By Tracy Cabrera
DILIMAN, Quezon City — Highlighting how the Balanga Wetland and Nature Park has secured livelihoods and helped locals in this erstwhile flood-prone area of Bataan, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna disclosed that he is keen on promoting the planting of more mangroves and other natural defenses in coastal communities around the country.
For years, Balanga City’s degraded coastlines exposed its communities to flooding even as fish catches declined, especially during storms and high tide events, but with the mangrove forests now thriving, Balanga’s coastal rehabilitation initiative is serving as natural barriers against strong waves, storm surges, and rising tidal waters.
Among those who witnessed those times when the city suffered from flash floods and climate disasters was City Fishery and Aquatic Resources Management Council (CFARMC) chair Jaime Buenaventura, who shared how the idea of natural defenses has critically mitigated calamities from happening.
“Before, many people would cut down and gather wood from our mangroves. Because of this, high tides became a problem for us, especially when accompanied by strong winds, which cause the water to rise even higher. I would get extremely worried, and we would also catch fewer fish,” Buenaventura recalled.
“The restored ecosystems is now helping absorb and slow floodwaters before they reach communities while providing shelter and breeding grounds for fish and other marine species. As a result, local fishermen have seen improved fishery yields and more secure incomes,” he cited.
Accordingly, Secretary Cuna has underscored Balanga’s experience, which reflects, he said, the national government’s holistic and broader efforts to strengthen the country’s climate resilience.
Two years ago in November, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. had directed the DENR and other concerned government agencies to revise the country’s flood control master plan so that it would keep pace with increasingly intense storms and heavier rainfall due to climate change and global warming.
The chief executive stressed that existing flood control measures must now adapt to changing climate conditions and increasing volumes of floodwater.
In response to the president’s instruction, the DENR has been advancing nature-based solutions (NbS), which harness the protective functions of ecosystems such as wetlands, rivers and mangrove forests to complement conventional infrastructure and reduce climate-related risks.
Cuna gave emphasis on the importance of allowing natural ecosystems to play a larger role in protecting communities from the impacts of climate change.
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