Legend of mt, makiling
History of a legend: managing the Makiling Forest Reserve
HISTORY OF A LEGEND:
MANAGING THE MAKILING FOREST
RESERVE
Juan M. Pulhin and Maricel A. Tapia
Name of forest:
Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve
Location:
Los Baños, Laguna Province
Area (hectares):
4 224
Managing entity: University of the Philippines,
Los Baños
Mgt. objectives:
Training laboratory, conservation of biodiversity, watershed protection, recreation, research Country:
Philippines
A
ccording to legend, the goddess Maria Makiling lives at the top of Mt.
Makiling, the highest mountain in Laguna, Philippines. The Tagalogs, the predominant ethnic group in the area, consider her to be the guardian and protector of the mountain. In the legend, she once walked with the lowland people and helped them to meet their needs. She was venerated for providing bountiful harvests and other divine gifts. However, some people abused this kindness, thus incurring her wrath, and she returned to the mountain peak, never to be seen again. This legend is as much a part of the Tagalog culture as the mountain itself.
But its cultural significance may become a thing of the past as degradation of the mountain becomes more serious over the years. The mountain’s fragile resources are endangered by land development, conversion and infrastructure expansion by private landowners and developers, kaingin (shifting cultivation), illegal occupancy, poaching of wildlife and forest products, uncontrolled inmigration and a rapidly increasing population.
“I’ve seen a lot of activities on the mountain that endanger its beauty and reduce its resource value,” said Shirley Satioquia, a 43-year-old resident, who
261
In search of excellence
has lived near Mt. Makiling for the past 20 years. “These include illegal cutting of trees, littering inside the forest and dumping of garbage.”
Fifty-one-year-old Alfredo Balagat, a native of the area, was anxious about the burgeoning
HISTORY OF A LEGEND:
MANAGING THE MAKILING FOREST
RESERVE
Juan M. Pulhin and Maricel A. Tapia
Name of forest:
Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve
Location:
Los Baños, Laguna Province
Area (hectares):
4 224
Managing entity: University of the Philippines,
Los Baños
Mgt. objectives:
Training laboratory, conservation of biodiversity, watershed protection, recreation, research Country:
Philippines
A
ccording to legend, the goddess Maria Makiling lives at the top of Mt.
Makiling, the highest mountain in Laguna, Philippines. The Tagalogs, the predominant ethnic group in the area, consider her to be the guardian and protector of the mountain. In the legend, she once walked with the lowland people and helped them to meet their needs. She was venerated for providing bountiful harvests and other divine gifts. However, some people abused this kindness, thus incurring her wrath, and she returned to the mountain peak, never to be seen again. This legend is as much a part of the Tagalog culture as the mountain itself.
But its cultural significance may become a thing of the past as degradation of the mountain becomes more serious over the years. The mountain’s fragile resources are endangered by land development, conversion and infrastructure expansion by private landowners and developers, kaingin (shifting cultivation), illegal occupancy, poaching of wildlife and forest products, uncontrolled inmigration and a rapidly increasing population.
“I’ve seen a lot of activities on the mountain that endanger its beauty and reduce its resource value,” said Shirley Satioquia, a 43-year-old resident, who
261
In search of excellence
has lived near Mt. Makiling for the past 20 years. “These include illegal cutting of trees, littering inside the forest and dumping of garbage.”
Fifty-one-year-old Alfredo Balagat, a native of the area, was anxious about the burgeoning