DENR 6 campaigns for support to blue economy

ILOILO City- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 6 is campaigning for public support for Western Visayas’ potentials for blue economy.

In his message during the opening program for the “Manglugayawan sa Katunggan A Mangrove Exhibit” in celebration of the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem 2024 with the theme: “Mangroves: Stewards of Blue Economy”, DENR 6 OIC Regional Executive Director (RED) Raul L. Lorilla underscored the need to protect our mangrove ecosystem in the region to boost the blue economy.

“What is blue economy? There are a lot of economic activities in oceans, coasts or coastal areas that, without the guard of mangroves, these economies shall be grossly affected. Mangroves as stewards of blue economy denote the fact that its protection and preservation is crucial to our economic growth as well,” RED Lorilla said.

DENR 6 OIC RED Lorilla also underscored the importance of the cleanup drive done at different mangrove areas which he described as “one of the good strategies in helping the mangroves clean itself of wastes and ensure its luxuriant growth.”

“Mangroves are habitats of various marine organisms – fishes, shrimps, lobsters and many more. And even when there is a storm, marine organisms are safe under the mangroves because it weakens the impacts of wind and waves. Moreover, mangroves are potent areas that sequester carbon dioxide which destroys the ozone layer,” RED Lorilla added. 

Mangrove forests addressed the impacts of climate change, and ensure the good health of community while sustaining their livelihood. Thus, protecting the mangroves is of paramount importance since there are around 365,000 hectares of remaining mangroves in the Philippines and with 82 provinces, 66 are coastal provinces thereby comprising 80 percent of the whole country. OIC RED Lorilla also emphasized the great contributions of establishing the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in coastal municipalities here in the region “to ensure and to institutionalize interventions that would redound to conservation and protection of the coastal areas.”

The “Manglugayawan sa Katunggan A Mangrove Exhibit” was organized by the Zoological Society of London under its Chief Mangrove Scientific Advisor, Dr. Jurgenne H. Primavera. The Exhibit captured the beauty and bounty of mangrove areas and helps one think of his/her role in protecting our very own natural heritage. It is a call to protect mangroves as it also protects and provides for all of us.

After the short program, DENR 6 OIC RED Lorilla together with Dr. Jurgenne H. Primavera, OIC National Museum-Iloilo, Maricyn de los Santos, and Forester Mitzi Peñaflorida of the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) cut the ribbon to officially open the Mangrove Exhibit which is open for public viewing until August 31, 2024./DENR 6