Villar: Save mangroves

MANILA, Philippines - There’s a foil against freak storm surges: mangroves.

In observance of International Mangrove Action Day, Sen. Cynthia Villar led a mangrove tree planting activity at the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Eco-Tourism Area yesterday.

She said mangroves can reduce the impact of storm surges in coastal areas.

“We are now facing stronger and more frequent typhoons. More than ever, we should protect our remaining mangrove forests and encourage more people to plant mangrove trees. These trees serve as buffer against tidal surges during storms,” Villar said.

Villar cited a 2012 study by the University of Cambridge that showed mangroves slow down the flow of water during surges and reduce damage in coastal areas.

She said mangroves saved Palompon town in Leyte from a storm surge caused by Typhoon Yolanda last year.