Siargao is known for as the surfing capital of the Philippines, but did you know that it is also home to one of the Philippines’ largest contiguous mangrove forests that boast a rich diversity of flora and fauna that can only be found in the province?

One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the social development arm of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), is part of its environmental conservation efforts as the Foundation plants and nurtures 125,000 native mangroves in the gateway of Siargao: the town of Del Carmen.

This significant initiative is under OMF’s environmental program One For Trees (OFT), where it partnered with the local government of Del Carmen, as well as the people’s organization Kaanib ng mga Mangingisda at Magsasaka ng Numancia (KAMAMANA) in upholding the importance of wetlands located in the western part of the teardrop-shaped island. The partnership was in celebration of World Wetlands Day (02 February) this 2024 with the theme, “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing.”

The town is home to the Del Carmen Mangrove Forest Reserve, sprawling over 4,800 hectares, making it one of the largest in the country. It serves as a diverse habitat for different mangrove species and various land and marine organisms that provide the residents with food supply and sources of income. The mangrove forest also helps reduce organic pollution and can protect communities against intense winds and waves in the typhoon-prone country. For this, it is an official nominee to the UN Ramsar Convention of Wetlands of International Importance, a step closer to putting one of Mindanao’s famous islands into the global map of wetland conservation.

The local government of Del Carmen and the coastal community it serves have been raising awareness on the economic and ecological importance of wetlands while being active in mangrove conservation and protection since 2010. It’s a product of a massive community effort that hopes to break the cycle of poverty and environmental degradation in the area while contributing to the country’s commitment to boost climate resilience.

As part of its ongoing environmental sustainability efforts, Del Carmen has initiated a reforestation project in three sites covering 50 hectares. This project, as supported by OMF’s One For Trees program, will be a source of livelihood and income to KAMAMANA members and their families.

“Del Carmen is grateful for the support of One Meralco Foundation and the MVP Group through the One for Trees Program to increase awareness on the need of post-typhoon rehabilitation, the support to rehabilitate the Del Carmen Mangrove Forest Reserve and explore innovative solutions to maximize community-based livelihood to sustain the people’s behavior towards environmental conservation. It shows the continued commitment of LGU Del Carmen and the MVP group in ensuring a fairer and equitable world we live in,” Mayor Alfredo Coro shared.

Since 2022, One Meralco Foundation’s One For Trees has committed to reforesting mangrove sites as part of its efforts for environmental sustainability and encouraging community participation to protect and preserve forests and mangrove sites that are also the source of livelihood in the communities. OFT has planted and is nurturing 2,330,729 trees, of which 322,079 are mangroves.

When the strongest storm of 2021, Super Typhoon Odette (international name Rai), ravaged Bohol, mangrove covers were also damaged, particularly that over the Carood watershed. To aid the local government and the community’s efforts of reforesting the area, OFT in 2022 partnered with 11 peoples’ organizations across five municipalities of Bohol to plant and nurture more than 51,500 mangroves in 11 different reforestation sites. This benefited more than 540 members tasked to sustain the mangroves as fishing grounds. Managing the community-based participation of people’s organization is Participatory Research Organization of Communities and Education towards Struggle for Self-Reliance (PROCESS Bohol, Inc.).

In 2022, 100,000 mangroves in two reforestation sites that cover some 10 hectares of forests have been planted in Kalibo, Aklan by OFT in support of Bakhawan Ecopark, an eco-tourism site frequented by both locals and visitors. The mangroves also serve as buffer from high tides during monsoon season, shielding the household communities from the onslaught of heavy rains and harsh winds while increasing sustainable livelihood opportunities for 70 members of the Kalibo Save the Mangroves Association, Inc. (KASAMA).

OFT also supported the reforestation efforts in Katunggan it Ibajay or Ibajay Mangrove Eco-Park, which needed help in expanding its planting efforts to replace the mangroves that perished after acting as a natural buffer against strong storms and other calamities. The mangrove area in Barangays Bugtongbato and Naisud is a critical ecosystem that serves as fish sanctuary necessary for the fishing livelihood of the Ibajay locals. To further the conservation and management efforts in 2023, OFT supported the planting of more than 50,000 mangroves so that 100 farmers from two peoples’ organizations—Bugtongbato Fisherfolk Association (BFA) and Naisud Mangrove and Aquatic Organization (NAMAO) —can provide better for their families through mangrove reforestation, which can eventually increase their fishing yields.

In the coastal municipality of Aringay, La Union, the thriving fishing industry is also supported by OFT through mangrove planting. More than 12 planters from D’Maryland Fisherfolks Association and Dulao Fishpond/Fishpen Producers Cooperative found another alternative source of income by enabling backyard mangrove planting. With technical assistance from Don Mariano Marcos State University extension service, the people’s organization ensures high survival of 25,000 planted mangroves in Barangay Dulao. At the helm of OFT implementation in La Union is OMF partner, Fostering Education & Environment for Development, Inc. (FEED), implementing their reef-to-ridge reforestation approach to ensure both environmental and socio-economic benefits in the local community.

“Reversing the losses in our environment takes more than just tree-planting activities; it takes conscientious efforts—from volunteers to the local government partners to the community—to grow, nurture and protect these trees so that the community can also reap economic and social benefits from them and over the long term, help mitigate the extreme effects of global warming and climate change. Ultimately, it is an investment for a more sustainable world for the future generation as well,” said OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao.