Pasar plants mangrove trees, then builds dike to protect them

First, they planted 2,000 mangrove trees. Now, they built a dike to protect the mangrove areas from the raging Camotes Sea in Eastern Visayas. That’s about how serious Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. (PASAR) is in protecting the environment.

The P8-million embankment is actually more than a dike enclosure for the growing mangrove trees. It will also help in the recovery of iron concentrates that are carried away together withthe silt as part of the operations of the country’s only copper smelting and refining facility.

"Our commitment to environment protection is PASAR’s way of helping nature bring out its natural ecosystem," said Ricardo Santiago, PASAR SVP for human resources management and plant administration.

He said the mangroves serve as natural breeding grounds for fish and other marine species. It also helps prevent the siltation and erosion of the coastal areas.

So far, about 2,000 mangrove trees had been planted in the vicinity of PASAR’s 80-hectare facility in Isabel, Leyte. PASAR is hoping to cover an area of approximately five to seven hectares around the plant with the new mangrove trees. The project was started two years ago.

"With the completion of the 450-meter dike enclosure, we can now enjoy an interesting view either of the ocean or the plant. It is just like the fish sanctuary which most people have grown to call ‘peace sanctuary’ because of the soothing atmosphere it provides," said PASAR environmental protection department senior manager Tranquilino B. Sanchez Jr.

Closed on both ends, the dike has given way to a settling pond of two hectares, where the water being discharged undergo cooling and cleansing.

"The dike has found another reason for PASAR to recycle and maximize the potential of what others would term as waste or by-product with the creation of a splendid pond in the area," stressed Sanchez.

Located south of the plant, the newly-built dike was viewed by the Multi-partite Monitoring Team of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) led by EMB-Region 8 Director Fermin D. Weygan with local government representatives present.