London NGO, Panay town ink MOA on mangroves rehab
PANAY, Capiz – This town under the leadership of Mayor Dante Bermejo and Zoology Society of London (ZSL), a non-governmental organization (NGO) with official address in Iloilo City, will start to rehabilitate mangrove plantation in this area which was recently infested by pests.
The rehabilitation kicked off yesterday after the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) among Bermejo, Vice Mayor Gualberto Bernas, Josephine Savaris, representative of (ZSL), Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Member Leobeth Delicana and Buntod Brgy. Captain Restituto Bueno.
The ZSL mangrove project and Panay town will jointly embark on a mangrove project for Barangay Buntod aimed at rehabilitating abandoned government-based fishponds and degraded nipa palm stands to healthy mangrove forest and increasing coastal protective, food resources and livelihood income through the sustainable management of the mangrove forest.
The two parties will also jointly provide technical and financial assistance, training, advisory and related assistance in the implementation of the mangrove rehabilitation.
Panay town is one of the areas in Panay Island which is a recipient of the mangrove rehabilitation. Some areas are the towns in Iloilo, Aklan and Antique province.
Bermejo said that mangroves promote eco-tourism and livelihood in Panay town. This town was adjudged as the cleanest and greenest town of Western Visayas for the second time around because of its good mangrove plantation.
However, Bermejo warned that due to environmental destruction which may be caused by both manmade and natural factors, the climate has changed which resulted that sea level became higher.
He also urged people to do something or else, the higher level of the land will be reached during the high tide. He added that the increase of sea water during the high tide is one meter per year due to the climate change caused by environmental destruction.
Bermejo said that Buntod is the pilot area of the mangrove rehab which will be replicated to the other barangays later on.