Subic Freeport hosts workshop for ASEAN Mangrove Congress

By JONAS REYES | Subic Bay Freeport

A TOTAL of 150 delegates to the 2nd ASEAN Mangrove Congress here on Sept. 7 helped plant and tag various species of mangrove, which are considered as vital in stabilizing coastal areas.

The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) of the Department and Natural Resources (DENR), led the mangrove-planting activity at the Triboa Mangrove Park here to mark the start of the Second ASEAN Mangrove Congress workshop in this free port.

SBMA Administrator & CEO Wilma T. Eisma welcomed the 150 ASEAN delegates from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Also participating were some delegates from the United States and Hong Kong.

mangrove tagging
SBMA Ecology Center manager Amethya dela Llana assists Ayta jungle expert Dominador Liwanag in tagging a mangrove tree as Administrator Eisma and an ASEAN Congress delegate look on.

ECO-INDUSTRIAL DEV’T
Eisma said that despite the booming industries in the Subic Bay Freeport, the SBMA is committed to preserving the lush mangrove forests in coastal areas here, just like what it did with the triple-canopy rainforests in the free port.

“In Subic, we have proven that environmental protection and industrial development can go hand-in-hand,” Eisma said.

“In fact, we continue to prove that being good to Nature adds value to the various economic activities here,” she added.

CONSERVATION DRIVE
This was the second time that Subic hosted the ASEAN Mangrove Congress. The first was in December 2012 and drew 81 participants from various ASEAN countries and the ASEAN development partner, the United States.

DENR Director Henry Ador-nado said that the Subic Bay Freeport is an excellent location to conduct lectures and workshop activities on mangroves because it provides a wide sample of these coastal plants in both estuary and beach forest settings.

He added that the Subic workshop highlighted the importance of mangrove and the need for its conservation in face of global climate change.

Top photo: Administrator & CEO Wilma T. Eisma welcomes delegates to the 2nd ASEAN Mangrove Congress workshop at the Triboa Mangrove Park in the Subic Bay Freeport. 

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