Eco-tourism hub rising in Mindoro
Locals and tourists can soon expect another ecotourism destination in Puerto Galera with the ongoing construction of the Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Center (MBCC), aimed at becoming one of the country’s premier environmental conservation venues and educational-cultural sites.
“It is the first of its kind in Mindoro and will be the physical embodiment of sustainability, benefiting present and future generations,” Mindoro Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc. (MBCFI) executive director Grace Diamante said.
The MBCC is a legacy project of the MBCFI and will be a focal point for nature preservation efforts and ecological research in the Philippines since MBCFI’s establishment in 2008. The MBCC’s location is strategic as Mindoro is a globally recognized biodiversity conservation area due to its abundance in endemic species and diversity of habitats, which are also threatened by human activities like poaching and deforestation.
As of June, the construction of the 600-square-meter facility on a 16-hectare property overlooking the bay at Brgy. Dulangan was nearly halfway done. Meanwhile, Diamante encourages the public and private sectors to also make their mark and contribute to the milestone endeavor through sponsorships and donations.
The Department of Science and Technology-MIMAROPA recently approved the provision of solar panels to help power up the MBCC’s research laboratory. Naming opportunities are also open to help fund other components of the MBCC for posterity.
Aside from being MBCFI’s future headquarters, the MBCC will feature a natural history museum; a forest restoration area for native tree species; a Mangyan heritage hall for Indigenous People (IP) groups to showcase their culture and products; a research laboratory to assist in the discovery of new species; a nature discovery trail; ecolodges with glamping areas at the view deck; and even a temporary holding facility for rescued endangered animals.
The facility is aligned with the local government’s One Island approach which considers use of natural resources, social programs and economic viability in accordance with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. With its sustainability features, the MBCC aims to be a green building certified by the International Finance Corporation’s EDGE. The MBCC is also projected to help MBCFI continue studies for sciencebased recommendations to policymakers, and conduct information drives through its Conservation Awareness Raising and Education (CARE) program.
Diamante added that environmental conservation should be given importance because the continued loss of biodiversity caused by human activities will eventually affect communities with the consequences of climate change like typhoons, drought and loss of natural resources. The Philippines ranks second among countries as the most vulnerable to climate change. Oriental Mindoro ranked ninth among the country’s provinces prone to flooding following forestry net loss of almost 30 percent on the island from 1988-2015.
“We must act now despite the global pandemic. We’ve started to make the dream a reality and together, we will build this legacy and sustain our gains because this project is a collaboration of concerned citizens and organizations who envision a better future for the country’s ecology,” Diamante said.
As part of the efforts to bring the MBCC to reality, MBCFI launched a virtual exhibit on Facebook and Instagram entitled “Colors of Biodiversity,” which features art works of homegrown Mindoro artists including Nestor Abayon Jr. whose paintings have gone viral online. Part of the proceeds collected until end of June will go to the MBCC.
For more details, contact MBCFI and the establishment of MBCC through +63917-5471976 or email info@mbcfi.org.
For updates, see MBCFI’s website at site2.mbcfi.org. ph/.