PENRO officer wants mangrove planting in Bantayan stopped

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO)’s coastal resource management (CRM) officer has recommended that the ongoing mangrove planting in Bantayan Island be stopped as it is endangering the seagrasses that thrive in the island.

 “Knowing that mangroves and seagrass beds are separate, important and very productive ecosystem in the coastal environment, the planting of mangrove propagules in the seagrass beds is definitely a big misguided activity. The current undertaking should be stopped!” read the October 5 report submitted by CRM officer William Villaver to PENRO chief Chad Estella.

The ongoing mangrove planting in Bantayan is being spearheaded by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Villaver also recommended that the mangrove propagules earlier planted by  the DENR be removed as these are slowly killing the seagrasses, a habitat of “dugong,” sea cucumber, rabbit fish, gastropods, crustaceans (crabs, shrimps, sea turtles, etc), “danggit”, which the island is famous for, and others.

Villaver, a marine biologist, was in Bantayan last September 29 and 30 and on October 1 and 2 after the Capitol received a complaint from the Bantayan Chapter Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCCI) on DENR’s planting of mangroves in seagrasses in the island.

 According to BCCCI, DENR hired island residents to plant the mangroves since June this year, as these could protect them from storm surges.

In Barangay Luyong Baybay in Doong Island, Bantayan town, for one, 15 hectares will reportedly be planted with “tongke,” a kind of mangrove specie, which will be completed by next month. Neighboring Barangay Doong’s five-hectare coastline will also be planted the same.

The “Mangrove Beach Forest Development Project” of DENR-7 for Doong Island reportedly has a budget of P435,000, and P290,000 for barangays Luyong Baybay and Doong, respectively. The funding includes planting materials and salary for residents, who are paid at P1 per propagule.

DENR-7 led by Solon Bagalihog was in Bantayan May this year to introduce the project, which is aimed at protecting the small island from storm surges, it being exposed to southwest monsoon (habagat).

The project started the following month.

During his inspection, Villaver said newly planted mangroves are starting to invade the abundant seagrasses of the island, which could result to the death of many marine inhabitants. - /NSA (FREEMAN)