BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (9 October) -- A community-based cooperative here has been nominated for this year's 6th Service National Gender and Development Award (SNGDA) by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The Banila Community-Based Cooperative (BCBC) in Dupax del Sur town has been unanimously chosen as the region's nominee for the SNGDA being a hall of fame awardee in 2003 as Model for Sustainable Development Project for three consecutive years.

"Also one of its major feature is that most of its members are women who are making their efforts to protect the environment," said Nerissa Carpio, DENR information officer.

The BCBC earned its nomination after receiving several awards such as Best Cooperative in Dupax del Sur in 2002, Most Outstanding ADB loan project in Nueva Vizcaya, Model Sustainable Development Project under upland category in Nueva Vizcaya and the region in 2000,2001 and 2002.

BCBC was established in 1993 after villagers in barangay Banila realized the need of binding themselves into an organization inorder to rehabilitate and develop the denuded forestlands in their community.

In 1994, the organization started to produce seedlings for the reforestation of the vast open grasslands in the village, utilizing their own resources and employing the value of 'Bayanihan'(unity and cooperation) to achieve their goal.

It was in 1995 when Asian Development Bank mission staff took importance and interest on their initiative which paved the way for the granting of the 200 hectare Banila Contract Reforestation Project (BCRP) which they have successfully implemented within 3 years.

Since then, the DENR granted them other development projects such as 80 - hectare forest plantation and 4 - hectare tiger grass production under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) including 65 - hectare plantation and 5 - hectare fruit tree development funded by JICA. Livelihood ventures were also handed to the BCBC such as the 400 square meter cut flower production, and hog fattening projects.