For. Ella receives SEARCA research grant
January 31, 2013
Forester Arsenio B. Ella, Scientist III, recently received the Seed Fund for Research and Training (SFRT) grant from the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).
The research fund is intended for Ella’s study “Enhancing the Adaptive Capacity of the Indigenous Peoples by Promoting Sustainable and Community-based Resin Tapping of Almaciga (Agathis philippinensis Warb.) in selected Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) areas in Palawan and Sierra Madre, Aurora.” Ella will be working with Forester Florena B. Samiano, Science Research Specialist 1 at FPRDI’s Anatomy and Forest Botany Section.
The project aims to train the indigenous peoples (IPs) of Aurora and Palawan on the sustainable tapping of almaciga — a resin-producing tree that grows naturally in several mountainous regions of the country. The Philippines is the world’s second largest producer of almaciga resin, after Indonesia.
“The harvesting of almaciga resin is a source of income for many of our IPs. The resin, also known as Manila Copal, is used as a raw material for varnish, lacquers and adhesives, among others, and is an important exported commodity. Almaciga is in danger of extinction due to the IP’s excessive and destructive method of extracting the resins,” said Ella.
He added, “thru proper resin harvesting, tappers will be able to sustain their livelihood without compromising the trees’ survival.”
A renowned wood anatomy expert, Ella has won numerous awards which include University of the Philippines- College of Forestry and Natural Resources (UPLB-CFNR) Institutional Service Award in 2003 and the National Research Council of the Philippines’ Research Achievement Award. In 2012, he was named one of UPLB’s Most Outstanding Alumni.
Other recipients of the SFRT include Engr. Antonio Arcangel of the BAPAMIN Farmers’ Cooperative and six more Southeast Asians. The SFRT is provided by SEARCA for the conduct of researches in agriculture and rural development. ### (Apple Jean C. Martin, 25 January 2013)
