Participants of the mangrove tree planting listened attentively as MENRE Tawi-Tawi CENRE Officer Saido Espiliro gave technical instruction on how to plant propagules at the target site in Kubang Mandulan Mangrove Ecosystem on August 19, 2021 in Tawi-Tawi province.
TAWI-TAWI—Tapped for its expertise in planting trees, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE) provincial office has provided technical assistance and healthy propagules to Mindanao State University – Tawi-Tawi thru a mangrove tree planting program, held on Aug. 19 at Kubang Mandulan, Bongao, in this province.
Kubang Mandulan Mangrove Ecosystem was the site of the tree planting activity identified by MENRE Tawi-Tawi for the yearly MSU tree planting program participated by its graduating students as requirement for graduation.
One thousand (1,000) healthy mangrove propagules were planted by MSU students in partnership with MENRE Tawi-Tawi in the identified area of MENRE Tawi-Tawi’s Mangrove Rehabilitation and Development Project.
Provincial Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (PENRE) Officer Jonel Mohammad Monel said that mangrove forests play an important role for maintaining the coastal ecosystem and provide a variety of environmental support.
He further said that mangroves also act as ‘bio-shield’, safeguarding the people living near the coasts of Tawi-Tawi.
Meanwhile, acting on the instruction of the PENRE officer, CENRE Officers Saido Espiliro and Abdulmukim Maruji reechoed the same to the participants and personally gave technical assistance to the tree planters.
Kubang Mandulan Mangrove Ecosystem is one of the target sites of the Bangsamoro Government and MENRE’s Integrated Bangsamoro Greening Program (IBGP) implementation in the province.
The IBGP aims to grow 171.2 million trees/propagules, covering about 159,000 hectares in BARMM forestlands, and has already begun its course in the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur since 2020, which is now being implemented in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.
Last August 14, MENRE Tawi-Tawi distributed 450 mahogany seedlings to Hji Kong Kirong of Sallangan and local farmers in Pasigan Daleya, in this province.
This is in addition to the 195 mahogany seedlings that were initially distributed to the same recipient. (Bangsamoro Information Office)
