Aside from the fresh and delectable seafood that can be had at seafood restaurants in Balaring, Silay City, the barangay is also home to a 50-hectare Mangrove Ecotourism Area. The area is maintained by the Silay City Government and IKAW-AKO in cooperation with Balaring Mangrove Planters Association (BAMPA) and Balaring Barangay Council.
The mangrove forest features a 500-meter bamboo bridge, cottages and a 30-foot watch tower.
For the maintenance of the facility and continued preservation of the mangrove forest, there’s a P20 entrance fee for adults and P10 for senior citizens and students. The cottages may also be rented provided trash should not be left at the area.
Some locals gather clams and crabs from the coastline of Balaring for food and as a source of income. This would not be possible if the mangrove forest was not protected and sustained.
Mangroves provide a home for the different marine life and the protection of the mangrove areas keep the balance in the ecosystem. The mangrove forest also attracts a variety of birds that feed on the rich marine life that thrives there.
The Balaring Mangrove Ecotourism is a proof that through private-public partnership, a lot of things can be done. By educating the community and by providing an alternative source of income through ecotourism, it is now the people who keep the mangrove area protected.
We are just stewards of our natural resources and by taking care of it, we are ensuring that future generations will still enjoy the benefits of what mother nature has given us.