Private company GNPower Mariveles Energy Center (GMEC) has launched a five-year mangrove planting and protection program in Bataan covering five hectares.
The program was unveiled during an “Environmental Forum on Understanding Climate Change and Mangroves” forum that the company conducted in Sitio Pulo, Barangay Kabalutan in Orani, Bataan.
The forum was attended by more than 150 participants that included GMEC personnel, representatives of the provincial government environment and natural resources representatives, school officials, teachers, and students.
The event featured presentations on climate change, mangrove ecology and conservation, threats to mangrove survival, and the benefits of the ecosystem. Butch Gunio
“There is only one planet we live on, and it is our duty to take care of it. For our youth, let us understand the importance of mangroves, climate change mitigation, and the things we can still do to continue protecting our environment,” Arcel Madrid, GMEC AVP for Community Relations, said
A poster-making contest and quiz bee were also held. Winners received cash prizes and food packs from GMEC. GMEC also donated electric fans, summer survival kits, and school supplies to Pulo Integrated School.
According to the 2024 State of the Coasts of Bataan, mangrove areas in the province decreased from 3.95 square kilometers to 1.56 square kilometers between 2012 and 2016.
GMEC launched the project planting 12,500 mangrove propagules and seedlings in 2023 alone.
