BM Julius Amla’s Development of "Public Green Spaces" Ordinance in Kalinga has been approved

Tabuk City, Kalinga - To improve ecological balance, enhance public health, and strengthen the bonds of iKalingas, Kalinga District 2 Board Member  Julius B. Amla proposed an ordinance for the development of "Public Green Spaces" in the province which was approved recently.

The ordinance (Development of Public Green Spaces in Kalinga) aims to  further beautify the open green areas in the province to serve as hubs for leisure, recreation, education, and environmental conservation.

Board Member Amla's ordinance, approved on December 11, corresponds to a broader vision, which is not only about setting up an environmentally sustainable province but also a province with spaces that improve one's physical, mental, and social well-being.

In the ordinance, it said the open spaces must be composed of tree parks, agroforests, and natural landscapes. Some areas recommended to be transformed into green spaces in Kalinga have already been identified by Amla.

These include Bonnong Lake Agro-Forestation in Pinukpuk, Malalao Communal Watershed in Malalao, Tabuk City, Capitol People's Park in Bulanao, Tabuk City, Talama View Deck in Bulanao, Government Reservation Area in Callagdao, Bulanao, and Abbot Plantation Area in Catabbogan, Pinukpuk, among others.

Said green spaces will be incorporated into the Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan and the Local Climate Change Action Plan for long-term development and environmental agenda.

The ordinance further underscores the benefits in terms of the environment and the social impacts that such open spaces create, especially in improving air quality, biodiversity, and adaptation to climate change.

Besides these environmental benefits, open-access green spaces are conceptualized to let residents have a place to play and socialize and enhance agritourism in the province as an avenue to spur economic development.

Through the promotion of green public spaces, Amla emphasized the need to inform people to merge elements of environmental stability and urban development for community wellness.

Enacted on July 30, 2024, this Amla's ordinance has been fully supported by his fellow Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, attested by Vice Governor Jocel Baac, and approved by Governor James Edduba on December 11, 2024.