THE plan to build economic zones (ecozones) in 17 possible sites in Cebu province should be in harmony with the country’s conservation goals.
Provincial Tourism Officer Boboi Costas said that the plan is a brilliant idea because it will address the problem of traffic in the city and open employment opportunities in the rural areas.
He also cited the plans to “zone” the entire province as mentioned in the series of executive-legislative agenda planning of the provincial government.
An example is the western seaboard of the province where Tañon Strait is located and Dalaguete, which is the vegetable basket of Cebu.
Tañon Strait is also the biggest marine protected area in the country.
“So if you put development there, it should be in harmony with conservation goals,” he said.
“So unsa may pwede dinha? I think that would only be appropriate for eco-tourism zones, kaning mga tourist zones including, as the report said, Bantayan and Camotes,” he said.
For Dalaguete, however, he said that this is an opportunity waiting to be tapped especially since there is no agri-tourism there.
He said that in his personal opinion, farming there should be veered away from being a pesticide-dependent to an organic and sustainable one.
He, however, cited the challenge of weaning the farmers to embrace organic and sustainable farming.
He, however, sees no problem with the creation of ecozones in the countryside.
“I don’t see any problem because in fact, ecozones provide jobs,” he said.