Davide
THE 93-1 negotiations for a land-swap deal between the city and province of Cebu has yet to be finalized, but Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III is now looking at the possible conversion of the Cebu Zoo into an amusement park.
Davide, saying he welcomed the offer of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña to include the city zoo in the lot swap plans, said Capitol would be more than happy to accept the Cebu Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Office (CWRCPO) facility, formerly known as the Cebu Zoo.
However, the governor was not certain if the province could absorb the employees working in CWRCPO.
“We will study that. Of course the province will have (its own) set of personnel (to man the zoo),” Davide said.
CWRCPO had 28 workers whose contracts ended last Aug. 31 and were not renewed by Osmeña. But some of them still voluntarily go to the zoo to take care of the animals and the facility.
Should the province end up as the zoo owner, Davide said he would still be interested in keeping the existing animals as part of the amusement park’s attraction.
The seven-hectare CWRCPO is home to about 117 birds, chicken and turkey; and one Philippine Brown Deer, four civet cats, 14 saltwater crocodiles, 30 turtles, five alligators, 5 hammerhead sharks, six pythons, six goats, a sheep, 34 rabbits, a monitor lizard and numerous ornamental fishes.
The province does not own a zoo or an amusement park.