CEBU CITY – The provincial government of Bohol has undertaken key measures to raise awareness of the province’s designation as a United Nations, Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization Global Geopark (UGGp).
Gov. Aris Aumentado recently led the unveiling of Bohol UGGp Information and Assistance Center at the Chocolate Hills Complex in Carmen town where the main Chocolate Hills viewing is located.
The information center features informative brochures, leaflets, a video presentation, photos of various geosites, and the legend and evolution of the Chocolate Hills.
BOHOL officials led by Gov. Aris Aumentado (fifth from left) unveil the Bohol UGGp Information and Assistance Center in the town of Carmen. (Contributed photo)
Aumentado has released a memorandum that seeks a wider dissemination of information about the province's designation as the Philippines' first UGGp.
Under the memorandum, provincial capitol employees will be required to attend an orientation discussing the province’s UGGp status.
The order emphasized the crucial role of the provincial government in ensuring the sustainability of the UGGp designation through a commitment to protecting and promoting Bohol's geological heritage.
The series of orientations are meant to address the gap in many offices in the provincial government that are still not fully aware of the significance of the UGGp designation.
The Bohol Provincial Environment and Management Office and the Technical Working Group will lead the orientations in each office and department.
UNESCO designated Bohol as a geopark on May 24, 2023 to recognize "geographical regions that host sites and landscapes of international geological significance."
Aumentado encouraged the people of Bohol to actively participate and cooperate in protecting the island's natural wonders.
Unity in environmental care, especially for monuments and geosites, will help ensure the province's resilience and sustainability, Aumentado said.