Bulacan river rehab boosted

MANILA, Philippines –  A multi-sectoral effort to help revive the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River System, one of the world’s 30 most polluted places, recently held bamboo and mangrove planting activities in Bulacan.

The effort was spearheaded by Globe Telecom in partnership with the Blacksmith Institute, Department of the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 3, DENR Bulacan, and MMO Water Quality Management Board.

About 200 volunteers from public and private sectors participated in planting 10,500 bamboo and mangrove seedlings in San Jose del Monte and Obando. The twin events are part of the team’s Green Line project and showcased how people from the industry, the government, and the community could work together to salvage such an important river system in the province.

Green Line is a dedicated 24-hour call and text facility where residents and other concerned parties can report violations of environmental laws and policies. The first such facility was unveiled in Bulacan late last year.

The bamboo and mangrove seedlings were planted along the tributaries of San Jose del Monte and the coastal area of Obando to help in the streambank stabilization and rehabilitation of mangrove areas of the river system.