Thursday, October 04, 2007 3 NoCot mayors ink pact for Apo By Malu C. Manar Correspondent
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Three chief executives of North Cotabato inked a declaration of understanding to protect Mount Apo, the country's highest peak.
The declaration was signed by the mayors of Kidapawan City, Makilala, and Magpet in North Cotabato on September 18 while they were at the Yosemite Mountain in California, USA.
A copy of the declaration was given to media on Tuesday, days after they arrived from their two-week visit to US.
The executives -- Kidapawan City Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco, Makilala Mayor Onofre Respicio, and Magpet Mayor Efren Pinol Sr.-- vowed to protect the biodiversity of Mount Apo Natural Park by developing plans and creating effective coordination mechanism towards its protection, preservation, and development.
Also, the three promised to provide the necessary support and assistance within their respective capacities and in accordance with their powers and authorities as provided by law to protect the mountain.
They also consider building a strong partnership with other local government units, environment groups, and other stakeholders of Mount Apo's protection and preservation.
"We believe there is an urgent call for concern and response to the environment challenges unfolding in their locality. We recognize that the Mount Apo Natural Park is rich in biodiversity and an important natural environment for the present and future generations," the three stated in their declaration.
They all believe that the sustainable protection, preservation, and development of the mountain are a "shared responsibility and common accountability."
Two weeks ago, the three went on a study tour of Yosemite in the United States, which lies along the Mariposa and Tuolumne counties in the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in California.
Yosemite is known worldwide for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity.
The Natural Park Management of the US's Department of Interior invited the local officials, where they underwent an orientation on natural park management and promotion.
The study tour, said Gantuangco, has given them the opportunity to study Yosemite's advanced park conservation and management system.
He said the invitation was extended to them on the basis of the city's efforts of conserving the Mount Apo Natural Park, which like Yosemite, is being run and managed by the local governments and inhabited by the indigenous people.
"Mt. Apo is the primary watershed area of the North Cotabato province where conservation concerns should be a serious concern to everyone, not only the government but also the community," he said.
