Bataan mayor opts to adopt countryside eco-tourism concept

ORANI, Bataan –  Mayor Efren E. Pascual Jr. is opting to transform the rich historical and cultural heritage and agro-forest parks of this municipality into eco-tourism sites.

Mayor Pascual has foreseen a more active involvement of the community in the travel and tourism industry with the expected generation of job opportunities and entrepreneurial activities from the expansion of revenue-earning agro-forest attractions of one of the progressive municipalities in Northern Bataan.

The former Bataan vice governor describes the growing popularity of upland resorts in Barangay Tala, which is the entry point to the Bataan National Park and fondly considered  as ecologically–friendly natures parks for enthusiasts and researchers, mountain trekkers, picnickers .and other local and foreign groups.

He stressed that the biodiversity rich tropical flora and fauna located in the thickly forested areas of the historic Bataan National Park are not yet fully explored and tapped   including exceptional waterfalls.

Mayor Pascual reiterated the projected execution of the comprehensive master plan for travel and tourism industry development plan within two years in cooperation with the Department of Tourism which would provide widespread farm and fishery sites for local and foreign visitors and other facilities for broader appreciation of visitors to aesthetic cultural and historical values.

The countryside tourism concept of the DOT would accelerate expansion  in the agricultural and fishery sectors with the inclusion of the town in the tourist itinerary for those who would like to enjoy the sightseeing ventures  in Orani town, which is about 20 minutes away from the port of Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and less than  one hour from the Clark International Airport  in Pampanga.

Local officials have predicted that local  fishpond owners are amenable with  the common practices in other tourist destinations of adopting  the fishery style of  “catch n pay “and farm tourism way of “pick n pay”.