PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The city government here is eyeing the transfer of over 400 fully-grown Balayong trees to a seven-hectare green park being developed in Barangay Tiniguiban near the City Hall Building on July 28.
Known also as Palawan cherry trees (sp. Cassia nodosa), Mayor Lucilo Bayron said Monday these will be moved through a citywide tree planting festival from a demo farm in Barangay Sta. Lourdes being managed by the City Agriculture Office.
He said the activity will also include the earth-balling of flowering trees for transplanting along national highway areas as part of the city’s beautification drive.
“By July 28, all of the Balayong trees in Sta. Lucia will be transplanted there so we can have an impressive festival,” he said.
The Balayong Park is envisioned by the city government to be a major tree park that will become an alternative tourist attraction in Puerto Princesa.
The city government has an estimated budget of PHP250 million to develop it with a restaurant whose main feature is a view deck overlooking the bay, children’s park, cultural museum and library, water park, a DNA tower, food complex, pavilion for art exhibits, and a fitness and recreational park.
He said a meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday with representatives from various city offices and various sectors for the Balayong festival tree-planting activity.
Bayron added the trees that will be affected by the road widening projects of the city government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will also be moved.
“Since we have an ongoing road widening, our City ENRO (Environment and Natural Resources Office) has pinpointed those good, flowering ones, which we will also be transferred to our Balayong park,” he said. (Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA)
