CITY OF MALOLOS- To rehabilitate mangrove areas in coastal barangays in the province, the Provincial Government of Bulacan headed by Gov. Daniel R. Fernando and Vice Gov. Alexis C. Castro partnered with Eagle Cement Corporation (ECC) and has initially planted 1,000 mangrove seedlings in Brgy. Masukol, Paombong last February 21, and another 1,000 in Brgy. Tibaguin, Hagonoy last Friday (Feb. 23).
The 2,000 seedlings are part of the 10,000 mangroves targeted to be planted in the said areas in the next three years.
According to Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) Head Ma. Gloria SF. Carrillo, mangrove areas in the province continues to shrink and the number of fish caught is also declining because they no longer have breeding areas, so the income of the fishermen is also decreasing.
“Ang mangrove ay proteksyon natin kapag may storm surge o pagtaas ng alon sa ating karagatan. Ito rin po ang natural o likas na pamahayan o tirahan ng ating mga yamang dagat. Batay po sa datos, 391.14 hectares na lamang ng mangrove ang natitira sa lalawigan at sinasabi po na .15% lamang ito ng kabuuang pambansang datos ng area planted with mangrove. Inaasahan na sa pamamagitan ng gawaing ito, mapapataas po natin ang huli ng ating mangingisda at makakatulong sa kanilang pang-araw-araw na kabuhayan,” Carrillo said.
Meanwhile, as stewards of the mangrove that will propagate, plant, care, and maintain the planted seedlings, the fisherfolk association of the Samahang Mangingisda ng Isla Tibaguin (SMIT) will receive financial assistance from Eagle Cement Corporation twice, first on the planting of the seedlings, and after six months from the planting date depending on the number of mangroves that will survive.
Also present in the mangrove planting in Hagonoy were Board Member Romina Fermin, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Head Manuel Lukban and his staff, Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office staff, PAO staff, Municipal Governments of Hagonoy and Paombong, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 3, Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Region 3, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office-Bulacan, and Rotary Clubs of Independencia, Malolos Congreso, Guiguinto Bloomingdales, and Malolos Hiyas. (UnliNews Online)
