In Borongan City
TACLOBAN CITY– Protecting its forest covers will be among his priorities as he aims to make Borongan a green city.
Thus said Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda as he stressed that he would do within his power as he disclosed that due to the significant forest cover of the city, Borongan has been spared from being directly hit by a typhoon.
The last time Borongan, the provincial capital of Eastern Samar populated with more than 71,000 people, was directly hit by a typhoon was 10 years ago when it was among the areas in the province pummeled by Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda,’ the city mayor added.
“We know that for the past several years, our environment has provided us protection from natural calamities, particularly typhoons. (And) 62 percent of our land area involves forests and we will do everything to make it remain as it is,” Agda said during the recently held first forest summit.
During the said forest summit held last December 12 at Eastern Samar State University in Borongan, Agda led in the signing of a commitment with other stakeholders to protect the city’s forest covers.
A copy of the proposed revised environment code was also submitted by Mayor Agda to the members of the city council for their review.
The summit was also attended by national government agencies, civil society organizations, the multi-sectoral forest protection committee; barangay officials and academe.
Meantime, Mayor Agda said that when he attended the COP28 in Dubai, Michael Bloomberg of the United Nations and Bloomberg Philanthropies pledged $100,000 worth of funds for Borongan’s environmental projects.
Agda said that he was asked by Bloomberg to come up with a written proposal for it chosen project or program relative to climate change reduction.
He also emphasized that his joining the international conference on climate resilience marks a crucial development in forging partnerships with agencies and organizations concerned with climate adaptation and environmental conservation.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
