A team of evaluators from the provincial government’s technical working group, conducted an evaluation and monitoring for its Clean & Green Program at Barangay Tubeng and the municipal facilities of Tupi, yesterday, May 21, 2013. The areas covered in its evaluation were, as follows: Municipal Eco-Park; Slaughterhouse; Municipal Agriculturist Office and nursery; Municipal Hospital; Public Cemetery; Terminal; Public Market; Public Toilets; Municipal Plaza, and; Roadside Beautification along the national highway from the boundary separating Tupi and Marbel, as well as, that of Tupi and Polomolok.

SWIRE volunteers, now on its 4th day of its conservation activities on Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL) will join the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-XII) and the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of MMPL, today, in the observance of this year's "International Day for Biological Diversity" or "World Biodiversity Day." The event is sanctioned by United Nations to create awareness on biodiversity issues. This year's celebration carries the theme: "Water and Diversity."

Supported by its conservation partners Endangered Species Inernational (ESI), the Local Government Unit of Tupi, PAMB-MMPL and DENR the group will be planting some 1,000 indigenous trees at the foot of Mt. Matutum in Glandang, Kablon, this municipality. Also joining the celebation are Kablon Barangay officials and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries in Glandang, Kablon.

The group will also do information education and communication activities about the importance of biodiversity and its conservation. After the tree growing the team will visit the "biodiversity monitoring station" (BMS) established by DENR on Matutum's forest.

SWIRE volunteers, mostly seafarers, is headed by Martin Pitt, British national and retired ship captain. SWIRE is an offshore company base in Singapore with over a thousand employees. Other members of the SWIRE team are: Mr. Jamil Usman, Luisito Sott III, Michael Quiano and, Norberto Obing all work as seafarers. Their engagement on Mt. Matutum Tarsier conservation is part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Its' counterpart in the Philippines is AMSCOR-SWIRE with principal office at Mall of Asia in Manila. SWIRE volunteers would engage in tree growing, tree monitoring, biodiversity monitoring, information and education. The team is also interested to engage in the conservation of fresh water turtle or the Chinese soft shell turtle. Said specie is also found on Matutum rivers and streams.

Last Monday, SWIRE environmental volunteers had conducted a clean-up on rivers and creeks on MMPL in Barangay Linan, Tupi area. They also conducted a tree monitoring on the tarsier habitat on Mt. Matutum.

On Thursday, May 23, the team will be conducting and IEC and river bank tree growing at Brgy. Poblacion riparian zone project at putok river here. The activity is in coordination with Barangay Poblacion Council headed by multi-awarded Punong Barangay Joselito Yabut.

Tupi, South Cotabato – A group of SWIRE volunteers based in Singapore will be arriving today via Gen. Santos City airport. The team compose of five members will immerse at the Tarsier Village on Mt. Matutum in Linan, this municipality do volunteer work. They will be here till May 24.

During their stay the SWIRE volunteers will engage in tree growing, tree monitoring, biodiversity monitoring, information and education. The team is also interested to engage in the conservation of fresh water turtle or the Chinese soft shell turtle. Said specie is also found on Matutum rivers and streams.

Also joining the group is a couple, friend and supporters of Endangered Species International (ESI), based in San Francisco, United States of America.

SWIRE Singapore, is an offshore company with over a thousand employees. Members of the five man team are: Mr. Jamil Usman, Luisito Sott III, Michael Quiano and, Norberto Obing all work for SWIRE as seafarer. Their engagement on Mt. Matutum Tarsier conservation is part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). The activity is in coordination with ESI.

The latter is doing the tarsier conservation in coordination with the local government of Tupi, the province of South Cotabato, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other stakeholders.

ESI is an international non government organization engaged in biodiversity conservation activities. It has also conservation projects in Palawan, Panay, Negros and, Davao Oriental. ESI has its main office in San Francisco, USA.