City govt seals terms of park ‘adoption’

BAGUIO CITY: The city government and the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association have entered into a memorandum of agreement (MoA) for the extension for another three years and the expansion of the area of the PMSEA park located within the newly refurbished botanical garden.

The MoA was signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and PMSEA president and engineer Luis Sarmiento.

The signing was witnessed by Rhenan Diwas of the City Environment and Parks Management Office (Cepmo) and members of the PMSEA board of directors.

Under the agreement, PMSEA will continue to adopt the PMSEA park, including the lot adjacent to it and continue as the development partner in maintaining the cleanliness, landscaping and beautification of the area; assist the city in the preservation of the natural view of the park that includes existing trees and ornaments and other vegetative ground coverings of the area, including park facilities found in the same; introduce and provide landscape materials in the form of indigenous plants and/or any other planting materials that would aid in maintaining the area; continue with the improvements and/or development projects with proper coordination and approval by Cepmo; not encumber or alienate any portion of the park but ensure its preservation and public accessibility; and turn over to the local government all accomplished projects and/ or activities implemented within the park upon the revocation or termination of the agreement.

On the other hand, the city shall exercise solely the rights and powers to review and approve whatever programs and projects undertaken by PMSEA through the parks management office prior to implementation; provide technical assistance to PMSEA in the design and implementation of projects and supervise the execution of all programs, projects and activities within the park; and ensure the preservation and safeguarding of all park facilities being the overall administrator of all city parks, including that of the PMSEA park and enforcement of existing laws, rules, and regulations on the management and operation of city parks under the agreement.

In 2010, PMSEA adopted the PMSEA park, a 5,000-square meter portion of the botanical garden, which forms part of its contribution to efforts of the local government to sustain the preservation and protection of the environment and being part of the volunteer group’s advocacy on responsible mining.

PMSEA has planted more than 1,500 trees and some 150 endemic plants within portions of the adopted area under the Adopt-APark program of the city government.

The agreement was renewed in 2017 pursuant to a commitment of PMSEA as a frontrunner in occupational health and safety, sound environmental management and social development.

Sarmiento assured city officials that PMSEA is also committed to help in the efforts of the local government to implement sustainable environmental preservation and protection projects as its contribution to the city being the second home of PMSEA and its partner in environmental preservation and protection for the benefit of future generations.

Magalong thanked the organization for helping improve the botanical garden pursuant to its standards where the same will be replicated in other city parks.