Candaba wetlands now top tourist destination

[Mao]

The wetlands of Candaba in the province of Pampanga have become top tourist destination – because of the many species of migratory birds that are continuously passing through the town, some coming from other Asian countries.

The Candaba swamps used to be the bane of farmers and residents, because of the year-long floods and rising water levels. Candaba folk have learned to live with it, and now have the migratory birds to thank.

Because of the birds, the Candaba wetlands have become an important destination for tourists and environmentalists who enjoy bird watching and communing with nature. With the boom in local tourism, comes town revenues and job opportunities for residents.

Environmentalists and experts were the first to discover the migratory birds passing through the swamps and flocking in the wetlands, escaping from the cold in China and Taiwan, and on their way south to Cebu and Mindanao, and probably Indonesia and Australia. The migratory birds are known to feed in Candaba Swamps in Pampanga, Iloilo, Bicol, Ormoc Bay and in Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao.

Recently, the country’s first information center for wetlands conservation and wildlife protection, was launched at the TOTAL North Gas Complex, North Luzon Expressway, in Apalit, Pampanga, right after the Candaba Viaduct. The area sits at the edge of the Candaba Swamp, 300 hectare complex of freshwater ponds, swamps and marshes that serve as a bird sanctuary. The facility also serves as a refuge for some of the country’s migratory, endemic and local birds.

The project is a joint partnership with the Society for the Conservation of the Philippine Wetlands, Inc. (SCPD), the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines (WBCP) and G-Star and Ventures and Development Corporation which hosts the chain of TOTAL Gas Station, Bonjour convenience store and popular fast food restaurants.

Migratory birds fly down south from September to December every year to escape the harsh winter in China, Siberia, Alaska and other places. These migratory species fly thousands of miles every day to seek shelter and one of their destinations is the Philippines. After the Candaba wetlands, their next stop is Cebu.