Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said he personally witnessed the transformation of the Boracay Wetland Conservation Park or Wetland No. 2 "from a degraded wetland to…an ecotourism site and an educational center for conservation."
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has expressed hope that the lessons gained from the Boracay Wetland Conservation Park rehabilitation will inspire business and government leaders to "invest financial and political capital to save wetlands" across the country.
"The Boracay Wetland Conservation Park illustrates the value of multi-sectoral convergence in conservation work. The wetlands of Boracay are now under different phases of rehabilitation. Thanks to our wetland adopters, the Energy Development Corp. (EDC), Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., Boracay Tubi System Inc., J.G. Summit Olefins Corp., and San Miguel Corporation," Cimatu said in a video message during the celebration of the World Wetlands Day 2022 on February 2.
With the theme, "Wetlands Action for People and Nature," this year’s World Wetlands Day celebration was highlighted by the turnover of the newly-rehabilitated Boracay Wetland Conservation Park from its adoptor EDC to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
EDC was among the first to respond to the DENR’s Adopt-A-Wetland Program to recover and restore the island’s nine wetlands.
DENR said this year’s theme focuses on the importance of concerted actions for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands for the benefit of humanity, the environment, and biodiversity.
In his speech, Cimatu said he personally witnessed the transformation of the Boracay Wetland Conservation Park or Wetland No. 2 "from a degraded wetland to what it is now — an arboretum of native trees, an ecotourism site and an educational center for conservation."
The environment chief is chair of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force for the rehabilitation of the island per Executive Order No. 53 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte on May 18, 2018.
Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) OIC Director Natividad Bernardino, who served as the general manager of the Boracay Inter-Agency Rehabilitation Management Group from 2019-2021, said that “the rehabilitation of the iconic island was first met with resistance but we were able to accomplish what needs to be done.”
Tags: #environment, #Boracay, #wetlands, #Boracayrehab, #DepartmentOfEnvironmentandNaturalResources