Shoring up Pangasinan’s coastal ecosystem
Often referred to as coastal woodland, tidal forest and mangrove forest, the mangrove ecosystem is made up of woody plant species associated with characteristic fauna and flora and anaerobic soils found in the intertidal zone. They provide shelter for a diverse group of fishes and shellfish, as well as provide protection from storm surges and high winds.
Importance of mangroves
Moreover, mangroves also serve as a wildlife sanctuary and protects against soil erosion and sedimentation in the sea which degrade coral reefs. They are the land builders through soil accretion where sediment from the land is collected among the dense roots building up the land. They also trap coastal pollutants which may otherwise severely damage adjacent marine ecosystems.
If used on a sustained yield basis or proper harvesting, mangroves can provide timber, firewood, charcoal, pulp and paper, extractives, nipa sap, nipa shingles, cellulose xanthate, oil, medicine, resin, tea and livestock supplements.
Our mangrove problem
According to government data, the Philippines had some 450,000 hectares of mangrove areas in 1918, but the number has constantly declined at a rate of deforestation of more than 4,000 ha per year. Such decline is due to harvesting of mangroves for charcoal or fuelwood production, forest clearing for fishpond development, mineral extraction, commercial timber harvesting and urban development.
Having been chosen as the site for Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s (MPIC) newlyopened Mangrove Propogation Information Center, the people of Alaminos City and the province of Pangasinan can look forward to a more vibrant coastal ecosystem.
The center is part of MPIC’s corporate social responsibility and is set in the coastal village of Bued. The two-storey, 275-sqm-hectare structure comprises of an information center and a view deck for bird watching overseeing a 8.17-hectare mangrove area near the Lingayen Gulf.
Since 2013, MPIC has been taking active steps towards the development of mangrove nurseries, multiplication and planting of mangrove trees in coastal estuarine areas, and the rehabilitation of degraded mangrove ecosystems. Even before the Center was established, MPIC has already been working closely with the city government of Alaminos for its Shore It Up (SIU) underwater cleanup campaign at the Hundred Islands National Park in 2010 and 2013.
“The mangrove is a vital ecosystem and Metro Pacific is doing its share in protecting and propagating it through this legacy project of Shore It Up, our flagship environmental sustainability program,” says Metro Pacific president and chief executive officer Joey Lim.
According to Lim, the facility is envisioned to provide information to visitors about the mangrove ecosystem, its benefits and how they can help propagate them, creating better awareness. The Center also aims to serve as an economic opportunity for communities in Alaminos as well as neighboring towns by encouraging entrepreneurial activities for local stakeholders.
“The mangroves are more profitable when protected and contributing to the ecosystem and this is a message that needs to be resonated through the mangrove center,” Lim pointed out.
Shore It Up
According to Metro Pacific PR and corporate communications head Melody Del Rosario, the Center is part of MPIC’s partnership with the Alaminos City government, which started with the MVP Group of Companies’ Shore It Up campaign.
“Similar programs are being carried out in Del Carmen town in Siargao Island and in Bohol to sustain the conglomerate’s environmental initiatives. With the endeavor, Metro Pacific hopes to bring a long-term partnership to have a positive impact on the environment, economic and sociocultural life of Alaminos and province of Pangasinan,” she added.
She noted that the Mangrove Center will also be an interesting attraction for tourists after going around the Hundred Islands, which remains to be one of the country’s top destinations.
Looking forward, Del Rosario revealed that the MVP Group of Companies is scouting for other communities, this time in the Visayas to complete the nationwide presence of mangrove centers under Shore It Up.
The country’s longest corporatebacked environmental program, SIU mobilizes volunteer scuba divers from the conglomerate’s member companies to clean the seabed of non- biodegradable waste materials. It also taps local groups and communities to undertake a simultaneous coastal cleanup.
A vital component of the SIU is the Junior Environmental Scouts (JES), a twohour seminar involving elementary school students to inculcate concern for Mother Earth among young minds through creative art.
The program was conceptualized in 2009 after the devastation of Typhoon Ondoy and its projects have been successfully held in various coastal areas all over the Philippines like Mabini, Batangas; Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Subic Bay Freeport Zone; Del Carmen in Siargao Island, and Panglao and Pamilacan Islands in Bohol.
SIU has tapped more than 70,000 volunteers and has partnered with some 300 local and national government agencies, community organizations, socio-civic groups, and private entities.
Shore It Up is a recipient of the Anvil Award of Merit from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines for its sustained environmental program from 2011 to 2013. It was also accorded the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program in the Corporate Governance Asia Award in the same period.