Trash collected, mangroves planted

CEBU, Philippines - Nearly 200 kilos of trash – mostly plastics, bottles and cans – was collected while at least 1,000 mangrove propagules were planted at two sites in simultaneous activities in observance of World Wetlands Day.

Isabelo Montejo, regional executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7, said that the event is celebrated globally to give significance on the value of wetlands to human beings.

Montejo, in a statement, said that wetlands "act as water purification systems, regulate flow and precipitation, flood control, and provide shoreline stability."

In Olango Island, at least 100 clean-up participants were able to gather about 167 kilos of garbage from Barangay Sabang and planted a thousand mangrove propagules planted. In Inuburan, Naga City, more than 1,000 mangrove propagules were planted.

Montejo said further that swamps, lakes, marshes, mudflats, mangroves and marine water are very helpful as they protect the shoreline from wave actions, mitigate the impact of floods, absorb pollutants, and provide habitats for various plants and animal species.

The celebration marks the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian City of Ramsar.

Montejo said increasing the level of awareness by engaging the help of communities help ensure the integrity of coastal resources.

Wetlands are lands that may be permanently or seasonally inundated. These include lakes and rivers, swamps and marshes, estuaries, tidal flats, mangroves and coral reefs, and even man-made sites such as fish ponds, rice paddies and reservoirs.

In the Philippines, February 2 has been declared the National Wetlands Day by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 74, series of 1999 with this year's theme, "Wetlands and Agriculture: Partners for Growth."

Five sites have been identified as "Wetlands of International Importance" or Ramsar sites by Swiss-based Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. These include Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (OIWS) in Lapulapu City, Cebu; Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Mindanao; Naujan Lake National Park in Oriental Mindoro; Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park; and the Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan.

There are about 2,062 Ramsar sites around the world.

The focus of this year's celebration is the United Nations declaration of  2014 as International Year of Family Farming. (FREEMAN)