LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The provincial government of Pangasinan, a Regional Hall of Fame awardee in Coastal Resource Management (CRM), once again served as a model Local Government Unit (LGU) for chief officials of a coastal town in Visayas who later expressed intent to replicate some programs of Pangasinan CRM.
The province of Pangasinan was recognized by the Regional Development Council (RDC) with Best CRM, besting three other provinces in the region in three consecutive years 2008, 2009 and 2010.
In a study tour in Lingayen on May 29, Mayor Siegfredo Betita of Carles town in IloIlo province lauded the CRM of Pangasinan which serves as backbone of various environmental advocacies and projects initiated by the present provincial administration led by Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr.
“You are very good, and also a Hall of Fame awardee in Coastal Resource Management” Betita said as he pointed out that their visit in Lingayen provided them with insights in implementing programs to conserve and preserve the environment in Carles, the northernmost town in IloIlo.
The Fishery Enhancement Program (FEP) of Pangasinan, Betita stressed, will help their local lawmakers to come up with solutions and legislative procedures to save their marine resources, which he said, are now depleting due to overfishing.
Provincial Agriculturist Officer-in-Charge Dalisay Moya, on behalf of Governor Espino who went on a study tour in Japan with Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim, Jr., informed the visitors that the provincial government has been very serious in preserving environment in Pangasinan by implementing sustainable environmental programs.
Pangasinan has 14 coastal LGUs with 123 coastal barangays bordering along West Philippine Sea.
On top of various environmental advocacies of the province, the “Ilog Ko, Aroen Tan Bilayen Ko” project of the Espino administration, Moya said, has gained admiration and support from National Government Agencies (NGAs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), private sector groups and LGUs.
Main component of the project that was undertaken by the Task Force Kalikasan, was the massive clean-up of rivers and waterways in the province which was followed by dredging of silts from river beds. Today, rivers in Pangasinan have recaptured beauty and grandeur, even serving as natural tourism facility and natural flood mitigation facility.
“We are very much grateful and happy for the presentation that you prepared for us,” Betita said as he thanked the province for warm welcome and accommodation accorded to about 130 employees of Carles LGU who present during the study tour.
The benchmarking opportunity of Carles LGU in Lingayen formed part of their three-day study tour in Luzon.
By Dexter A. See
