00:00So, the Masungi is an NGO that connects with the government for conservation projects.
00:29How can we restore the forest that has been damaged through the care of trees and planting.
00:38Not just trees, but also our lives that are in our hands here at the Masungi Geo Reserve.
00:46We started in the first area, in Kilametang 47, Discovery Area, in 1996.
00:53That was the start of our conservation project.
00:56We took care of it for more than two decades and it is still a protected area.
01:02We are now in the new area of Masungi, Legacy Trail Area, which started in 2017.
01:12The forest is not yet totally restored.
01:16We need more time to restore the forest that has been damaged by the Legacy Trail.
01:22Why is this type of work important to me?
01:28Especially this type of forest.
01:30I am one of those who know that without a forest, our lives are meaningless.
01:38This is what we are looking for, our habit that we need in the day.
01:43Every day, we can see beautiful forests, big trees, different types of birds and animals.
01:49Those are the sounds, the music that we listen to every day.
01:58Another thing that we are protecting here, like the mongoose.
02:03If we don't have a high place, big trees, they won't be able to graze.
02:10If we don't have fruits, plants, we won't be able to get the animals that are around us,
02:15especially the birds, especially the monkeys.
02:18There are a lot of animals that benefit our forest, especially the benefits that the forest gives.
02:26Not only the animals, but also the people benefit from it.
02:30I think that people come here because, first, they think that the people of Masungi are good friends
02:38with the conservation project that we are doing here.
02:41Also, the people from Metro Manila have an idea on how we can help the people of Masungi
02:51to protect and take care of the forests here in Rizal Province.
03:01Legacy Trail is what we are talking about right now, where we are still ongoing with our reforestation.
03:07We are hoping that in the coming years, decades, we will be able to achieve the same success
03:15that we have achieved in the Discovery Trail area.
03:19The other one is the Garden Picnic.
03:21Right now, it is not totally trailed or climbed by guests.
03:26Because it is only a 15-minute walk, we will reach the picnic area where we can see limestones,
03:33and also big trees that we can easily find in 400 hectares of the Discovery Trail area.
03:45That is one of the reasons, not just one, because there are many.
03:49First, we faced the illegal logging of the land, where they logged a large part of the land here.
03:59They were also the ones who suffered the damage.
04:02That was one of the biggest trials that Masungi faced back then.
04:06Second, for the people who do illegal things in our area,
04:16like cutting down trees, burning forests, and extracting limestones,
04:24especially here in Masungi, where there are a lot of limestones,
04:27those are the main obstacles in our restoration of the forest.
04:39For me, the good news that I see in Masungi is that we can restore a large part of the damaged forest here.
04:48Because if we can restore the forest here, there will be a lot of benefits.
04:51The most important thing here is that we can say that we will be able to restore the forest for a long time
04:59for the young people who will replace us.
05:01Because if there is a forest, the young people who will follow us will be able to move around,
05:07the forest will be beautiful, and they will get a lot of benefits from the forest.
05:12Food, water, clean air, and other things that will benefit them,
05:18compared to what we are currently doing.
05:24What I can say, especially to the visitors who come here,
05:28that's why we have guides like me,
05:32we let you know the story of the history of Masungi,
05:36so that you will be aware of what is currently happening here in Masungi.
05:41If you have acquaintances who can help with projects like this,
05:47not just with projects like this,
05:49but for the most important things that we are asking for support from above,
05:55so that we can continue what we are doing to conserve the forest here in Masungi.
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