P347M Set to Bring Back EV Mangroves

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will set aside P347 million budget for the restoration of mangroves and beachfronts in Eastern Visayas especially in those areas damaged by super typhoon Yolanda.

This was what Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said following reports that denuded mangrove plantation in the Eastern Visayas was blamed for the storm surge in Leyte, which killed thousands and damaged at least P34 billion of properties.

Paje said the DENR will do massive coastal restoration in areas hit by Yolanda especially in Tacloban City, which is considered hard-hit by the super typhoon.

“Tacloban is a major concern given its being a major population center, but the undertaking will cover practically the entire eastern seaboard of Eastern Visayas,” Paje said in a press statement.

He said the restoration project will hopefully save the province from another killer storm surge in the future.

Also, Paje said the coastlines will be off-limits from residential houses. “It is clear in the law that we cannot allow people to build houses in areas for mangroves and beach forest,” he said.