THE VIEW UP ABOVE
(Part 2 of 5)
THERE is truth in the understanding that every situation is best viewed above – the bird’s eye view.
Up above, one can never lose sight of the bigger picture because what is visible on the ground may not be same in the sky.
Last January, I had the chance to fly aboard an ultralight plane of the Mindanao Saga Flying Club. It is one of the musttry activities when in Mati City, Davao Oriental. It became a tourist magnet ever since it opened because of its unique experience offering – witnessing Mati’s clear blue seas and lush green trees, mostly coconut farms up in the sky.
It wasn’t my first time. I had the chance to experience the ride in 2015 and flying again made me compare how my experience before and now went.
Generally, it’s the same. The pilot is always in control and on both occasions, I felt safe. The feeling of being on top, flying, still gave me chills and excitement.
However, there is a remarkable difference.
What used to be a beautiful 21,000-hectare mangrove forest at Sitio Guang-guang, Barangay Dahican has been chopped down and turned into fishponds.
The reason? Only the pond owners can answer and maybe the local government unit for allowing this to happen.
It has been a concern for years by the residents but the conversion persisted until travel journalist Ida Nanette Damo of Choose Philippines posted some photos of the site comparing it year on year, which gained numerous comments and shares, prompting the LGU to act on the matter.
Mati City Mayor Carlo Rabat created on April 28 a committee (Task Force Guang-guang) composed of Department of Environment and Natural Resources, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Agriculture’s Office, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, City Planning and Development Office and Barangay Dahican to conduct actual inspections and submit report and recommendations guided by DILG Mati within at least two weeks.
The mayor also instructed the City Engineers Office to stop issuing permit related on this matter.
“The Task Force Guangguang already made resolutions but they’ll be presenting it to the mayor first,” Mati City information officer Yon Maybuena said in a text interview. The committee and the mayor has yet to convene.
But Maybuena emphasized that as of May 30, per Cenro report, demarcations have been formed and heavy equipment at the site were removed.
Mangrove rehabilitation is a nature-based solution for disasters and climate change. This is a movement worldwide, and Mati City should be driving in the same direction.
Environmental protection and disaster risk reduction should always be top of mind among both investors and local governments. We are gifted with a vast mangroves and it is nothing but treasures worthy to be saved and preserved. == For the third part of this series, Manlalakbay will ride on the same waves enjoyed by Mati’s renowned surfers, not to surf but to chat on what developments, changes and current challenges the surfing community faces.