The city government here is developing an 8.7-hectare tree park in Barangay Alangilan to become a tourist attraction and an economic enterprise at the same time.

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya led the blessing and groundbreaking ceremony for the site development on Wednesday.

“We have earmarked almost PHP50 million for the first phase. We still start with a few areas. The video showed the total master plan with an estimated cost of PHP500 million, so we’re still in the 10 percent of the plan,” the mayor said.

The initial project cost of PHP47 million is among those funded by the city’s PHP4.4 billion loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines.

Benitez said he is also lobbying for funding assistance from the Department of Tourism to accelerate the implementation of the master development plan.

He said the initial phase would include improvement of the entrance and construction of the picnic grove and the glamping area.

“This project is designed for all Bacolodnons to enjoy nature. This is probably one of the remaining areas where the trees have remained untouched,” he added.

Benitez said he discussed the creation of an economic enterprise unit to manage the tree park with Familiaran and the members of the City Council.

“The entrance fee would be affordable, just enough for maintenance,” he said.

Based on the conceptual design of the master development plan presented by Bacolod-based contractor Almana Construction and Development Corp., the tree park will have a parking area, reception hall, multi-purpose hall, lagoon with a viewing deck, fishing lagoon, family cottages with walk deck, river and bridge, and gazebo.

Other amenities include picnic groves, a viewing deck, a walking trail, a sky deck, a glamping area, a camping area, mobile camping, common toilets, a bathhouse, a grill station, a net bed, a tree museum, a sensory garden, spider web net and biodiversity area. (PNA)