The landscape design that highlights water features that support birds and avian species is the overall champion of the recently concluded Pagsibol Landscape Exhibition and Competition initiated by the City Government of Puerto Princesa as part of the 149th Founding Anniversary of the City and 17th Balayong Festival 2021.
Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron and Executive Assistant Judith Bayron awarded the grand prize worth P50,000 to Team 3-Bellissimo composed of the city government offices from the City Hall’s 3rd floor which includes City ENRO, General Services Offices, Human Resource Management, Budget, Legal, and Agriculture.
Atty. Carlo B. Gomez, the City Environment and Natural Resources Officer congratulated his personnel engaged in the landscape design for winning the landscape competition.
The Landscaping Exhibition and Competition is a month-long event from participated by all the departments of the City Government of Puerto Princesa in partnership with different tourism industry players in the city. The competition was held at the Old and New City Hall grounds. The challenge was to exhibit horticultural development and cultural characteristics by displaying garden landscape that visitors can experience.
The City Government said that the activity aims to uplift the spirit of the community and to set a fresh start in time with the blooming of Balayong flowers. One of the guidelines for the landscaping competition is that the participating team shall incorporate water resource use as one of the design elements to promote sustainability.
One of the brains of the landscape design, Gerald D. Opiala of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office explained that they chose things that represented water, which is relevant to the theme Pagsibol: Puerto Princesa, a city that grows and flourishes.
Therefore, their winning entry, he said definitely showcase the concept of sustainability and harmony between nature and humans.
Opiala said that their landscape supports wildlife especially birds and other avian species affected by dry weather and scarcity of water.
“Meron bird bath kasi ang mga ibon ay nag-su-suffer during drought kaya may mitigation measures tayo. Yun ang support natin sa wildlife natin lalo na sa mga ibon. Ito yung obligation po natin sa nature kasi itong bird bath ay iniinuman din ng mga birds kasi nahihirapan yan sila kung may drought lalo na dito sa urban areas,” he explained.
Birds and avian species play an important role in our ecosystem. In an article published by Birdlife International in their website “Why we need birds” authored by Jessica Law, she enumerated their roles in controlling pest, pollinating plants, keeping coral reefs alive. She explained that birds also take seeds and dispersed them through their droppings, therefore bringing plants back to ecosystems that has been destroyed.
“Birds play a more important role than just giving us ideas. Birds are the messenger that tells us the health of the planet. Birds are widespread and respond quickly to changes in the environment. Because of this, they are our early-warning system for climate change,” Law wrote in her article.
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