I was a young kid (about five years old) when I climbed what I thought was a big mountain.  Today, I know it as Malabanban Watershed, which is the source of water for our City of San Pablo.  I remember running on ahead of the other trekkers to find myself at the area that overlooks Calibato Lake on one side and a dumpsite on the other.  I also noted wire fences all around which got me thinking then why were there fences. Then my dad explained that we were in a watershed and that it was a protected area.  Who was protecting it, I asked? That was the first time I heard of Forest Rangers.

Rangers monitor the forests for illegal activities like wildlife hunting, cutting trees, fighting forest fires, etc. In the Philippines this becomes a very dangerous job.  For instance, in the heart of the capital city of Manila sits the La Mesa Watershed, which is the only nature reserve in Manila.  About two decades ago, illegal settlers threatened or harassed forest rangers and even killed some of them.  But in the last 15 years, through a major partnership involving the government, environmental groups and water companies, the La Mesa Watershed (rainforest) was produced within the City. Thankfully, the awareness for environmental protection is more widespread now nationwide and Forest Rangers have become important guards of the forests.

However, recently, there has been another problem that faces some of our Forest Rangers.  In the 6,600 hectare Ipo Watershed in Bulacan, twenty Forest Rangers have left their posts as of early this year because they are not getting paid.  So far, the government  has not paid them for 15 months of work.  This now puts that particular forest at the mercy of illegal loggers. This watershed is actually part of the Angat watershed system that provides most of the water needs of the Metro Manila area. Without the Forest Rangers, no one is protecting the main source of water of the metropolis.

So, how important are the Forest Rangers? They are veryimportant in the environmental protection campaign.  They are doing their work, sometimes even offering up their lives, so the government or whoever is in-charge of their salary should make sure that they pay them on time.  We cannot afford for them to leave their posts again and put our environment at risk.