ECOWALK 2010: Advocating against Climate Change and promote Eco-Tourism “ADTO TA and help revive Eco Park”

By PJTremedal, BNDMisOC-CIB/OCM

Oroquieta City – The local government of Oroquieta with its employees under its organization OCIGEA or the Oroquieta City Government employees Association will be conducting an eco walk to become an advocate against Climate Change that is now being felt not only in this part of the world.

Said Eco Walk is also to visit a tourist destination of which was already neglected because at a time it was a dangerous place to live or to become a tourist destination because of yesteryears peace and order problem. The place is called Ciriaco Pastrano Park who had been under the Oroquieta Agricultural Industrial School (OAIS) administration and been improved and utilized by the former government way back in the 80’s.

Today with the local government under its new administration, City Mayor Jason P. Almonte thru the recommendations from the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Tourism that the place will be visited for tourism rehabilitation program and eventually put its heart out to become an advocate of the preservation of the natural resources and its environs against climate change and other environmental problems, the walk will be participated by all OCIGEA members to promote its rehabilitation and be considered as one tourism attraction of the city. The walk’s theme: is simply reviving Oroquieta’s eco- park in the 80’s. “ADTO TA and help revive the EcoPark”

“It will be the start of our tourism initiatives to be done with this administration” Tourism Committee Chair, Hon. Ruvy “Alay”Ala said.

On Friday, the walk will start from the center of Clarin Settlement, a 10 kilometer Barangay away from the city proper which the local government employees will be shuttled by vehicles and assembled to a 30 minute walk to reach the Cipriano Pastrano Park.

A program will follow with the agenda on the tourism development plans and programs of the city government and a message from the City Mayor after which local management from the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources will commence to talk about the importance of environmental protection and preservation, climate change and its effects, and other issues and concern to include peace and order.

In the program, Mr. Eden Pito of DENR will be the resource speaker while City Administrator Engr. Arecio Casing Jr will give the overview of the activity of which a ceremonial tree planting will take place.

The said walk will culminate with a commitment and a pledge of support from the OCIGEA organization and other visitors and guest to protect and preserve nature thru sustainable tourism industry initiatives to be benefitted by Oroquietanons.

It may be recalled that with the former administration of now Congressman Jorge Taghap Almonte of the 1^st Misamis Occidental Congressional District, Environment its protection and preservation is one of the former administration’s agenda J.O.R.G.E (Jobs and Livelihood Initiative, Oroquieta to become center of Excellence for Education, Relentless action to achieved Peace and order, Justice, Good Governance, and Environmental Protection and Preservation, Climate Change and Health),thus, the city is now called the “City of Good Life”.