The new management of Suwaso Corp. along with a handful of staffers rolled up their sleeves on Thursday to start cleaning up what used to be a frequently visited beach on the southern part of the island.
Unai Dankulu and the Agingan Historic Park that stretch along the sprawling 18-hole COP golf course are now known only to a very few residents.
COP greenkeepers Restituto Laurico and Dionisio Santos III said visitors have gradually destroyed the facilities in the area.
Only small parts of the concrete grill stand are left standing. Almost nothing is left of the pavilion at Agingan Park and the restroom is now unrecognizable.
The greenkeepers said years ago, there was not a single day when they would not find something broken in the restroom. If not the toilet, it was the sink or the urinal, and most of the time, the mirror.
They can’t understand why some people have to destroy even the concrete grill in one of the best spots in the area overlooking the beach.
Laurico and Santos said when there were still over a dozen of them working on the golf course, they had to keep fixing everything and pick up trash that always littered the beach area.
But then the company had to cut jobs. Those who were left tried to maintain the beach park but gave up later on because some people tirelessly messed them up.
Grass, other unwanted plants and bushes as well as weeds have covered most part of the area making the beach unnoticeable.
Santos and Laurico were recently instructed to clear the area to once again reveal the beauty of the beach parks.
Suwaso Corp. chairman Vince DLG. Torres in a separate interview said the cleanup is the initial part of the COP revitalization project required by the lease extension agreement.
It is also their promise to begin contributing to the community, he said.
After telling lawmakers they will revive Unai Dankulu and Agingan Historical Park, Suwaso Corp. called the Coastal Resource Management Office to identify which trees and plants can be cut.
CRM Director Rita Chong Dela Cruz herself joined COP greenkeepers during the cleanup on Thursday.
Torres said he and his siblings grew up in the area.
Unai Dankulu and Agingan Historical Park may not be as popular as the other beaches on island, but many people used to visit the area to enjoy the beach while others caught fish, he said.
But he said they don’t want to just look back at the past. The company wants to remain positive so it can move forward with its plans for COP, he added.
While making sure the cleanup of 735-square-meter golf resort is consistent with environmental regulations, the new owners also want Unai Dankulu to be a safe, clean and accessible beach park for everybody.
Torres said they will have to build new infrastructure so families can once again enjoy the area.
