TACLOBAN CITY- The regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-8) has received P38 million from the national government for the massive replanting of mangrove trees damaged during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda. The massive replanting of mangroves in areas hit by Yolanda in the region started last June and is to end on 2016 covering 30,000 hectares said Leonardo Sibbaluca, executive director of the DENR-8.
Since the replanting activity started, more than 700 hectares of mangroves have been planted and of this number, over 400 hectares were planted in Hernani up to Lawaan, Eastern Samar; 200 hectares in Marabut to Sta. Rita, Samar and more than 100 hectares were planted in San Juanico to Abuyog, Leyte. Sibbaluca also added on how the mangrove trees saved a number of people’s lives during the typhoon adding that these serves as natural barriers for storm surges. “That’s why we are eager to rehabilitate the mangroves that were destructed by the typhoon last year,” Sibbaluca stressed. (ELIZABETH G. HUGO, LNU Intern)
