The City of Mati Environmental and Eco-Tourism Center (CMEEC) in Barangay Dahican is eyed to be opened to the public soon, according to Mati City Tourism Office (CTO).
Mati CTO Head Dashiel Indelible Jr. told SunStar Davao on Monday, May 23, that the CMEEC is already at 90 percent completion.
“After the finalization of the operations manual we will announce the date of opening,” he said.
The CMEEC, located in the mangrove sites of the Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape, will serve as an additional attraction in Barangay Dahican to decongest the popular tourist sites in the area such as the Dahican Beach.
Indelible said the CMEEC will offer a unique nature experience for tourists to learn about the different species of mangroves present in the area. The center is suitable for educational, scientific, and recreational tours.
“(The CMEEC) is significant to preservation and conservation of the mangrove forest and its biodiversity,” Indelible said.
According to Indelible, the CMEEC has an initial budget of approximately P15,000,000 funded by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) under the Local Government Special Fund for Cities.
The CMEEC is a public, open park that includes an environment-friendly boardwalk that goes through the mangrove forest. Tourism activities will also be available such as kayaking, boating, bird watching, scientific research, educational tour, gleaning experiences, firefly encounter, and night kayak, among others.
The CMEEC will be a protected site under Pujada Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape which is declared a marine protected area under Republic Act No. 11038 "Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018.”