MANDAUE City’s Mangrove Eco Park, which has long been the city’s dream, will finally see the light of day.
This, after the City Government has been among the 77 cities that have been granted approval by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to receive P12.3 million for a project.
With the budget, the Mangrove Eco Park at the 17-hectare lot in Barangay Paknaan will be realized. It will help solve the problem of flooding and eventually clean up Butuanon River.
Each time there is heavy downpour, water at the Butuanon River easily overflows, causing floods in many barangays in Mandaue City. Thus, the eco-park has been seen as a long-term solution.
Architect Marlo Ocleasa, the City Planning and Development officer, said the mangrove area in Barangay Paknaan also serves as the water exit towards Mactan Channel.
“In our comprehensive land use plan, we have identified the area where we will develop the Mangrove Eco Park... It’s the outfall in Butuanon River so it could largely help in terms of cleaning the dirt, so they won’t end up in the Mactan Channel. It will be filtered. It will also protect nearby areas, in terms of flooding. (It) can help in carbon emission (to lessen the effect). The mangroves will be a lot of help,” said Ocleasa.
Ocleasa represented the Mandaue City Government last Monday in Manila when the DBM announced that it has approved the City’s proposal. The budget will be released in November.
The contractor last week visited the 17-hectare lot in Barangay Paknaan. The lot is near the 6.5-hectare relocation site. Today, it will start the project’s Phase 1, which is the kilometer-long bamboo boardwalk that costs P5 million.
Also part of Phase 1 are three watchtowers, three viewing decks and an assembly area.
Phase 2, which will complete the eco-park, will be funded by the P12.3 million from DBM. It will also fund the additional 700 meters of boardwalk, bird blinds, receiving area, nursery, aquasilviculture and lamp posts.
“Kita ra pud ang highly urbanized city nga naay ing-ana kadaghan nga mangrove (We’re also the only highly urbanized city that has that many mangroves),” said Ocleasa.
Mandaue City will present the project in the International River Summit that will be held in the city this November. Fe Marie Dumaboc, Correspondent