NEW ECO-PARK LAUNCHED IN CALAPAN
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro: The Office of the Sangguniang Panglungsod here formally turned over to the officials of the Oriental Mindoro National High School the OMNHS Mangrove Biodiversity Conservation Eco-Park on Friday, February 16.
Presiding officer Vice Mayor Bim Ignacio highlighted the joint efforts of the city council and the office of Sen. Lorna Regina “Loren” Legarda in the realization of the eco-park that he said would boost the eco-tourism potential of the city.
“I would like to thank the office of Senator Legarda with the help of my uncle, former governor Benjamin Espiritu. When I brought the idea of an eco-park to her office, she readily agreed and allotted funds for the project,” said Ignacio during a simple turnover ceremony.
Oriental Mindoro 1st District Rep. Arnan Panaligan, who attended the opening ceremony, said that the idea of the eco-park did not happen overnight and it was first conceptualized when, as the mayor then, he visited the school to inaugurate a project and suggested the idea to OMNHS principal Dr. Nimrod Bantigue.
“This place was a dumping site then. But I saw the potential of converting it into an ecological park to encourage students to protect and preserve our environment,” said Panaligan.
“They do not need to go on field trips just to have an idea of what environmental concerns are. Right here in the heart of our bustling city, we have this haven where one can jog or do yoga sessions amid the lush green bacawan and other flower and fruit bearing trees,” added Panaligan.
The lawmaker expressed his gratitude to Ignacio for continuing the project and added that ten years since he discussed the project to the principal, it had come a long way. He also committed additional funding from his office for the expansion of the eco-park.
The opening ceremony was also attended by the parents teacher association of OMNHS, the Architect Organization of the Philippines Oriental Mindoro Chapter, representatives from the Department of Public Works and Highways who supervised the construction of the walkway and structures inside the eco-park, and officials and students of the school.
The park is situated inside the compound of the OMNHS in Barangay San Vicente South and Barangay Camilmil in this city. It has an area of approximately 3 hectares and traverses the Calapan River.