SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Members of the Rotary Club of Downtown Olongapo (RCDO), along with various government, private and people’s organizations in the Subic Bay area, replanted mangrove areas here early this month to help conserve the ecosystem in this free port.

Around 70 participants trooped to the Triboa Mangrove Forest to help plant 100 mangrove propagules provided by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority’s Ecology Center.

The groups also cleaned the area from assorted solid waste and debris.

RCDO President Marvin Bacay said the kicked off the new Rotary Year 2023-2024, which is themed “Create Hope in the World.”

“We decided on this project ‘Conserve Subic Bay’s Mangroves’ because of the necessity to do our share in safeguarding our environment in the present for it to benefit the next generations,” Bacay said.

The RCDO also pointed out that mangrove forests are endangered, are one of the world’s threatened major tropical ecosystems, and are disappearing at an alarming rate.

In the Philippines, over 50% of mangroves have been lost due to many factors like human intervention, water pollution, aquaculture developments and natural phenomenon among others, the RCDO said, citing published reports.

In the Subic Bay Freeport, there are seven mangrove forests that the SBMA had declared as protected areas in accordance with Republic Act 7161, which bans the cutting of all mangrove species.

SBMA Environmental Management Specialist Cenevix G. Mañago said two of these mangrove forests are found in the Boton area, two in Triboa, and one each in Ilanin, Nabasan, Binictican and Malawaan.

Mañago told the project participants that these mangroves protect shorelines, prevent erosion, maintain water quality and clarity, filter pollutants and trap sediments, and serves as nursery, breeding and spawning grounds of fishes.

The RCDO mangrove-planting project was conducted along with the Olongapo City Police Office-Philippine National Police Public Community Relations team, Philippine Coast Guard Olongapo Sub-station, Peace Community Action Group, Batang Gapo People’s Organization Inc., Asian Vision, DBA, One Ad, and the club’s constant service partners—the Rotaract Club of Gordon College and Rotaract Club of Downtown Olongapo II.

Bacay said the participants learned a lot from the experience, with the first timers expressing their delight in being part of the activity. – DIDET SANTIAGO