Davao City's community-based environmental guardians, the Bantay Bukid and Bantay Tubig Volunteers (BBTV), have significantly bolstered local conservation efforts throughout 2025. Their work spans from reporting illegal activities to hands-on reforestation, reinforcing the city's commitment to safeguarding its natural heritage.
Vigilance in the Hinterlands: Reporting and Prevention
Acting as dedicated forest rangers, the BBTV volunteers play a crucial frontline role in protecting Davao's upland and forested areas. Their vigilance led to the reporting of 15 separate incidents involving suspected breaches of environmental laws in 2025. These reported violations included illegal tree cutting, water pollution, unauthorized treasure hunting, illegal entry into protected zones, and construction activities conducted without the necessary permits.
The City Government of Davao, operating through the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO), provides foundational support for the Bantay Bukid program. This support includes the provision of incentives to the volunteers, recognizing their essential service. MSgt. Reynante B. Vallejo, PCG (Ret.), PSSO Assistant Operations Officer, presented these accomplishments during the 2025 Watershed Stakeholder Summit on November 27, 2025.
Hands-On Conservation: Hundreds of Activities Completed
Beyond monitoring, the volunteers are deeply involved in active environmental restoration and protection. In 2025, they carried out an impressive 293 environmental activities focused on nurturing the region's forests. These hands-on projects included:
- Establishing plant nurseries.
- Tree planting and nurturing young trees to maturity.
- Brushing and clearing weeds to aid natural forest regeneration.
Their watershed protection efforts were equally robust, with 196 activities completed. This work involved monitoring critical watershed areas, organizing community cleanup drives, and conducting brand audits. The brand audit process is a strategic effort to count and document corporate brands found in collected plastic waste, helping to identify major contributors to pollution.
Prioritizing Biodiversity and Future Expansion
Protecting wildlife remained a top priority for the group. They conducted 242 biodiversity monitoring activities, which encompassed documenting bird sightings, monitoring key wildlife species, and actively dismantling illegal animal traps to protect native fauna.
The program's strength lies in its widespread community presence. Currently, 309 active Bantay Bukid Volunteers are deployed across six districts of Davao City:
- Baguio (140 volunteers)
- Marilog (54 volunteers)
- Paquibato (39 volunteers)
- Toril (31 volunteers)
- Calinan (28 volunteers)
- Tugbok (17 volunteers)
Looking ahead to 2026, Vallejo announced plans to expand the volunteers' expertise. Capacity-building initiatives will include orientations on Section 77 of Presidential Decree 705 (the Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines) and paralegal training on environmental legal frameworks. This training aims to empower both Bantay Bukid and Bantay Tubig Volunteers with deeper knowledge of the laws they help enforce.
Through the dedicated efforts of these volunteers and strong partnerships with local government, Davao City continues to set a benchmark in community-driven environmental stewardship, ensuring its forests, watersheds, and rich biodiversity are preserved for the benefit of future generations.
