Yes, progress and development are vital for economic gain, but this should not happen at the expense of our environment. Lest we forget, mangrove forests per hectare can store up to four times more carbon than other types of forests. 

During the launch of the photo exhibit “Our Coastal Greenbelts, Our National Treasure” at the National Museum of Natural History in Manila on July 16, 2024, international marine protection group Oceana sounded the alarm on the decline of mangroves by 30 to 50 percent over the past five decades. 

Latest data from the DENR-Forest Management Bureau showed only 311,400 hectares of mangroves were left in 2020, prompting the need to plant and conserve them.

Why we need mangroves 

Mangroves help fight climate change through their capacity to store massive amounts of carbon. Ultimately, these trees shield coastlines by decreasing flooding and erosion risks.

“We needed greenbelts to stem the fury of Typhoon Carina, as we needed them a century ago or whenever storms started to ravage our country,” said Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, chief mangrove scientific advisor at Zoological Society of London. “For an archipelago with 7,600 islands lined by 36,000 kilometers of coastline and visited by an average of 20 typhoons yearly, we absolutely need these greenbelts of mangrove and beach forest trees.” 

Dr. Primavera, who curated the photo exhibit at the National Museum, began her coastal greenbelt advocacy three decades ago with a paper published in Reviews in Fisheries Science.

Meanwhile, Secretary Jaime Bautista of the Department of Transportation highlighted that effective mangrove conservation needs collective action among environmental agencies, local communities, and other stakeholders, saying, "A collaborative approach ensures that transport development aligns with environmental stewardship." 

Bill for coastal greenbelt and mangroves protection pushed 

Oceana has urged authorities to pass urgently the National Coastal Greenbelt bill, which would establish a 100-meter wide band of mangrove and beach trees that will protect coastal communities by absorbing wave energy (storm surge) by up to 60 percent. 

“We are alarmed by the continuous decimation of mangroves on the coastal areas to make way for economic activities, grossly disregarding the protection that mangrove forest areas cause to coastal communities, and the food and livelihood security that this important natural life support system brings to them,” said Oceana Vice President in the Philippines Atty. Gloria Estenzo Ramos.

Protecting marine habitats, including mangroves, should be a collective fight involving not just policymakers but also citizens who must be engaged in the conservation of coastal trees. 

"We also need engaged citizenry who make sure they are part of the decision-making process whether local, national, political, social, and economic levels. That is guaranteed by our 1987 Constitution no less," she added.

Oceana for biodiversity conservation

The nonprofit organization considers the government its partner as it works closely with national agencies, senators and congressional representatives, and fisheries sectors to achieve science-based management and marine habitat protection. 

“Apart from the youth, academe, and non-government organizations, we are working closely with our artisanal fisherfolk and have won a good number of challenges to stop legitimizing illegal commercial fishing in municipal waters. They must be consulted on all matters that affect the municipal waters and marine habitats including mangroves, the very source of their sustenance and wellbeing,” shared Atty. Ramos. 

Simply put, Oceana aims to achieve policy victories in countries that have nearly 25 percent of the world's wild marine fish catch, including the Philippines, to restore ocean abundance.

We should not glorify our resilience during typhoons and other disasters when experts have repeatedly warned about the environmental consequences of human activities. It’s our right and duty to defend our biodiversity; there's much more we can do than hope for good leadership which, unfortunately, is unlikely to come without engaged citizenry and collective action.