About bulaklak, inc.

BULAKLAK, Inc. (Bungkos Lakas Kababaihan Laban sa Kahirapan) is a Civil Society Organization dedicated to empowering women by organizing and harnessing their potential as an economic force that would complement the various male-led programs in Dalig, Cardona, Rizal.

It was formed in 2003 and registered with the SEC (Security and Exchange Commission) in 2004, June 23. They are based in Sitio, Dupax Brgy. Dalig. Bulaklak was formed by the Ugmariz, a federation of civil society organizations,

Its vision is to give importance and help rehabilitate its source of all income - the Laguna Lake. At the same time, its vision is to raise the morale of women in Barangay Dalig and harness their capabilities in different aspects.

BULAKLAK, Inc. has 52 members. The CSO is associated with multiple institutions such as Ugmariz Inc., Miriam College, La Salle, Ateneo De Manila University which BULAKLAK, Inc. works with as they seek to understand the concerns and lives of women and fisherfolk.

history of water lilies

Waterlilies can be used productively, but more often than not, they are a cause of inconvenience. The community of Dalig, Cardona (Alternative: BULAKLAK, Inc.) has a specific word for them, salot. The proliferation of water lilies hinders the fisherfolk’s boats and makes it harder for them to fish. It also affects the abundance of fish. For the people of Dalig, it is a plague that contaminates their lake, the source of their livelihood.

The community generally associates water lilies with problems in the lake. In reality, they are right. There is a correlation between the levels of organic pollutants in the lake and the proliferation of water lilies. This is the result of what is termed cultural eutrophication, wherein human activities such as the discharge of pollutants into waterways lead to increased nutrients which affect dissolved oxygen levels. This eventually leads to the deterioration of the lake. If there is an overabundance of water lilies in LDB, it shows that the water pollution levels are high, which has an impact on fishing activities and affects the income of fisherfolk.

Laguna Lake originally had brackish water (fresh water combined with salt water) but in 1983 the government built the Napindan Hydraulic Control Structure to the aptly named Napindan Channel, the only tributary which connects Laguna Lake to Manila Bay. This structure controls the flow of water and has halted saltwater from entering the lake, altering the ecological balance of the once brackish lake. Currently it is a freshwater lake that serves the water needs of Metro Manila.

Preventing saltwater access has accelerated the deterioration of the Lake, this along with several other infrastructure projects such as the Laguna Lake Shore Dike, Ferry Boat Station, and Maynilad’s various projects. Compounding the problem is the high volume of trash and siltation (putik) near the mouth of Napindan Channel. The trash prevents saltwater from flowing into the lake. Community residents say that this has to be dredged, but they think the government is unlikely to do this as dredging will affect Maynilad’s projects.

It is because of these combined factors that water hyacinths began to proliferate. Residents of the surrounding communities have noted that these fauna became an issue around 2002, when their numbers rapidly expanded overnight and affected the ability of fisherfolk to maintain their livelihood.
One of the members reported that fishermen can take three hours to reach the fishing areas because the water hyacinths block their boats. These add to the fisherfolks’ woes and further impairs their ability to catch fish.

When fishermen have difficulty fishing and have less fish catch, their families suffer economically. This is why it is very important for them to find alternate sources of income, preferably land-based.

The concept of BULAKLAK, Inc. to create something out of water lilies answers many of the concerns of its members. By taking out water lilies from Lake Laguna, they help clear the waterways to help the fisherfolk. They also raise additional income, which greatly reduces the economic pressures borne by the fisherfolk, who are generally males.

However, for BULAKLAK, Inc. to substantially reduce the burden on the fisherfolk, it will be necessary for the CSO to improve the profitability of its enterprise. This means developing products and marketing this, as well as increasing its market.

References used:
https://www.thegef.org/news/paralyzed-growth-lake-under-siege?fbclid=IwAR2vsNBlv3Lfmkb6pecUzfsZiU26DBSRCpiZEq4Wa93Y6JhoZlfz9yeogS0

https://books.google.com.ph/books?hl=en&lr=&id=BWS1DwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA187&dq=Water+Hyacinth+cultural+eutrophication&ots=UU1eJTzQWW&sig=8U2Hh9iZ3XlAW36f70ZXHRYCo&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Water%20Hyacinth%20cultural%20eutrophication&f=false

http://dspace.cas.upm.edu.ph/jspui/handle/123456789/201

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1074643

http://dspace.cas.upm.edu.ph/jspui/handle/123456789/201