Albay town goes ‘green’ to protect tourism sites

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STO. DOMINGO, Albay – This Albaytown has revived its municipal ordinances aimed at protecting its tourism sites.

On Sunday the town launched the “Bayong Day,” a free distribution of “bayong” for market goers as an intention to strengthen the Anti-Plastic Ordinance.

Mayor Herbie Aguas said, at least 200 pieces of bayong were given to residents to be utilized as shopping bags.

“The purpose is to lessen or even stop the use of plastic bags during market days. Waste plastic bags are washed away by floods especially during rainy days,” Aguas said.

He added that the town is abundant of karagumoy (ChlorophoraExcelsa, also known as pandan), the raw material for making bayong and mats. Weaving is a thriving industry in some villages in the province.

“Aside from the regulation of plastic use, we also gave livelihood to farmers to plant and weave karagumoy,” he explained.

Situated at the foot of majestic Mayon volcano, the town boasts of its sparkling black sand beaches where pod of frolicking dolphins may be seen close to shore.

“We really have to do our part in eliminating plastic wastes in our town because our tourism site is at stake. Plastic is harmful to these marine mammals. We stopped blast fishing with the help of our people so I think this is the next best move,” Aguas said.

In 2014, the presence of dolphins attracted more than 50 visitors daily.

Bayong Day is part of the town’s advocacy program dubbed as “Sto. Domingo Goes Green Again.”

The chief executive, including the Sangguniang Bayan officials, nongovernmental organizations and other volunteers, moved to San Andres relocation site to plant trees immediately after the launching.

The municipal government also activated the Anti-Smoking Task Group to strictly implement the Anti-Smoking Ordinance prohibiting smoking in all public places in the municipality.

Likewise, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Program pursuant to Republic Act 9003 was also launched and turned-over “Eco Padyak” units to every barangay after an orientation on the “No Segregation, No Collection” policy for every stakeholder concerned.

Three years ago, Sto. Domingo partnered with Junior Chamber International Legazpi Chapter in installing the “Coral Genesis Project”, a rosarythemed modern technique in restoring degraded and damaged corals in this resort town, using underwater microsolar electric power.

A mangrove planting activity was held last June at Palina Greenbelt Ecopark in Barangay Cagay, participated by volunteers from Shell Culasi depot, Shell Lapus terminal, Shell Roxas station, Roxas City local government unit, and Shell’s implementing partner, the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

“This project will keep this place clean and green,” said Belinda Garrido, coastal resource management coordinator in Roxas City. She added that the project will contribute to the sustainability of coastal resources, given that mangroves are pollution filters. Moreover, the thick root frameworks of mangrove forests trap sediments streaming down waterways, sustaining the coastline and warding off erosion from waves and storms.

Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation (PSPC), through the Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. (PSFI), donated 31 million to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) for mangrove and beach forest protection in Roxas City, Capiz, one of the areas affected by super-typhoon Yolanda in November, 2013.

PSPC’s donation to PDRF not only covered the mangrove reha- bilitation project, but also provided cash for work to 66 fisherfolk from neighboring barangays of Baybay, Cagay, and Culajao who helped in planting mangroves as well.

With approximately 105,000 mangroves planted, the target survival rate is 85 percent. PDRF, through PBSP, will monitor the growth of the mangroves.