Focus on land-based jobs, Guimaras towns urged
The provincial government of Guimaras is urging all its local government units to focus their work and programs on land-based jobs for the meantime.
Guimaras Gov. Felipe Hilan Nava said that the island-province is not all fishing and mangoes. He said that other opportunities and community-wide livelihood program should be explored.
He said that each municipality has a specialty trade such as weaving, food processing, wood carving and galleon making, among others.
All these age-old trades should be refocused so that the community and the towns will be able to increase its earnings, he said.
It will also promote cultural awareness and strong community cooperation, said the governor.
He stressed that the five municipalities of Guimaras has to tap their alternative livelihood projects to boost their income.
He also encouraged the mayors and village heads to form their cooperatives and groups that will boost workforce.
Nava said that the province has been very reliant on its sea-based livelihood that it has lost its capacity to generate income from its vast land-based resources.
He said that aside from its world renowned mangoes, it still has its cashews, high value commercial crops, untapped rice and agricultural sector, and land-base tourism network.
He also said that Guimaras is not all beaches. It also has hiking, trekking, caves, biking routes and other in-land tourist sites.
Earlier, a marine biology expert advised the provincial government to give their surrounding sea a rest after its bout with oil spill four years ago.
Dr. Lemnuel Aragones, team leader of the Guimaras Environmental Studies, said that the sea surrounding the province and its marine life should be given a break from frequent fishing and other sea-based livelihood activities.*PNA
