Basey unveils P14-million ecological park

Sohotan Cave is one of the top tourist destinations in Basey, Samar. Image from retiredinsamar.com

To ensure the preservation and conservation of Basey in Samar, The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Korea International Corporation Agency (KOICA) recently turned over the P14-million Basey Ecological Park to the local government, as reported by The Manila Standard last week.

According to Basey Mayor Igmedio “Junji” Ponferrada, the 15,000 square meter facility includes a wastewater treatment plant and will help Basey comply with Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. He also said that the 4-hectare land area where the ecological park sits is Basey’s counterpart to the UNDP-KOICA funding for the project.

UNDP and KOICA have been giving assistance to the government ever since their inked partnership 2 years ago. They have granted the Basey Manpower Training Center more of less P15 million.

UNDP Country Director Titon Mitra said in an interview that Basey sanitary landfill is designed and constructed with environmental protection systems, and the wastewater treatment plant is designed to treat the leachate (widely used term in the environmental sciences where it has the specific meaning of a liquid that has dissolved or entrained environmentally harmful substances that may then enter the environment) generated by the landfill without the use of chemicals or mechanical equipment. The Director also expressed his appreciation to the local official of Basey  for the cooperation and positive response to their suggestion and proposals for the project.

 

Source: The Manila Standard, The Philippine Information Agency