Balabac, Palawan - Working closely with local community groups, businesses, and local government units, the Balabac Municipality has developed action plans to kick-start mangrove restoration on their shores.

“It is important that we continue to protect and manage Balabac’s valued mangrove forests to boost our efforts in keeping a healthy environment and supporting local livelihoods. Mangroves regenerate naturally but human activities like tan barking have degraded this ecosystem. Today people plant mangroves for their benefit in the coming years,” said Mayor Shuiab J. Astami of Balabac.

These restoration efforts include local management of coastal marine resources. This is part of the wider EU-funded Ocean Governance Project which covers two geographical regions - the Sulu Sulawesi Seascape shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as the Atlantic Basin.

“Healthy mangrove habitats can act as buffers against extreme weather events and enhance the climate resilience of coastal communities in the Philippines. To do this effectively we must strengthen the leadership and capacity of those communities who are most at risk of climate change. Working on the transition to a greener society and climate change adaptation is a global priority for the European Union, and at the center of our cooperation efforts with the Philippines.” said H.E. Luc Véron, European Union Ambassador to the Philippines.

This project has since attracted the support of Epson Southeast Asia, whose partnership with WWF has helped the project to expand from Balabac to neighbouring municipality of Bataraza. WWF will work with local government and stakeholders to establish a ‘Community Learning and Innovation Hub’ that aims to bridge knowledge gaps and strengthen experience in resource management, building local capacity with “learning by doing” and with knowledge exchanges.

“Corporations have a shared responsibility in sustainable development. Working alongside governments, local champions and conservation organisations, we are proud to be part of this public-private partnership that is aligned with our renewed Epson 25 Corporate Vision -- which aims to enrich communities and help realise a sustainable society,” said Eduardo Bonoan, Epson Philippines’ General Manager for Marketing Division.

The project is implemented by WWF together with a number of international consulting firms.

“We are excited to be part of this multi-stakeholder effort that will restore critical mangroves in Balabac, Palawan and improve the way their coastal resources are managed for the long haul. We strongly hope that this project will succeed and serve as an example for many other communities,” said Executive Director of WWF-Philippines, Katherine Custodio.

Notes to the editor:

Background information:

Mangroves provide critical ecosystem services, from timber for fuel and housing, to nurseries for fisheries and are home to bees that produce wild honey. These coastal forests also act as a critical defence against severe storms and typhoons, which have become more frequent, intense and unpredictable as a result of climate change. In 2017, Balabac was hit by the severe tropical storm Vinta, leaving a large area of mangrove forest damaged, which exacerbated the gradual loss of mangrove habitats caused by commercial logging and debarking to harvest dye, starting in the 1970s.

About EU-funded Ocean Governance Project:

The Ocean Governance project contributes to European Union (EU) objectives on international ocean governance and to the delivery of EU global commitments regarding sustainable development, climate change and biodiversity protection.

The purposes of the project are:

• To advance a process leading to enhanced cooperation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in and between the Atlantic and South-East Asian regions.
• To support the implementation of marine and coastal ecosystem restoration and to facilitate broader regional cooperation on marine and coastal resilience in the South-East Asian region.
• To contribute to the effective management of MPAs in the Atlantic and South-East Asian regions.