Manila: The Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) has assumed responsibility for the Burnham Bamboo Ecopark, emphasizing its dedication to environmental conservation.
According to Philippines News Agency, BCBC president Dionisio Dennis Jr. urged members and partners to commit to the park's protection and sustainability during the turnover ceremony. "Starting today, the challenge of protecting and sustaining this bamboo park rests with us. Let us work together to preserve it and ensure it fulfills its purpose as a bamboo forest," Dennis stated.
The ecopark project, in collaboration with the Philippine Bamboo Foundation, Inc. (PBFI), encompasses BCBC's designated area in Burnham Park, where 1,002 bamboo seedlings representing 20 species were planted in 2025. Fencing has been set up for protection, and an information marker educates visitors about the ecopark.
The bamboo park initiative is rooted in the BCBC's environmental efforts that began after the 1990 Luzon earthquake. The club's Eco Walk program, initially a tree-planting activity in the Busol Watershed, was a tribute to earthquake victims. It evolved into a children's environmental education program, later adopted by the city government and honored with the Galing Pook Award for innovative local government practices.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong highlighted the project's role in enhancing Burnham Park and supporting the city's environmental objectives. He noted that the bamboo park contributes to carbon sequestration and air quality improvement in the central business district, with plans for expanding bamboo planting.
The BCBC is part of 67 organizations in the city's Adopt-a-Park Program, which engages civic groups and agencies in park maintenance through cleanup, tree planting, and landscape upkeep.
Philippine Bamboo Industry Development Council director Rene Madarang stated that the park will serve as a learning site for students, researchers, and visitors, promoting bamboo's role in conservation, resilience, and sustainable livelihoods. He emphasized the project's alignment with the council's mission to unite various sectors for bamboo development nationwide.
