DENR-Antique rehabilitates river to introduce sustainable tourism

By: Agripino John Patrick M. Ga-an

Aiming for sustainable tourism, Antique’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Provincial TourismrestoredMalandog River.

It started through cleaning and maintenance of the river’s marine ecosystem.

The provincial government wanted to achieve progress and development without compromising other aspects like the environment and livelihood of the people said by Cheryl Lynn Quanico, Former Officer in-Charge, Antique Provincial Tourism Office.

“Ang pagpakid-an natonkangatonMalandog River ang isarasamahambalnatonnga example gidngakitanagatumansa sustainable tourism. Kunatonmadumdumankagmakitakadya, duro ang mgaginaubrasaMalandog, may rugyankita bridge expansion kagisarapangarapitlamangmataposamo ang atonnga Antique Esplanade,” John Temana,Project Manager of Antique Esplanade, said.

The rehabilitation of the river also includes the construction of the Malandog Fish Port and the expansion of the Malandog Bridge.

“Amo ri-an ngaduro ang ginapaubranatonrugyansaMalandog kay isari-an tana ka historical site rugyasa Antique kundiinnatabo ang Malayan settlement. So, we wanted to develop that site at the same time preserve our environment and also help in the livelihood of the people living there,”Temanasaid.

The provincial government wanted to make Malandog River a prime tourist destination because of its historical significance to the province, addedTemana.

“Ginasantonamon ang ana nga social kag tourism component ngamagasanto man sa ana rehabilitation, so ri-an nagasanto man sa ana nga history kag cultural component ngaipabugalmo para mangin socially viable ang tourism component,”Quanicoadded.

Instead of being displaced, the people living nearby the river will be given livelihood right after the rehabilitation, Temana explained.

“RugyanmismosaMalandogmangin part sanda [people living nearby]kang collaboration efforts as well as naga-earn sandakang livelihood santo sa projectngadya [rehabilitation]”.

Antique as the Rising Star of Western Visayas wanted to have projects which has low impact to the environment according to Temana.

“Ang project ngadyadapatmakapakitasaaton tourism industry ngabisannaga-rehabilitation dapati-maintain sagihaponsamtangga-develop ikaw ka isa ka tourism destination. Kunmapaubra man ka mga infrastructures ginakinahanglannga low impact infrastructureslangdyakagnagusunodsa sustainable goals kangamodyanga project,” he explained.

In the future plans after the rehabilitation, the Malandog River will have an eco-park where in tourist can sail through the river and experience its biodiversity.

With this, people around can get livelihood by being the paddlers of these bancas for the tourists and becoming tour guides as well.

After the rehabilitation the river can also be utilized as a venue for students to study firsthand the environment and ecological activities.

Study tours can be conducted for the students and other visitors and can include mangrove identification, and identifying the ecological processes occurring in river systems, according to the rehabilitation project goals.

“We are also hoping that we can also develop and rehabilitate other tourism destinations in Antique like Malumpati in Pandan, Mararison Island in Culasi and Siraan Hot Spring in Anini-y,”Quanicosaid.