10 August 2005
City’s Awai lot eyed as watershed area
THE city government’s controversial purchased lot in Awai, San Jacinto town may soon be turned into a tourist forest park, if the Lim administration’s plans materialize.
Mayor Benjamin S. Lim said the Awai property has a potential of being developed initially into an orchard project, having already various fruit-bearing trees growing in it, including some that can be used for lumber and bamboocrafts.
The mayor noted that the Dagupan-based Duque clan also has a big parcel of land in Lobong, adjacent to Awai, which could be converted into a golf course.
“Several years ago, some prospective investors flew over the area to survey if it is feasible to put up recreational center facilities,” Lim said, adding that Awai and Lobong areas are unexploited and it is something only a few people know.
The mayor said the city will soon tap the services of the Bureau of Mines to also look into possible water deposits in the area. He stressed that Dagupan City and San Jacinto can both benefit from the minerals to be found in the site.
In the future, Lim said that the place can also be developed into a housing area if the population of Dagupan, San Jacinto and Manaldan grows immensely.
Lim bared his plans for Awai during the recent launching of the Adopt-a-Watershed project of the city government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
DCWD General Manager Ramon Reyna said the main objective is to have a watershed in the area which could be a good water source for both agricultural and domestic use in the future. A portion of the Awai property is inundated by rain water forming a natural lake during rainy season.
Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Rogel Pimentel said the project can be compared to the La Mesa Dam, which is environment-friendly and a tourist spot project.
Pimentel said aside from being a future water source, the area can also be an educational site for students who have not actually seen a forest.
Lim signed a memorandum of agreement with Reyna and Pimentel to pursue the project. “The tree planting will become a weekly activity until we can plant 2,500 seedlings per hectare. And with 30 hectares of lot to be planted, we can plant 75,000 trees,”Lim said. (Sunshine D. Robles)
Mayor Benjamin S. Lim said the Awai property has a potential of being developed initially into an orchard project, having already various fruit-bearing trees growing in it, including some that can be used for lumber and bamboocrafts.
The mayor noted that the Dagupan-based Duque clan also has a big parcel of land in Lobong, adjacent to Awai, which could be converted into a golf course.
“Several years ago, some prospective investors flew over the area to survey if it is feasible to put up recreational center facilities,” Lim said, adding that Awai and Lobong areas are unexploited and it is something only a few people know.
The mayor said the city will soon tap the services of the Bureau of Mines to also look into possible water deposits in the area. He stressed that Dagupan City and San Jacinto can both benefit from the minerals to be found in the site.
In the future, Lim said that the place can also be developed into a housing area if the population of Dagupan, San Jacinto and Manaldan grows immensely.
Lim bared his plans for Awai during the recent launching of the Adopt-a-Watershed project of the city government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
DCWD General Manager Ramon Reyna said the main objective is to have a watershed in the area which could be a good water source for both agricultural and domestic use in the future. A portion of the Awai property is inundated by rain water forming a natural lake during rainy season.
Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Rogel Pimentel said the project can be compared to the La Mesa Dam, which is environment-friendly and a tourist spot project.
Pimentel said aside from being a future water source, the area can also be an educational site for students who have not actually seen a forest.
Lim signed a memorandum of agreement with Reyna and Pimentel to pursue the project. “The tree planting will become a weekly activity until we can plant 2,500 seedlings per hectare. And with 30 hectares of lot to be planted, we can plant 75,000 trees,”Lim said. (Sunshine D. Robles)
