NAGKAISA sina Sen. Cynthia A. Villar at ang “Together Ensemble Foundation” upang patuloy na mapangalagaan ang Las Pinas-Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP) na itinalaga na Wetland of International Importance sa Ramsar Convention.

Sa “Meet and Greet” event sa pagitan ng LPPWP- Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) at ng French Ambassador to the Philippines Michèle Baccoz at Together Ensemble Foundation sa pangunguna nina Hubert d’Aboville at Ramon Moreno, President at Vice President ng naturang NGO, sinabi ni Villar na masaya sila sa pagbisita ng mga ito sa Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, protected area na nasa kanyang hometown sa Las Piñas City at Parañaque City. Pinasalamatan niya ang French ambassador at foundation sa kanilang interes na magtayo ng kapa-pakinabang na mga proyekto sa Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, na makakapagpaigting sa protection strategies sa lugar.

Ipinahayag ni Ambassador Bacozz na inilawan ang Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park na isang magnificent and fantastic nature protection initiative na, “we need to build one or more concrete actions next year to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Together Ensemble Foundation, which will be part of the calendar of the major events of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the France to be celebrated from July to December 2022.”

“Fifteen days ago, we mentioned the symbolic planting of 75,000 trees on the site to commemorate the 75th anniversary, or perhaps building a monument symbolizing Franco-Filipino cooperation to mark the two anniversaries. This meeting will allow us to further expound on these good ideas, or even come up with new proposals,” dagdag pa ni Ambassador Bacozz.

Binigyan diin din niya na malaki ang papel ng agricultural sector sa pag-unlad ng France at Philippines “I am confident that we will able to build further on this through the ideas we will be keen to share as the basis for one or more events for the second half of next year,” sabi pa ng French ambassador kay Villar, chairperson ng Senate Agriculture and Food committee.

Sinabi rin ni Villar na marami silang ginugol na oras, resources at patuloy silang nakikipaglaban para protektahan ang santuwaryong ito. Aniya, palagian itong nalalagay sa mga pagbabanta partikular ang reklamasyon.

Pinasaringan niya ang mga walang pakialam sa “environment benefits” ng Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, na kinokonsidera niyang “a valuable piece of real estate.”

“We are also opposing these reclamation projects on this side of Manila Bay because it will impede the free flow of water of the 6 rivers in the area- Paranaque River, Las Pinas river,The Zapote River, Molino River, Bacoor River and the Imus River. If that will happen along with the phenomenon of climate change, disastrous flooding will result in the vicinity in case of torrential rains and that will definitely cause suffering and misery to the two million of people living in three cities,” babala ni Villar na chairperson din ng Senate committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

Nilagdaan ni Villar at naipasa sa Kongreso ang Republic Act 11038 o ang Expanded NPAS Act na nagdedeklara sa Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, bilang legislated protected area, kasama ang 106 pang legislated protected areas sa bansa.

Kabilang sa kanilang inisyatibo ang pagtatayo ng buffer zone sa Manila Bay area para sa karagdagang proteksyon ng Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park,.

Kasama ang DENR, the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines, Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands at Villar SIPAG Foundation na nagpatayo ng Visitors’ Center and the Wetland Center, tiniyak ng senador na mananatili siyang nangunguna para pangalagaan ang Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park,, “The Last Natural Bastion in Metro Manila.” (ESTONG REYES)