DENR to redevelop Ninoy Aquino Wildlife Park for P500M

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Sunday said it is planning to redevelop the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center (NAPWC) in Quezon City into a “world-class" ecotourism site. DENR Secretary Ramon Paje said the redevelopment of the 22.7-hectare park aims to turn the wildlife center into a “first-rate ecotourism center" that will showcase the country’s biodiversity. “Filipinos, young and old alike, will soon be able to enjoy a first-rate ecotourism center which is not only affordable and environment-friendly, but also a perfect venue for biodiversity conservation that will educate visitors on Philippine endemic flora and fauna," he said in a statement on Sunday. He, however, added that the department would need the help of the private sector to raise the full amount of P500 million needed for the project. “Our resources are very limited, whereas the private sector has the much needed business and technical expertise. Their participation will be very much welcomed, following certain investment guidelines because the park is a protected area," he said. Paje likewise said that there are on-going negotiations to build a commercial strip inside the park, which will be the site for a weekend bazaar, an amphitheater and a zip-line ride across the lagoon. The DENR chief, however, assured that all infrastructures that will be built in the center would use “sustainable designs and technology." The NAPWC is a city forest reserve for woodland and animal life in Quezon City, which hosts a wildlife rescue center where confiscated animals from illegal traders are taken care of. It is named after Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., the late father of President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III. The center was declared as a protected area in 2004 by virtue of Republic Act 7586, or the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act. - Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMANews.TV