BY JUSTINE ADRIAN AMORA/UM Intern
THE BEEKEEPERS Network Philippines Foundation Inc raised awareness on the importance of bees to the global food supply since they support entire ecosystems as pollinators.
Epifanio C. Loyola, foundation president and also chairman of the Regional Agri-fishery Council of the Department of Agriculture XI, delivered a speech on May 18 on the celebration of World Bee Day on May 20.
“Ito’y pagpapansin ng mga— lalo na sa magsasaka— na talagang ka-partner nila ang bees sa pagsasaka. Without bees, wala tayong pagkain. Halos 80% ng kinakain natin is pollinated by bees,” said Loyola.
Loyola proceeded to discuss the bee production in Davao City, one of which is the stingless bee or “Kiwot,” which are known to he highly efficient pollinators for local crops including mango, coconuts, and various fruit trees.
He also warned about the usage of synthetic fertilizers and how it harms the population of bees.
“Kung ang [mga] bee ang mawala, dahil sa pag gamit natin ng mga synthetic na mga fertilizer, namamatay sila. Anong mangyari ngayon sa ating mga pagkain, mga pananim natin, especially yung mga vegetables, yung mga fruit trees na kailangan ng pollination?” He added.
Loyola also mentioned the Apis florea, one of the smallest bee in the world and was last seen in 1937, and was again seen on Davao City in 2023. Through their study and investigation, they were able to discover more on the Island Garden City of Samal, which are responsible for making the delicious taste of the mangoes there.
In line with this, the Bureau of Agricultural Research partnered with the University of the Philippines Los Baños to conduct a study on June 6 to assess the contribution of bees to mango production in Davao and identify ways to protect them.
