They are considered as one of the first people of Davao City and the chosen keeper of the land. They are the few, the proud Obu Manuvu.
Like all IP groups, its cultural heritage is tied to nature and the vast land of city. It has this practice called “pusaka” in protecting the forest as a common property of the tribe.
The country’s leading beer company San Miguel Brewery (SMB) shared the same passion of protecting not only the forest but the entire ecosytem through reforestation.
For second straight year, SMB-Davao chose Obu Manuvu’s ancestral domain in Barangay Carmen, Baguio District as the recipient of its tree-planting activity.
Under SMB’s Trees Brew Life project, participants of the tree-planting were able to plant a combined 627 endemic and fruit trees.
Now on its 14th year, SMB-Davao has returned armed with the mission of providing another delicate tender loving care to the ancestral domain of the Obu Manuvu through the partnership with EGIP Foundation with the support from friends from the tribal council, Brgy. Carmen, Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Public Safety and Security Office’s Bantay Bukid personnel, Local Government of Sta Cruz Adventure Club(LOGSAC) and media entities including Edge Davao.
“The first time we were here was last year with a limited number of volunteers due to the pandemic. It was our 13th Trees Brew Life project, we planted 625 seedlings of combined endemic and fruit trees so that we will not only reforest this area, but in our little way, we can also contribute to the livelihood and sustenance of the Obu Manuvu community,” said Florito “Larry” Santos, plant manager of SMB-Davao.
Santos said SMB-Davao returned because it saw how its partners – EGIP Foundation, Bantay Bukid, and Obu Manuvu tribe – took care of the planted seedlings.
“When we had a few mortality rate at 9 percent, they immediately replaced them with new seedlings
. Our site last year was very bare, the only green that we saw were the grasses. Damo lang ang meron dyan. Pero ngayon, we are very happy that our 625 seedlings are all growing well, 100 percent. Maraming salamat sa inyo,” he said.
He is hopeful to have the same excellent results that SMB-Davao had in its first adopted site.
“May we all continue to make a difference in our environment. Because our existence is only as good as the environment lasts,” Santos said.
Of course, the route to sustainability is not always smooth.
During the tree-planting activity, we hiked three-kilometer of very muddy and rocky road, traversed a river, and climbed a 70-degree muddy improvised slopey trail on the side of the cliff.
We slipped and gasped in exhaustion but we never gave up and we ignored all the struggles just for mother nature.
As a reward for all the challenges on the way to the site, the beautiful view of the mountains, the cool air and the prestine water of the river made us all smile and felt refresh. And as a gracious host, the tribe prepared delicious indigenous meal and hot native coffee.
Our experience in this year’s tree-planting activity might be quite challenging but we can proudly say we brought home the bacon as 627 trees were planted.
