Foreign groups join green drivesaid
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A private international group based here has forged partnership with other charity organizations outside the country to raise P150 million to jumpstart Sarangani’s bid to rehabilitate its pristine forest.
Bentley House International Corp. (BHIC) president Jonathon Bentley-Stevens said he recently presented his proposal to Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Malungon Mayor Reynaldo Constantino.
“This is part of President Aquino’s call for a greener country,” Stevens said in a statement.
BHIC partnered with Belgium-based WeForest.org, Thailand-based Terra Genesis and New York-based Jimi Hendrix Foundation to raise an initial P150 million to bring back the pristine forests of Sarangani.
BHIC has been present in Mindanao since 1996 and has been engaged in reforestation and agri-ventures under four presidents since the Ramos administration. It has completed thousands of hectares of reforestation – planting millions of trees using private funds.
Part of their project in Sarangani would reintroduce dozens of species of native bamboo, rattan and some varieties of fruit-bearing trees. Vegetables and rubber will also be cultivated in order to generate an income for the native groups for the next six years.
After which, Stevens said, the trees will generate an ongoing substantial income for the B’laan and Tagakaulo tribes as well as other non-tribal people thriving in Sarangani area.
Stevens said the project is set to begin next week to fast track the government’s drive to cover 1.5 million hectares with newly planted seedlings.
The project, called “Permaculture,” would bring back not only the trees but the endemic species to create a forest canopy that would shelter native animals and thousands of herbs and plants.
Ten villages involved in the 6,000-hectare project would also benefit from electricity, school upgrades, health clinic and Internet connection as part of the project’s infrastructure, said Stevens.
Stevens said they would also set up a website where weekly updates and look-down features will enable the public to see the project area, view the photo gallery of the project as it unfolds, and read the DENR monthly accomplishment reports on the project.
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Sorry RollyT, but I’m not convinced. Why would the company say that they were engaged in using hardwood logs from tribal lands for saw mill operations and hardwood log contracts if it weren’t true? Or is that why he was convicted of securities fraud by a unanimous jury verdict in the United States? Maybe you can help clarify if you were there.
I would hate to see Pacquiao fall victim to some scammer just because he didn’t know his history about the people involved. I mean at this time he was still fighting in light flyweight division and hadn’t even won his first title yet. Hehehe.
May 10, 1996
"During this review, the Board agreed with an outside investor to join in a strategic plan to expand Global's timber operations in the Philippines. As part of the overall plan, the outside investor -- Steven Randall Jackson -- agreed to join the Global Board of Directors and will assist current Board member Jonathon Bentley-Stevens in expanding saw mill operations and in soliciting contracts for hardwood logs and wood chips in the future. "
"Mr. Bentley-Stevens was named Chief Financial Officer (a new position) and Treasurer."
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLOBAL+TIMBER+CORPORATION+ANNOUNCES+AGREEM...
June 18, 1996
"Future agreements with trading companies are expected to concern hardwoods for furniture makers and other woods for construction concerns from Global's rights to cultivate 51,391 acres of timber land valued at approximately $250 million. These rights were granted by Filipino Tribes, which share in the revenues developed by Global. "
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLOBAL+TIMBER+ANNOUNCES+MAJOR+CONTRACT-a01...
who cares what hapened 16years ago . philippines needs this kind of project and i worked with stevens and val ruaya and datu manpadiding in san luis and esperanza in agusan during those years and we never cut a single tree.
who is that poster anyway, looks like we are goin to get a good project, it took bentley 3 years to get the cbfma for datu manpadiding
now the banwa-on manobo are doin ok
Stevens is now saving the trees in the Philippines? Just 15 years ago he was signing away rights that he didn't have to cut down the trees, I guess it's more profitable to leave them standing now.
April 2, 1996 - Global Timber Press Release
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLOBAL+TIMBER+ANNOUNCES+ANNUAL+MEETING+ACT...
May 1, 1996 - Global Timber Press Release
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLOBAL+TIMBER+APPROACHED+BY+INVESTOR+SEEKI...
May 10, 1996 - Global Timber Press Release
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLOBAL+TIMBER+CORPORATION+ANNOUNCES+AGREEM...
June 18, 1996 - Global Timber Press Release
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/GLOBAL+TIMBER+ANNOUNCES+MAJOR+CONTRACT-a01...
August 19, 1996 - SEC Litigation Release
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/admin/34-37580.txt
September 6, 1996 - Global Timber Press Release
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Global+Eligible+For+Bulletin+Board+Trading...
October 15, 1996 - Global Timber Press Release
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Global+Timber+$1.5+Million+Joint+Venture+Agreement-a018766111
November 12, 1996 - Global Timber Press Release
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Global+Announces+Second+Quarter+Results-a0...
March 6, 1997 - Global Timber Press Release
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Global+Announces+Third+Quarter+Results-a01...
June 9, 1998 - SEC (U.S.) Litigation Release
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/lr15774.txt
June 3, 2004 - SEC (U.S.) Litigation Release Re Conviction
http://www.sec.gov/litigation/litreleases/lr18735.htm
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