PTT duplicates Thailand’s mangrove project in Phl

MANILA, Philippines - A multinational oil company in the Philippines is bringing into the country its own model of mangrove reforestation in its home country Thailand through a project that has drawn hundreds of participants  in the province of Cavite.

PTT Philippine Corp. (PTTPC), a local subsidiary of PTT Public Company Ltd. of Thailand, initiated its mangrove reforestation project in Noveleta, Cavite with 50,000 mangrove propagules planted in just one day.

“We are trying to duplicate our mother company’s effort to lead the same kind of project, mangrove planting, in our desire to help in the environmental campaign of the Philippine government, especially after the disaster brought by Super Typhoon Yolanda last year,” PTTPC president and chief executive officer Wisarn Chawalitanon told more than 500 volunteers who took part in the mangrove planting.

Following the Yolanda disaster, the Aquino government has instructed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to put more focus on mangrove reforestation after it was reported that mangroves in some parts of Eastern Visayas helped mitigate the effects of Yolanda at the height of the storm surge.

“We are glad that PTT has become part of that endeavor because the environmental issue for us is a concern of everyone,” Chawalitanon said.

PTT launched its “BakaJuan: Back to the Mangrove” project two months ago through the conduct of an information caravan in 12 schools in the town of Noveleta and Cavite City in Cavite.

The information caravan drew more than 5,000 students and school personnel, who also took part in the tree planting at Barangay San Rafael 4, Noveleta, Cavite.

Among the partners of PTT in this project are the Royal Thai Embassy Manila, Cebu Pacific Air, Philippine Air Force 15th Strike Wing, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection, DENR, Department of Education-Noveleta District, the municipal government of Noveleta, San Sebastian College-Cavite City, Cavite State University, Noveleta National High School, Hermano Integrated School, Atheneum Ancam Academy, the seven public elementary schools in Noveleta, Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippine STAR and UNTV.

After four hours of planting, the volunteers were able to plant the 50,000 propagules in the five-hectare wetland in the coastal area of Noveleta.

“We hope that eventually, our experience in Thailand will be duplicated here in the Philippines,” Chawalitanon said.

Thailand has a vast mangrove forest following the initiative made by King Bhumibol Adulyadej several years ago.