Peatland Bike Tour and Livelihood Fair

February 2 is World Wetlands Day. The theme for the 2024 celebration is Wetlands and Well-Being. Our belated celebration was highlighted by a Bike Tour around the peatland in partnership with the Environment Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) who invited the bikers and mobilized marshalls and tourguide and the local governments of Alangalang and Sta. Fe, Leyte who provided security and emergency teams. There were about 150 bikers who participated. The bikers took off from the municipal grounds of Sta. Fe, Leyte at 5:30 in the morning after a short program which introduced Leyte Sab-a Peatland Forest and oriented the bikers on the route. The bikers had a stop over at the site of the livelihood fair where the bought some rootcrop based snacks for a light breakfast. However, they couldn’t buy other products because they cannot carry them on bikes. It was a leisurely ride with brief stops to show them the vegetation of the peatland and explain the nature and functions of the peatland. The bikers were also informed about the principles of peatland restoration. The tour ended at the multi-purpose center of Alangalang, Leyte where the lovely mayor gave a message to close the event. The mayors of the two municipalities are women who see to it that there is a budget for the protection of the peatland.

Women microentrepreneurs were happy to sell their products in the first livelihood fair and would like to hold another fair during the harvest season. There were deliciously cooked native chicken and fish cooked in coconut milk and local spices prepared by women farmers. Fresh eggs and buko (young coconut) pie from the women with disabilities. There were native snacks made from grated cassava and another made from ground glutinous rice with some cacao by another women farmer. There were fresh vegetables, native vinegar, peanut butter. Herbal ointments were also prepared by a participant who applied her learnings from the Herbal Medicine Training held in the peatland last December 2023.

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