Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. COO Sabin M. Aboitiz turns over to DENR Sec. Roy Cimatu a hawksbill (pawikan) figurine, a symbol of the Aboitiz Group’s commitment to helping rehabilitate Boracay. The turnover of the symbolic figurine was made during the signing of the memorandum of agreement on August 13. /PHOTO Courtesy of Aboitiz Group
The Aboitiz Group, through its social development arm the Aboitiz Foundation, will help rehabilitate Wetland 4, a one-hectare lagoon in Barangay Balabag, Boracay Island.
The memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. Chief Operating Officer Sabin M. Aboitiz, and Aboitiz Foundation Head Maribeth Marasigan.
The Aboitiz Group will undertake the project under the guidance of DENR and the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force.
Wetland 4 is among the nine wetlands that the private sector will rehabilitate and develop.
The area boasts of three distinct features:
recreational — using low-impact eco-tourism design;
educational — generating awareness on the importance of wetlands; and
experiential — allowing the local community, students, and tourists to participate in the cleanup, maintenance, and protection initiatives.
The rehabilitation and development of Wetland 4, which will be converted it into a “Linear Urban Park”, is expected to take about three years.
A key feature of Wetland 4 development is the establishment of a plaza with a cistern underneath that will serve as a flood management measure.
The area around the lagoon will be made into a boardwalk, planted with trees and plants endemic to Boracay to rebuild the land’s biodiversity.
The adoption of the wetland also involves educating the immediate community about protection, conservation, enhancement, and rehabilitation of Boracay’s natural ecosystems. /vvp