SOME YEARS back, we hosted a visitor from Switzerland, a design engineer.
A month before his coming, we were told by a common friend – a Filipino who worked in that tiny country – that our then future visitor was looking forward to seeing scenes of nature, as most places he visited were already altered by modernization.
So when he finally came with his wife, we decided to bring him to Malabog, where some inland resorts were slowly being developed. In fact, to really find out if he enjoys everything nature-created, our target last stop was the waterfall that was on a property of the late Second District Councilor Pedring Salvador.
Our route started in Calinan via Lacson, then to Malabog. But we were surprised when his wife warned us not to hire an air-conditioned vehicle. Instead, the wife wanted us to hire a public utility jeep. When we told her that the road to Malabog was still not concreted, therefore dusty, she said his husband does not mind.
So off we went with some stops along the way, every time we passed by groups of men enjoying their Saturdays with some drinks. Yes, that Swiss visitor of ours disembarked and talked to the group. He also accepted a glass or bottle of beer offered to him. And upon leaving, he gave at least P500 for their additional drinks.
Along the way, we got the courage to ask our visitor why he opted to take a simple, open vehicle instead of an air-conditioned one.
He told us that in taking an enclosed and air-conditioned transport unit, his seeing the sceneries along the route would be no different from viewing them on television. His appreciation will not be complete. With his reason, we could only agree in silence.
As we were nearing Malabog, our guest pointed to a valley still heavily forested. We asked him what it was that he saw in the valley that gave him some degree of excitement. Instead of directly answering our question, he proceeded to ask if our local government has a designated area for a game park. We answered him that there is none.
He then told us that the area, which we later found out to be part of Sumimao, is best suited for development into a regulated game park that could be a good destination for hiking and outdoor camping enthusiasts.
We did not tell our Swiss visitor that during that time, a number of upland communities were still havens to the rebel New People’s Army (NPA), Sumimao included. In fact, we were initially hesitant in taking him to Malabog had we not been assured by a friend associated with the rebels of some kind of protection.
Now, after a lapse of many years, we are reminded of that question by our foreign friend about an open park of that kind.
Yes, why not our councilors, especially those from the Second District of the City, find time to visit Sumimao and Malabog in order for them to appreciate that particular gift of nature? Maybe they might be able to find out that the forested valley is still government-owned and therefore can be used for government projects like a game park.
It is our take that having a game park where nature enthusiasts can spend their weekends without much budgetary requirement is one way of dispersing development to the rural areas. It can also be an opportunity for the locals to showcase their products – agricultural and others – to the lowlanders.
Putting a game park in areas like Sumimao could also give job opportunities to those who will be hired by the local government to enforce regulations on the park’s use.
Perhaps it is about time that the natural resources in upland villages are harnessed without first considering the financial gains, but rather making the people feel that they have a responsibility to nurture the city’s environment.
How about that, honorable gentlemen and ladies?
