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Arakan, North Cotabato

Arakan, North Cotabato

Address: North Cotabato

Description: Arakan Valley is a 4,024.73-hectare territory that represents the southern end of the Central Mindanao Cordillera and serves as home to the Manobo indigenous people. Primary growth forests have shrunk to less than 5% by the early 1990s due to massive commercial logging and land conversion for agricultural use, but further forest degradation has since been curtailed.

Status: On-going

Site Profile Summary

Ecosystem Types

Lowland to Sub-montane Forest

Area

4,024.73 hectares

Biogeographic Highlights

  • Mt. Sinaka, which hosts one of the remaining forest fragments in Arakan Valley is Priority Area No. 138 within Greater Mindanao, rated as an “Extremely High Critical” in conservation importance, according ot the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priority-setting Program (PBCPP). It is also a candidate Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) candidate, being home to a highly diverse endemic flora and fauna species.

  • Arakan Valley hosts a number of critical watersheds (Mt. Sinaka; KABIKU or Kabalantian, Binoongan, and Kulaman; and Mt. Kimamulig/Mahuson) that provide headwaters for the Pulangi river system on which Central Mindanao depends for its water resources.

Flora
  • 97 identified species in Mt. Sinaka and 79 species of trees were identified and recorded in Mt. Mahuson, with Mt. Sinaka having higher species diversity and richness

Fauna

  • Arakan Valley is a critical habitat of the endangered Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi).

Indigenous People and Community

  • Ancestral domains of the two indigenous peoples organizations of the Manobos can be found – PALUPA in sitio Panguandig and KIMALUPA in sitio Kiapat. These are two CADC areas occupying approximately 1,047 ha and 848 ha, respectively.

Livelihood Resources

  • Agriculture is the base of the Arakan economy and the main source of livelihood of about 75% of the population.

  • Most of the Manobo inhabitants depend heavily on monocropping of corn and upland rice. This vegetation creates corridors that connect the forest patches.

  • Freshwater aquaculture and micro enterprises are also sources of livelihood.

Biophysical Profile

Arakan Valley consists of cultivated and uncultivated lands (e.g., grasslands) in alluvial plains (>500 masl) and rolling to undulating lands in the footslopes and hilly lands (elevation 500-750 masl); Mid-montane (750-900 masl) farms and agro-forest plantations, secondary,and primary growth forests;  high elevation (>900 masl) primary growth and mossy forest

Economic Situation

Geopolitical Situation

Threats

FPE-funded Projects and Initiatives

Project

Grant Type, Strategy

Duration

Implementing Partners

Arakan Indigenous Manobo Kulamanon-Tinanon Summit: Towards Furthering and Strengthening Indigenous Forest Governance For Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

Small, Capacity-building

2012

  • Manobo Lumadnong Panaghiusa Sa Arakan Valley, Inc. (MALUPA)

Forest Corridor Development Project In Arakan Valley, North Cotabato

Large, Site-focused

2009-2011

  • Philippine Eagle Foundation, Inc. (PEFI)

Participation Of Arakan Forest Carbon Project To The League Of Corporate Foudnations' Corporate Social Responsibility Expo 2009

Small, Constituency-building, Proactive

2009

 

A Shift Towards Area Specific Intervention Through Strategic Planning for The FPE Priority Site In Arakan

Medium, Site-focused, Proactive

2007

 

Arakan Community-based Resource Management Project for Forest Corridor Development

Medium to Large, Site-focused

2000-2007

  • Philippine Eagle Foundation, Inc. (PEFI)

Key Outcomes

Reference

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