When in Baguio, walk

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By Zaldy Comanda

WALKING TOURS – Young Burnham Park visitors walk past a Walk Meter Chart, which encourages tourists and local residents to walk to nearby destinations. The project is aimed at minimizing the use of motor vehicles and promote a healthier lifestyle. (Zaldy Comanda)

Baguio City – The health benefits of walking are being promoted by the Department of Tourism (DOT) – Cordillera which set up walk meters in major parks in the city to encourage tourists, as well as the general public, to walk short distances instead of taking public transportation.

DOT-Cordillera regional director Venus Tan said walk meter charts encourage a car-less community, approximating the original plan of the Americans, who built the city as a rest and recreation area with narrow streets to discourage the use of motor vehicles.

“We are conditioning our locals and visitors to walk, we are reviving health and wellness in the city, encouraging them not to bring cars,” Tan said.

The  walking meters were installed at Burnham Park, Mines View Park and Wright Park, and indiactes the distance to key destinations and locations and the approximate calories spent walking.

Tags: Burnham Park, Cordillera, Department of Tourism, DOT, health benefits of walking, public transportation, Venus Tan, When in Baguio walk

German Embassy: Germany supports conservation of Philippine Biodiversity in 160 protected areas

++ Germany supports conservation of Philippine biodiversity in 160 Protected Areas ++

The German-funded Protected Area Management Enhancement (PAME) Project recently held its final event to mark the end of this successful initiative. The project aimed to preserve Philippine biodiversity and was funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) as part of its International Climate Initiative (IKI) from 2012-2017.

Through the 5-year project worth EUR 9 million (around Php 536 million) 56 new terrestrial and marine protected areas covering 170,000 hectares were established and representatives from government, communities, civil society and academe were trained in biodiversity assessment/monitoring, regulation and law enforcement, ecotourism and livelihood.

Among the sites supported were the Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area, Cleopatra’s Needle Forest Reserve, the oldest forest in Palawan, and the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park, a booming tourist destination in Negros Oriental.

In his keynote speech during event, Ambassador Dr. Gordon Kricke highlighted the project’s success as a testimony to the invaluable German-Philippine bilateral cooperation towards biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

++ Germany supports conservation of Philippine biodiversity in 160 Protected Areas ++

The German-funded Protected Area Management Enhancement (PAME) Project recently held its final event to mark the end of this successful initiative. The project aimed to preserve Philippine biodiversity and was funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) as part of its International Climate Initiative (IKI) from 2012-2017.

Through the 5-year project worth EUR 9 million (around Php 536 million) 56 new terrestrial and marine protected areas covering 170,000 hectares were established and representatives from government, communities, civil society and academe were trained in biodiversity assessment/monitoring, regulation and law enforcement, ecotourism and livelihood.

Among the sites supported were the Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area, Cleopatra’s Needle Forest Reserve, the oldest forest in Palawan, and the Balinsasayao Twin Lakes Natural Park, a booming tourist destination in Negros Oriental.

In his keynote speech during event, Ambassador Dr. Gordon Kricke highlighted the project’s success as a testimony to the invaluable German-Philippine bilateral cooperation towards biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) implemented the project in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Biodiversity Management Bureau.

GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) implemented the project in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Biodiversity Management Bureau.