Sorsogon City visualizes itself, "A Magnet for Development" -Dioneda

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, Feb. 16 (PIA)..... The 18-man delegation from Cambodia who visited Sorsogon City  for the past two days this week  headed by its Deputy Governor Prapsi Hara, was so impressed with Sorsogon City's climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives and strategies ; its well in placed components : the disaster risk reduction contingency plan, shelter, livelihood, evacuation centers, comprehensive land use plan and where tourism and wellness to be the emerging highlight for the city's development.

Sorsogon City mayor Leovic Dioneda shared with the Cambodian entourage, that  the key message that they learned as a local government in the implementation of the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAM) , ushered the city's more visual developmental approach that being the only pilot area of CCAM in Southeast Asia, it is now becoming "a magnet for development" where doors of funding agencies just open up to provide the city the needed funds for development. 

He said that this year 2012, the city is evolving as a place not only for its fast-paced infrastructure  development but now a place that is introduced to the global world because of  its"complementation-strategy" with funding agencies working for enhancing environmental sustainability programs, the city now focusing more in its tourism potential and wellness of  the constituency.

Dioneda who personally toured the delegation to the different components of the CCAM have also laid the plans for human development anchored on tourism and wellness which according to him should be the end goal of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

"For the past years as executive, the city now has become a real unified body , both the legislative and executive have focused their mandate in the development of the city, the security of the people and harnessing outside source for development that outpouring of resources coming from our representatives and senator have been just  been easily provided aside from global funding source we now receive".Dioneda said.

"Here in the city, Senator Francis Joseph "Chiz" G. Escudero' have committed funds for the development of the 4-hectare environmental tourism area in Brgy. Cabarbuhan, district of Bacon that will be turned into a zoo where children will be provided the chance to interact with animals and a recreation area for families and  for those who simply would like to commune with nature'" he said.

He also presented to the visitors the other add on components of the CCAM that will create livelihood opportunities , the P 40 M  training center and slaughter house now being constructed.

The visit was highlighted by the tour of the group to the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) where exposure to  geothermal energy featured the essence of technology and environment in harmony, it being now one of the best ecotourism sites here in the province and in the country. (PIA-SORSOGON)