunteers in their mission of protecting and preserving the environment. The gears included a light trail bag, trekking boots, first aid kits, emergency lights, non-perishable food, among other things. The volunteers also went home with a bag of rice.
Friday’s turnover was attended by Vice Mayor J Melchor Quitain, PSSO head Angel Sumagaysay, Anchor Land representative Donna Cabueñas, Tawantawan Barangay Captain Ricardo Giran, and Bantay Bukid volunteers.
Quitain, in his speech, thanked the Bantay Bukid volunteers for their dedication to preserve the natural landscape of Davao City.
The vice mayor said the rapid development of metropolitan Davao brings danger to its natural resources, making the Bantay Bukid volunteers even more essential to the cityâs survival.
âKamo gyud ang first line of defense sa Davao City so daghang salamat sa inyong mga sakripisyo og sa inyong (You really are the first line of Davao City to thank you for your sacrifices and for your) dedication to see to it that the green part of Davao City will always be protected and preserved,â Quitain said.
Sumagaysay, meanwhile, told the volunteers that the City Government of Davao will continue to support them in their endeavor to conserve the city’s natural resources.
As of 2023, there are 275 Bantay Bukid volunteers protecting the mountains of Davao City. CIO
