Spanish, RP NGOs to launch Caraga ecotourism projects

BUTUAN CITY — A Spanish non-governmental organization (NGO) and a local non-government consortium will inaugurate three ecotourism projects in the Caraga region tomorrow.

The projects: an ecotourism center near Lake Mainit in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte; a cultural center in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte; and a fish landing and information center in Bunawan, Agusan del Sur.

These three projects form part of potential ecotourism sites being developed in the region, which include the Agusan Marsh, Lianga Bay, Lake Mainit and Siargao Island.

Built at a cost of P5 million, mostly from funds of the Madrid-based Instituto de Promocion y Apoyo al Desarollo (IPADE) and Convergence Inc., a Philippine NGO, the projects will be managed by indigenous people’s organizations.

Part of the activities for the grand launch of the ecotourism projects is a week-long festival dubbed Panag-uban Ngadto sa Kalamboan (Together for Progress) which will last until Oct. 29.

One of the big events coinciding with the festival is the month-long LakbayK Tribo 2004, a national cycling caravan for indigenous people’s rights and the environment which is now on its sixth year.

Ervel Buenaventura, project co-manager of Convergence, told The STAR that the ecotourism projects are part of the Program of Infrastructure and Promotion of the Economic Sector in Rural Areas-Sustainable Rural Development Project (PIPESRA-SRDP) in the Caraga region.

"The idea is to promote tourism in local areas with the involvement of the local folk or people’s organizations and at the same time, protect the environment for sustainable development," Buenaventura said. — Ben Serrano