CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is urging the public to protect mangrove forests in Central Luzon to help save Manila Bay and sustain the region’s coastal resources.
DENR regional executive director Paquito Moreno Jr. noted that sustaining a healthy mangrove ecosystem is essential in preserving the natural habitat of marine and migratory bird species.
“Planting mangroves keeps our coastal zones and shorelines healthy. It prevents erosion and protects coastal communities from storm surges and strong waves,” he explained.
Moreno said that mangrove forests are essential in reviving the quality of water bodies in Manila Bay areas in the region, since the complex root system of mangroves filter nitrates and phosphates that rivers and other tributaries carry to the greater portion of the Bay.
DENR records show that since the Manila Bay cleanup and rehabilitation program was launched in 2019, a total of 80 hectares of mangrove forests has been established in Bataan, Bulacan, and Pampanga planted with 174,400 mangrove species.
According to studies, mangrove forests provide a natural refuge and habitat to several wildlife, and serve as a natural defense against typhoons, sea level rise and tides.
Since 2011, DENR has established 1,120 hectares of mangrove plantation in the region under various coastal and marine rehabilitation programs. — Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu/PIA-3
