Zubiri wants part of tax take to go to mangrove replanting

Mindanao Rep. Migz Zubiri said government should earmark a portion of
its growing tax collections "to mangrove planting" saying that the
size of country's tidal foliage had shrunk to a fourth of its size in
1918.

Zubiri, an environment advocate, described Philippine mangroves as a
"vanishing act", their area down to 110,000 hectares from 450,000
hectares nine decades ago.

In terms of mangrove loss, the Philippines comes next after China and
Indonesia in Southeast Asia, the former host of the TV show 'The
Explorers' said .

Zubiri said 279,000 hectares of lush tropical trees and shrubs that
grew in tidal areas were made into fish ponds from 1951 to 1998. "As
result, 30 tree, 81 fish and 20 bird species have been threatened by
this habitat loss, Zubiri said

In batting for the "re-mangroving" of coastal areas, Zubiri said this
program will not only provide 815 coastal towns – half of the
Philippines total – with "natural wave breakers" but create "fish
nurseries and wildlife sanctuaries as well."

"Mangroves also reduce organic pollution by trapping and absorbing
toxins. They are nature's best water purifiers," he said.

As the country is earthquake prone, the regeneration of mangroves of
mangroves would "erect a ribbon of coastal forests that will serve
as a tsunami shield "

Zubiri recalled that in the aftermath of the tragic December 2004
South Asian tsunami Thai and Sri Lankese officials expressed belated
regret that their fatalities would have been lower if mangroves still
stood on coastlines.

For the purpose of regreening our tidal flats, Zubiri proposed that
part of the income from new taxes – estimated to reach P80 billion
yearly – be used for mangrove reforestation.

"This project will serve a lot of purpose aside from
disaster-mitigation, fish production, and flood control . It will also
give jobs to those who will build mangrove plantations, "he said.

"Mangroves are part of our culture. Our premier city, Manila, was
named after nilad, a mangrove species. Let us bring them back, this
time with the added purpose of making them our shield against hunger
and armor against tsunamis, "he said

"It is also a profitable proposition because according to a World
Bank study as much as $10,000 can be earned yearly in wood and food
from a hectare of mangrove, "he said. END