Bulabog Puti-an national park gains attention
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has given attention to Bulabog Puti-an National Park (BPNP) this year, 2006 as one of the Protected Areas that should be extensively developed as one of the eco-tourist center of Panay Islands.
In the past, BPNP was already gaining grounds among the students in the Province of Iloilo as one of the destination for field study being one of the remaining forest in Iloilo that showcased many attractions like caves, springs, and old growth forest trees. It was also used by the DENR as a training venue for Assisted Natural Regeneration.
Lately, the DENR under the administration of Regional Executive Director Julian D. Amador had signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the West Visayas College of Science and Technology who will help in the drafting of a development plan that wil l include the creation of a mascot to represent the Park and the design for cottages, butterfly gardens and other amenities that will make the Park an ideal eco-tourist destination.
On February 16, the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), a governing body of the park that is composed of NGOs, academe, people's organization, barangay representatives from barangays in the vicinity of the Park and the Local government of Dingle and San Enrique held its first meeting for 2006 and discuss the strategies on how to protect the park. It was presided by OIC-RTD Arlene T. Dalawis of the Protected Area
It was agreed by the PAMB that they would pass a resolution addressed to the provincial government to grant incentives to the Barangay Tanods conducting foot patrol works at the Park. The protection works will be intensified due to the investigation reports made by Forester Tony Boy Latoza who said that there had been illegal cutting of trees nearing the entrance of the Park but outside of the Park's perimeter.
Mayor Solinap of Dingle donated a service motor vehicle to the Park mana gement under PASu Apolinario Corbal as a means of transportation for the mobility of the Forest Guards and the Park Superintendent himself to intensify its patrol works.
PENRO Iloilo Valentin Talabero is in charge of the total supervision of the projects in Bulabog Puti-an Natural Park.
(PENRO Iloilo)