Fernando assures protection of Bulakan Mangrove Ecopark against soon-to-rise Bulacan airport

CITY OF MALOLOS- Governor Daniel R. Fernando assured the Bulakenyos that the 24.5-hectares Bulakan Mangrove Ecopark with 300,000 mangroves will be spared from the construction of the soon-to-rise Bulacan airport and that the Provincial Government will do its part to support its development during the “Baka One: An Adopt-a-Mangrove Acre Planting Day for Conservation, Preservation and Propagation for a Sustainable Ecotourism Tomorrow” held at the ecopark located in Sitio Wawang Capiz, Bambang, Bulakan yesterday.

“This is the first time na nakapunta ako dito at napakaganda pala. Kailangan na makita ito ng mga henerasyon na darating. Sa mga nangyayari ngayon katulad ng climate change, kinakailangan nating alagaan ito. We need to see the beauty of our nature, at kung hindi natin aalalayan ito, wala na silang aabutan, ang mga anak natin,” the governor said.

The program anchored on the theme “Being One with Nature is the Core of Life” initiated by the Guides Alliance of Bulacan At Your service (GABAY) and Youth for Eco-tourism Society (YES) Club in coordination with the Provincial Government of Bulacan, Municipality of Bulakan and Department of Tourism launched the first of their five-year project in which they have already planted 350 propagules of mangrove.

GABAY President Erwin Valenzuela highlighted the importance of a mangrove park saying it is a home for many marine species like fishes, amphibians and migratory birds, as well as its advantages in the ecosystem by trapping carbon monoxide and producing oxygen.

“Hindi lang tayo ngayon magtatanim, masusundan pa ito. Kasi we want it to be sustainable so that it will be a big help to the community and so we could promote responsible ecotourism,” Valenzuela said.

Meanwhile, World Federation of Tour Guide Associations Global Ambassadress Maricar Donato admired the ecopark and said that their association with 110 member countries and over a hundred thousand tourist guide members around the world will surely love the place.

“You are pioneering all of this. I never saw anything so good and so advanced. I hope the Philippines will bid for the hosting of the International Tourist Guide Day on 2023 so tourist guides from all over the world could enjoy nature and talking to the trees here,” Donato said.