December 8 and Ciudad Verde

Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We pause to thank God for sharing Mama Mary with us for His plan for our redemption. We also pause to thank Mama Mary for accepting God’s will and love. The Christmas season is the best reminder for us all about the great love of our God the Father, His Son, and Mama Mary for us all. Today is a happy day of thanksgiving for such tremendous divine love for us mortals.

Creation daily proclaims God’s might as well as His love for us.  An ABC documentary entitled from Reefs to Ridges showed the natural beauty and bounty bestowed by God to our country, to us all.

At the center of biodiversity, so much natural wealth and beauty are in our midst,  in our seas, in our forests, hills, and, mountains. What have we done with these God-given gifts?

Rather than trek the dark path of negativity and finger-pointing, let us instead hear the hopeful note shared in the documentary. The dwindled and destroyed corals were showing signs of restoration. With everyone’s heightened knowledge about protecting as stewards our God-provided natural wealth, there is so much we can do and so much providence we can all enjoy as a people, as a country. If only we will all unite to responsibly act to utilize, to protect, to sustainably manage our bountiful resources from now on.

Last Monday, together with delegates from UP Manila and UP Cebu, as well as from Malaysia, a very young environmental science Professor Furukawa patiently toured us through their planted forest at the Yokohama National University (YNU).

He and the Sustainable Health coordinator, Prof. Koike, informed the group how YNU restored the forest on what had been a former golf course in the past. It is a small man-made cool forest within a university, a simple but eco-friendly, sustainable initiative that has helped to insulate the university from the pollution of this historical and progressive port city of Yokohama.

Cebu City shares so much with Yokohama. Both continue to play historic roles for the Philippines and Japan. The strategic location, as well as the ports, has made these two cities actively important locations for commerce and industry. As a result, both cities suffer from the urban problems of overpopulation, pollution, among others.

Yokohama, however, has tried to restore their natural sustainability. Daily, there are river cleaning boats and crew, the schools are encouraged to conserve electricity and are rewarded with incentives by the local government.

Participatory governance is also encouraged here and today, Yokohama remains one of Japan’s vibrant areas where tradition and modernity are sustainably observed.

Which brings us back to Cebu City. Can we ask you to pause awhile and imagine an eco-friendly, sustainable Cebu?

Let us start with a simple step. What if the proposed Ciudad project were instead reconceptualized? What if instead of the infrastructures proposed for the site, a natural village, a Ciudad Verde, is instead developed?

Can you imagine more trees, even a forest, proudly emerging within busy, polluted Cebu City? Can you imagine how important Cebu and the Ciudad Verde will be for the environmental sustainability not only of the province, not only for our country, but for the rest of the world?

Within a reconceptualized Ciudad Verde, imagine more eco-friendly structures to showcase the best of Cebu, the heritage of Cebu.  A Ciudad Verde will provide a healthy, natural setting for our young and old to spend their leisure time getting to know more about nature, about God’s beautiful creations. At Ciudad Verde, the guests can be guided through the world of trees, the world of birds that will certainly find home in the trees, the world of insects that will proudly regale Ciudad Verde with their unique beauty and sounds, and more.

The guests can be treated to the rich nutritious drinks from the fruits, the herbs, the vegetables in the green village.  And how will you solve the notorious traffic that may accompany the eager guests of this unique green village?  Bicycle lanes, tartanillas, electric vehicles will be welcome in the green village!!!

Can you imagine a more creative Ciudad Verde instead of the present Ciudad project? Can you imagine how much praise and honor can be accorded to those who will make Ciudad Verde a reality?

What a revolutionary climate-change resolution and contribution Ciudad Verde can be for the whole world, for all, beyond generations!

Paging Governor Gwen.

Will you lead Cebu in developing a forest village, a Ciudad Verde that will be a great eco-legacy across generations, locally and globally? A Ciudad Verde for a sustainable world, a great testimony of responsible leadership and stewardship!!!