CANDABA, Pampanga—A food-supplement business magnate here is contemplating on putting an investment to protect and develop the “Home of Migratory Birds” and continue the legacy left by former Mayor Jerry Pelayo in making the town a popular bird sanctuary in the country.
Renato Evangelista Herrera fondly called as Ka Rey, the man behind the popular REH Kings Herbal, a food-supplement product—signified his interest to own and manage Sitio Simang, a private lot in Vizal San Pablo, this town, owned by Pelayo.
Herrera said he sees Simang in the future as a unique forest of herbal trees and plants, and he want to bring this back to its original settings as the home of migratory birds and sanctuary of resident water birds frequently seen from October to March every year.
The former mayor said that if it pushes through, Ka Rey will be working hand in hand and in partnership with the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines and the Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines to promote and renew the efforts in developing a workable and sustainable balance in the ecology of the Candaba Wetlands with the support of both the private and government sectors.
Pelayo said he suggested to Ka Rey to make a master plan for the development of Sitio Simang as a tourist destination with complete facilities like restaurants, team-building areas for private and government employees and bird-watching areas intended for educational tours of students and bird-watching enthusiasts.
He also proposed the development of the roadway going to Simang so many people would be attracted to visit the bird sanctuary.
“I am happy because we shared the same vision, and Ka Rey loves the environment. If, in the future, the master plan would be put into reality, for sure, we could be proud of the facility,” Pelayo said.
Leny Manalo, former chief of staff of Pelayo, said, “While the bird count for the Asian Waterbird Census this year was the lowest since 2005, the main bird sanctuary in Simang, Vizal San Pablo, Candaba remained a wild-bird photographers’ delight.”
The Asian Water Bird Census held last Saturday, was jointly conducted by the WBCP and the regional and provincial offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.