KALIBO MANGROVE PARK CLOSED

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BY JUN AGUIRRE
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KALIBO, Aklan – The Kalibo Bakhawan Eco-Park was closed to the public amid the tension between two parties involved in the development of the mangrove sanctuary.

It has been closed since last Thursday after Kalibo Save the Mangroves Association (Kasama) president Angelo Quimpo accused Ariel Abriam, the business development contractor of the park, of “forcible entry.”

Abriam said he will lodge charges against Quimpo.

Since then, Quimpo and Abriam have been throwing accusations against each other, recorded at the Kalibo municipal police station.

The late Aklan representative Allen Quimpo initiated the development of the Kalibo Bakhawan Eco-Park, once a muddy area in Barangay Old Buswang.

Operations at the eco-park were normal until last month.

“This December, the Kasama Board of Directors suddenly issued a resolution asking me to cancel my 25-year contract,” said Abriam. “It could not be done since the contract states that both parties must agree for the supposed cancellation.”

Abriam was referring to the contract that he entered into after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) gave its permission to Kasama to manage the 220-hectare mangrove forest for 25 years.

Abriam said the contract states that he must only deal with the business development of the eco-park.

Kasama’s job is the conservation of the park, which must be done in cooperation with the DENR, Abriam added.

Kasama’s permission to manage the eco-park must be renewed annually.

“They let me develop the business side of the park. Now that it is developed, they want to kick me out. I should not be,” Abriam stressed.

Quimpo said Abriam has violated many conditions in their contract, Radyo Todo Aklan 88.5 FM reported.

According to Quimpo, he has been trying to fix the “problem” by reaching out to Abriam, but to no avail./PN
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