Bohol’s mangrove growers get boost

GETAFE, Bohol – Residents in the island barangay of Banacon, this town, which has the largest man-made mangrove forest in Asia in terms of area planted with different species, have been promised more jobs by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Environment Undersecretary Sylvia Ordoñnez, head of the climate change office, told mangrove growers here Friday the department is looking for alternative sources of income for them, who are mostly fisherfolk.

DENR explained the Supreme Court’s decision to ban the cutting of mangroves in the area.

The mangrove area is more than 20 kilometers long and two or more kilometers wide and covers at least three barangays – Jagoliao, Nasingin and Banacon here and island barangays Calituban and Gindacpan, all in Talibon town.

The man-made plantation lies within the Danajon Double Barrier Reefs situated between Cebu, Leyte and Bohol. The reefs, still threatened by illegal fishing methods, like dynamite, is the only double barrier reefs in the country and one of at least five similar known marine formations in the world.

While still looking for another livelihood program for the islanders, Ordonez said DENR promised more funds for planting propagules under the National Greening Program (NGP).

Ordoñez said the Philippines should recover some 300,000 hectares of mangroves lost to cutting after the Spaniards left some 500,000 of these mangroves. Mangroves, she said, protect the people from calamities such as a storm surge like what happened to Leyte.

Spaniard Javier Manzanares along with an Italian Demetrio Innocenti, both of the Green Climate Fund, assured funding support for Banacon’s mangrove growers.

Getafe Mayor Casey Shaun Camacho told DENR and the fisherfolk that his administration continues to provide support. He said he has provided a desalination machine for the barangay’s potable water supply.

Buenavista Mayor Lowell Tirol said his town has grown a total of 195 mangrove forests in two island barangays.

Elpidio Palaca, a forester from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Talibon, said the area of planted mangrove has been expanded from 484 hectares in 1957 to 1989, to 3,760 hectares.

Thanks to National Greening Program, the plantation has 1,462 hectares planted with propagules, DENR said.

DENR Secretary Gina Lopez was supposed to inspect the Banacon mangrove area but begged off because she was focused on her confirmation. She instead sent her undersecretary and other officials to visit the area, Ordoñez said. (PNA)