Earth day bayanihan grows coastal hope: AboitizPower helps transform vulnerable coastlines into protective natural barriers
FROM a sandbar and grassland in 2009 (left), a coast in Punta Dumalag, Davao City, managed by the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park, is now dense with mangroves and trees (right). This is in part due to the collective efforts of volunteers in sustaining the Park’s mangrove reforestation site.
Earth Day’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet, ” highlights the impact of sustained collective action in protecting ecosystems and advancing local solutions.
In the Philippines, this is reflected in Bayanihan, as communities, with public and private partners, restore mangroves to shield coastlines.
AboitizPower supports these efforts in Bataan and Davao, including its Marine Protected Area in the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park.
AboitizPower, through GNPower Dinginin (GNPD), led a mangrove planting activity in Barangay East Calaguiman, Samal, Bataan, with 30 volunteers from the provincial government and SAMASAD in March 2026.
A total of 2,300 Pagatpat and Bungalon mangroves were planted for their strong ecological benefits and adaptability.
VOLUNTEERS work together to plant 2,300 mangrove saplings in a fivehectare area in Barangay East Calaguiman, Samal, Bataan adopted by AboitizPower through GNPower Dinginin.
PHOTOGRAPHS courtesy of ABOITIZPOWER
The effort is part of GNPD’s P10-million, five-hectare Mangrove Adoption and Protection Program launched in 2024.
By restoring mangroves, the initiative supports marine life and sustains local livelihoods, including hito and tilapia farming.
GNPD and GMEC also expanded their stewardship of the Orani Mangrove Experimental Forest by 12 hectares, bringing the total to 32 hectares since 2023. Backed by a P24- million, seven-year agreement with government partners, the initiative aims to build a natural coastal defense.
DENR Region 3 Assistant Director Ricky Hernandez said the effort highlights how private sector support can restore ecosystems, protect biodiversity, and strengthen climate resilience in Bataan’s coastal communities.
Last year, AboitizPower, through GNPD and GMEC, also signed a memorandum of agreement with the public sector and civil society in Bataan for the Tubo-Tubo Island Mangrove Conservation Project, a fiveyear, P14-million project to establish and steward 10 hectares of mangrove forest also in Barangay Kabalutan, Orani, Bataan.
“Aside from serving as spawning grounds for marine life, mangroves also protect our area from storm surges [and] help the environment by absorbing carbon,” said Orani Mayor Antonio Arizapa Jr., explaining the programs’ significance to his municipality. “[It] shows that real progress happens when the government, private sector, and communities work together.”
According to the 2024 State of the Coasts of Bataan, the province’s mangrove area decreased from 3.95 square kilometers to 1.56 square kilometers between 2012 and 2016 due to human activity and climate change. This necessitates mangrove planting, regular monitoring, protective measures, and community awareness campaigns.
The efforts of GNPD and GMEC on mangroves support DENR’s Administrative Order 15-90, which outlines regulations for the utilization, development, and management of mangrove resources in the Philippines, and align with the government agency’s Project TRANSFORM, a science-based program to strengthen resilience to climate change.
Cleanergy Park greens Davao City
Youth-led efforts are driving mangrove restoration at the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park in Punta Dumalag, Davao City.
In early 2026, groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines, alongside student organizations, led planting and coastal clean-ups, contributing to 1,365 new mangroves and a total of 35,183 since 2014.
The eight-hectare park, managed by Davao Light and the Aboitiz Foundation, began as a marine turtle hatchery and has evolved into a biodiversity hub supporting climate action and marine conservation.
Corporate volunteers and international partners have also joined efforts, reinforcing community-driven stewardship. The initiative highlights how Bayanihan and youth engagement advance environmental protection, strengthen coastal resilience, and support long-term sustainability.