DENR Bicol Stages Indigenous Fruit Contest

Legazpi City (23 March 2011) – Fernando Quililan, new Regional Director of the DENR announced a big contest intended for the welfare of the environment in the Bikol region.

This coming June 1, 2011, the Baligang/Gumihan Contest will be launched at DENR Office in Legazpi. All six provinces and seven cities in Bikol are expected to participate in the said contest.

According to Dir. Quililan, for every five kilos of baligang delivered to his office will get a price of Php 15,000 and just one piece of gumihan will get a price of Php 50,000.

He further said that these fruits are rare and can be found only in Bikol; none of these fruits can be found in Visayas and Mindanao.

Quililan, a native of Ligao, Albay, became Regional Director in Region 10 at Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao; he finished his studies at UP College of Forestry in Los Banos, Laguna.

This is his initial step to increase awareness and concern for the environment in the region. (E. Verdadero)