ILIGAN CITY (PIA) — Iliganons are encouraged to take part in protecting and preserving the city’s vital coastal ecosystem, as more than 2,500 mangrove propagules were planted in Esplanade, Barangay Santiago, February 4.
The City Environmental Management Office (CEMO), in partnership with various government agencies and private organizations, led the mangrove planting activity in observance of World Wetlands Day.
A coastal cleanup where 7 sacks of garbage around riverbanks were also collected.
The activity aimed to promote environmental awareness and highlight the collective responsibility of the community in safeguarding natural resources.
“It is about time nga magtan-aw pod ta sa atong responsibilidad sa atong kinaiyahan dili lang sa solid waste, proper waste segregation, but also our responsibility toward water bodies, sa atong wetlands,” CEMO head Virgilio Encabo said.
(It is about time we also recognize our responsibility toward the environment not just in managing solid waste and proper waste segregation but also in protecting our water bodies and wetlands.)
He also shared that the initiative goes beyond rehabilitation, as it is about ecosystem transformation to ensure continuous protection and support for biodiversity in the area.
It can be recalled that Iligan City was severely affected by Typhoon Sendong (Washi) in December 2011. To prevent future disasters, residents and partner organizations have been continuously planting mangroves to serve as natural barriers against storm surges and coastal erosion.
The participating agencies of the planting activity were the different offices of the city government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Community Environment and Natural Resources Office Iligan City, Philippine Coastguard Iligan, Iligan City Police Office, Philippine Ports Authority, and organizations like Watershed Management Division/Mindanao Generation, Bantay Dagat, and Society of Filipino Forester Inc. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
