Negros town rehabilitates 20-hectare mangrove plantation
By Rica Arevalo
Published Jul 2, 2019 06:34 pm
By Glazyl Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The town of E.B. Magalona in Negros Occidental is advocating environmental protection through planting mangroves.
The aerial view of the Mangrove Eco-Trail in Barangay Tomongtong, E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental. (Warren Guillano / MANILA BULLETIN)
Municipal Environment Officer Jojo Vargas said mangrove planting is an annual project to protect and rehabilitate the 20-hectare mangrove plantation in the town.
The local government has developed a Mangrove Eco-trail in Barangay Tomongtong, one of the nine coastal villages in the town, for the planting project.
Vargas said they are conducting an awareness campaign so residents can know more about environment protection and conservation.
"We are urging local residents and children to get involved in the coastal clean-up and to also help the barangay officials and the government in planting the mangroves," he said.
The activities will help save the environment from the effects of global warming and climate change, he said.
Last June, the town received a first platinum award from the provincial government for the Seal of Good Environment Governance.
Vargas said mangroves provide a habitat for blue crabs and other fish.
E.B. Magalona has a thriving blue crab industry, and there are plans to establish a local conservation area for the crabs.
The mangroves also serve as barriers against typhoon and strong winds, and protect the residents from flooding, he said.
Last June 27, the Allianz PNB Life Insurance Inc. signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the municipal government to support the town’s project on mangrove restoration,
adopting 10 hectares within the plantation through financial assistance amounting to P150,000.
Allianz PNB Life chief marketing officer Rosalyn Martinez and Mayor Marvin Malacon led the signing of the MOA.
Martinez said the local government and the community will plant mangroves while the company will monitor the project’s progress.
Martinez said E.B. Magalona is the first LGU in the Philippines that Allianz has chosen for its environment protection project.
“We found out that the municipality is big into supporting eco-environment initiative, so we thought it is very much aligned to our advocacy since Allianz is a strong advocate of sustainability, particularly on environment protection, along with social inclusion and financial literacy, as part of our corporate social responsibility strategy,” Martinez said.
The aerial view of the Mangrove Eco-Trail in Barangay Tomongtong, E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental. (Warren Guillano / MANILA BULLETIN)
Municipal Environment Officer Jojo Vargas said mangrove planting is an annual project to protect and rehabilitate the 20-hectare mangrove plantation in the town.
The local government has developed a Mangrove Eco-trail in Barangay Tomongtong, one of the nine coastal villages in the town, for the planting project.
Vargas said they are conducting an awareness campaign so residents can know more about environment protection and conservation.
"We are urging local residents and children to get involved in the coastal clean-up and to also help the barangay officials and the government in planting the mangroves," he said.
The activities will help save the environment from the effects of global warming and climate change, he said.
Last June, the town received a first platinum award from the provincial government for the Seal of Good Environment Governance.
Vargas said mangroves provide a habitat for blue crabs and other fish.
E.B. Magalona has a thriving blue crab industry, and there are plans to establish a local conservation area for the crabs.
The mangroves also serve as barriers against typhoon and strong winds, and protect the residents from flooding, he said.
Last June 27, the Allianz PNB Life Insurance Inc. signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the municipal government to support the town’s project on mangrove restoration,
adopting 10 hectares within the plantation through financial assistance amounting to P150,000.
Allianz PNB Life chief marketing officer Rosalyn Martinez and Mayor Marvin Malacon led the signing of the MOA.
Martinez said the local government and the community will plant mangroves while the company will monitor the project’s progress.
Martinez said E.B. Magalona is the first LGU in the Philippines that Allianz has chosen for its environment protection project.
“We found out that the municipality is big into supporting eco-environment initiative, so we thought it is very much aligned to our advocacy since Allianz is a strong advocate of sustainability, particularly on environment protection, along with social inclusion and financial literacy, as part of our corporate social responsibility strategy,” Martinez said.