MANILA, June 30 (PNA) — Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) field offices in Batangas province will provide Batangas City government and its ‘barangay’ local governments technical assistance in re-establishing or rehabilitating some 26.5 hectares of mangroves and waterways.
The target areas and size of each are Tabangao Aplaya (2.0 hectares), Libjo (1.0 hectare), Malitam (1.0 hectare), Wawa (20 hectares), Cuta (1.0 hectare) and Sta Clara (0.5 hectare).
DENR IV-A Regional Director Reynulfo Juan said that the massive mangrove rehabilitation in Batangas province, the whole region and around the country was being done as part of the National Greening Program.
“A rehabilitated mangrove forest will benefit all of us,” he said.
He said mangroves filter waste from the sea and uplands.
Mangroves are beneficial to fishers, particularly because these help promote increased fish catch and improved marine habitat, he said.
At this time of stronger typhoons, climate change and tsunamis, he also said mangroves proved helpful in saving lives of some living near coastal areas storm surges destroyed when typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (international name ‘Haiyan’) battered the Visayas in November 2013.
“Batangas City is on the right track preparing for anyeventuality,” he said.
He noted rehabilitating the mangroves would build up the city’s buffer zones against possible storm surges.
Maintaining the mangroves assures safety of Batangueños today and in future generations,” he said.
At a workshop last week, Juan also discussed DENR’s efforts to protect and rehabilitate mangroves as well as the importance of mangroves as protection against storm surges, considering that coastal Batangas is near the fault line, experiences earthquakes and is prone to storm surges.
Tagaytay City was venue of the June 25-26 workshop ‘Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation of Mangrove, Watershed and Waterways of Batangas City.’
Juan expressed appreciation for the support of Batangas City Mayor Eduardo Dimacuha.
City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Oliver Gonzales and the city’s ‘barangay’ chairpersons represented the mayor. (PNA)