P12M budget for mangrove planting DENR: 32 sitios face storm surge threat

CEBU, Philippines - A total of  32 sitios in different areas in Cebu province have been identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) - 7 as prone to storm surges.

A storm surge, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), is "an abnormal rise of  water due to a tropical cyclone," and "an oceanic event responding to meteorological driving forces." The weather bureau added that potentially disastrous surges occur along coasts with low-lying terrain that allows inland inundation, or across inland bodies of  water.

"Dapat gyud nga mo-evacuate ang mga residents sa mga areas nga prone sa storm surge," said Eddie Llamedo, DENR-7 information officer, during the press briefing organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) - 7 at the MIP Lounge of the Mactan Benito Ebuen Air Base in Lapu-Lapu City.

Llamedo said storm surges usually happen in areas where the seabed is shallow and the beachfront is long.

Sixteen of the 32 sitios are considered "highly susceptible" to storm surges.

These are sitio Cotcoton,  Barangay Arpili in Balamban; sitio St. Jude, barangay Tungkil in Minglanilla; sitio Rattan, barangay Tangke in Talisay City; sitios Pantalan, Kota, Proper Talisay, Talong, Camote, Okra and Ampalaya, Barangay Talisay,  sitio Katamban, Barangay Langub, sitios Gumamela, San Francisco and Euphorbia, Barangay Kinatarcan, all in Sta. Fe; sitios Batong and Kagwangan, Barangay Tarong and sitio Baybay, Barangay Kodia in Madridejos; sitio Pooc and Sta. Barbara, barangay Sillion and sitios Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Guinglakgan, Barangay Patao in Bantayan.

The other 16 sitios that were identified as "moderately susceptible" to storm surges are sitios Lower and Upper Riverside Segra, Barangay Arpili, Balamban; sitios Nazareth and KSKC, Barangay Tungkop, Minglanilla; sitios Bagacay and Villa San Pedro, Barangay Tulay, Minglanilla; sitio Magay, Barangay Tangke, Talisay City; sitios Sta. Rosa and San Roque in Barangay Pooc and sitio Dolphin, Barangay Langub, Sta. Fe; sitio Caltex, Malabon and Pabrika, Barangay Talangnan, Madridejos; sitios Tabagak and Katipunan, Barangay Tabagak, Madridejos; sitios Riverside and Florencio, Barangay Malbago, Madridejos; and sitio Proper Maalat, barangay Maalat, Madridejos.

Llamedo said that planting mangroves in these coastal areas would be of great help in lessening the impact of storm surges.

Mangroves, he added, also provide nursery grounds for fish, prawns and crabs, and support fisheries production in coastal waters.

He also said that mangroves protect the environment by protecting coastal areas and communities from waves, tidal currents and typhoons.

Just this week, Llamedo said, that DENR-7 has earmarked P12 million, instead of the earlier reported P10 million, for a massive coastal rehabilitation or restoration program covering worst-hit areas in Bantayan Island, Camotes Island, Medellin, Bogo City, Daanbantayan and San Remegio and other parts of Northern Cebu.

More than one million seedlings and propagules of mangrove trees and beach forest species will be planted in over 185 hectares of coastal areas in Northern Cebu.

"The root system of mangroves is very strong. Daku gyud ang matabang sa mangroves in case naay storm surge," Llamedo said.-/QSB (FREEMAN)