15T Mangroves Take Roots in Danao City

At least 15,000 mangrove seedlings were planted during the annual Run 2 Plant in Barangay Guinsay, Danao City last Saturday, Sept. 9.

Capitol and Danao City Hall employees, private stakeholders as well as military and police personnel enjoyed themselves in a 3.3-km fun run before planting the mangrove seedlings in the shoreline of the said barangay.

“We’re trying to help conserve the environment and at the same time, promote our well-being (through running),” Anthony Dinagdice, representative of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. said.

Now on its 7th year, this is the first time mangroves were planted for the activity.

“Mangroves have more carbon dioxide absorption capacity, and are great barrier for huge waves especially during typhoons,” Alona Villarojo, Forest Management Services of Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office said.

Two species of mangroves were planted: A grey and white mangrove avicennia marina donated by a private company and rhizophora locally known as tongki.

According to Romel Kirit, Coastal Resource Management of PENRO, the office purchased the propagules for P12 each from fishermen trained by the provincial environment office on how to grow mangrove seedlings.

“PENRO has been training these fisherfolk on how to propagate mangrove seedlings. This serves as their other source of income aside from fishing,” Kirit said.

Kirit assured that PENRO will be closely monitoring the mangrove seedlings planted to ensure high survival rate.

“We will be closely coordinating with Danao LGU in monitoring the mortality rate of the mangrove seedlings,” Kirit said, adding that PENRO has planted 23,000 mangrove seedlings all over Cebu from January to July this year.

The Cebu provincial government and its partner organizations aim to grow 35 million trees by 2020. The province pledged to plant three million trees in the tree-growing initiative which was launched last July. (Korinna Lucero)

cebu.gov.ph