Vice Gov. Rene L. Relampagos

Vice Governor Rene Lopez Relampagos and the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), authorized on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, Gov. Arthur C. Yap to partner with Participatory, Research, Organization of Communities and Education towards Struggle for Self-Reliance (PROCESS) Bohol Inc., a non-government organization (NGO), for the establishment of a mangrove nursery and rehabilitation project here.

The approval of the said project is the SP’s way of showing support to the Provincial Government of Bohol’s (PGBh) thrust to address the impacts of global climate change, as well as to sustain and restore Bohol’s pristine environment.

Jovencia Ganub, head of the Bohol Environmental Management Office (BEMO) said that the proposed project supports the existing program of the PGBh, in the hope of addressing the impact of global climate change.

As proven in studies, mangroves help stabilize shorelines by slowing the process of erosion and providing natural barriers protecting coastal communities from increased storm surge, flooding, and typhoons.

Mangroves also serve as shelter and breeding grounds for a lot of marine organisms.

Likewise, mangroves provide food and nutrients to marine organisms, and they are effective carbon sequesters that can mitigate global warming.

According to Ganub, the project will be implemented in 10 sites in the province, namely in the towns of Buenavista, Getafe, Talibon, Bien Unido, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Ubay, Mabini, Candijay, Anda, and Loon. 

The proposed project will cover around 15.7 hectares of idle land where a total of 39,000 seedlings are targeted to be raised in the nursery and to be eventually planted in the said towns as part of the rehabilitation aspect of the proposed project.

Aurelio Salgados, Executive Director of PROCESS Bohol, said that they have proposed this project to the PGBh as part of the NGO’s thrust to protect the environment.

Most of PROCESS Bohol’s projects are situated in the northern part of the province. 

Salgados added that most of the areas in the northern part of Bohol have experienced rising sea levels and most of the areas there are prone to disaster.

In the implementation of the proposed program in the identified towns, PROCESS Bohol will be working and dealing with the existing peoples’ organizations (POs). PROCESS Bohol will be providing livelihood to members of these POs.

There are approximately more than 100 members of POs who will be working on the proposed project.

As of the moment, PROCESS Bohol is able to already train some members of POs.

As stipulated under the proposed project, PGBh will provide to PROCESS Bohol an amount of P2,177,500 as funding for the project.

The release of the financial assistance shall be done in two tranches: the first tranche is for mangrove nursery and maintenance and the second tranche is for mangrove plantation and rehabilitation. 

According to Provincial Budget Officer Peter Ross Retutal, the proposed project funds will be sourced from the Maintenance and Other Operating Expense (MOOE) of the BEMO. 

Furthermore, Retutal said there is no need for a corresponding appropriation ordinance for the amount as the fund is already available.

According to Salgados, the target of the proposed project is to plant mangroves within 12 months as it will take some time before the seedlings mature so they can be planted on the target areas.

Relampagos throws his full support to the proposed project, as he stressed that the direction of protecting, developing, and promoting the environment in Bohol is part of the vision of the province. 

“The province is availing and making use of the program of works by the NGO PROCESS Bohol where they have already shown the expertise and experience in these matters. By doing so, we hope that we would be able to more efficiently implement the program of the provincial government. Under this program, other than protecting environment, makahatag pod ni ug livelihood opportunities sa atong mga kaigsuonan,” Relampagos concluded.