Rare plants, animals thrive in dam project site-A A +A Tuesday,
September 4, 2012 ILOILO CITY – Rare plants and animals are
found at the area where the site of the multi-billion peso
Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project (JRMP) of the National
Government will be built. The barangays Garangan, Agcalaga and
Masaroy is home to the indigenous people in central Panay
Island. Young scientists from the University of the Philippines-
Diliman found an initial 40 tree species, 78 flowering plants
and seven ferns, some of which are considered rare. The team
also discovered the presence of endangered warty pigs and
spotted deers still roaming in the forests while eagle hawks
locally called binanog soared by. The area also teemed of snakes
and turtles. The team of biologist John Warner Carag, physicist
Niel Laurent Caidic and geologist Adrian Raymund Fernandez said
the trees and plants species are on top of 10 ecologically
important species, 18 with therapeutic purpose, 15 for food
consumption and 19 for other uses. The river