MANGROVE LOVING PENGUIN: Much to Like about Leganes Integrated Katunggan Park (LIKE)

 

It's been almost 5 months since the Mangrove Loving Penguin (MLP) visited the Leganes Integrated Katunggan EcoPark  (LIKE) but the memory of that visit to an award-winning mangrove park is still fresh and riveting. 

I thank the lucky  stars for giving me the foresight to include a visit to LIKE in the itinerary of the Bicolano Penguin's 2024 Iloilo Dinagyang Marathon . The MLP  thanks officemate Tessa Villanueva  and her cousin Grace for making the trip to Leganes, Iloilo happen.  The MLP thanks Leganes MENRO Wilson Batislaon for the warm hospitality receiving us in LIKE.   Really, there is much to like about LIKE. 

Leganes MENRO Wilson Batislaon welcoming us to LIKE 

Video of MLP's visit to LIKE.  Here is the link  to the MLP YouTube video.

Let me count the ways. 

First, love the narrative of LIKE: From Nothing comes Something Useful and Beautiful. 

Let us start with the story of how LIKE, which is located in Brgy. Nabitasan and Brgy. Gua-an in the municipality of Leganes,  came to be.  According to old residents of the two barangays, fishponds used to operate in the site back in 2005.  Back then, the residents in the area can source fish harvested from these fishponds at a lesser price.  However, operators of the fishponds started to abandon the fishponds due to high cost of maintenance. Then the nail in the coffin happened for many of these fishponds came in the form of Typhoon Frank in 2008 whose maximum winds of 121 mph and attendant flooding  devastated many parts of the country, particularly Western Visayas.  Many of the  leasers or operators of  the fishponds did not recover from the financial loss, and as a result, left the fishponds unutilized or abandoned. Loss of income for the leasers, many of whom are non-residents.  Loss of source of cheap fish for the local people. 

But out of the economic despair comes green hope.  The Leganes Local Government Unit(LGU) took action. The Leganes LGU, under the progressive leadership of Mayor Atty. Adolfo E. Jaen back in 2009, considered the prospect of reverting the abandoned, underutilized and undeveloped (AUU) fishponds into a mangrove forest.  The Leganes LGU eventually partnered with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Philippines to restore the area to a mangrove forest through ZSL-Philippine Community-based Mangrove Rehabilitation Project.  

Wilson pointing out the key dates in the development and progress of LIKE

A Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Leganes LGU and the ZSL Philippines (ZSL)  in 2009.  After the signing, they started reforesting 9.5 hectares of coastal land. Assisted natural regeneration and  active monitoring and maintenance were key measures in reverting the area into a healthy mangrove forest.  For good measure, the Leganes LGU issued a Municipal Ordinance that established Leganes Integrated Katunggan EcoPark (LIKE).  Eventually, the 9.5 hectares of LIKE grew to 15 hectares. 

Love the success of LIKE.  From nothing to something green and decarbonizing. From abadoned to thriving.  In fact, LIKE is a highly visible showcase of the successful reversion of AUU fishponds  into a vibrant mangrove forest. Google the words "award winning Leganes Integrated Katunggan EcoPark" and one will get numerous entries from established institutions ranging from the DENR to Foundation for the Philippine Environment   to University of Michigan to Rappler.

An interesting Philippine Star article dated Feb 14, 2024 ,  with a photo of LIKE as headline, talks about environmental organizations calling on the government to revert all AUU fishponds to mangrove forests to help fight climate change.  Elaborating on the issue, Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo-Ramos pointed out that the law is clear that the grant of Fishpond Lease Agreements come with mandatory conditions, such as automatic reversion back to mangroves onces the fishponds have been abandoned, or remain undeveloped or underutilized.  The Oceana officer added that the implementation of this provision remains slow. 

Indeed for the sake of our beloved country, which is arguably the most vulnerable country in the world  to the adverse effects of climate change, the coastal LGUs of the  Philippines need to have more LIKEs. 

2nd, LIKE is a paragon of collaboration. 

"The Katunggan Ecopark in Leganes, Iloilo is an excellent example on how communities, government agencies, and international organizations can come together and help each other in conserving and protecting our environment." Not the words of the MLP but the words in the website of the Biodiversity Management Bureau, the agency in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources tasked with establishing protected areas, promoting ecotourism, and managing coastal ecosystems. This bureau is an expert on the subject matter of collaboration for the environment. 

Evidently, the inspiring part of the success of LIKE from nothing to something is that it was made possible thru a collaborative pathway taken by various stakeholders of varying degrees of influence and resources.  

The etymology of the word "collaboration" comes from the Latin collaboratus, past participle of collaborare, meaning "to labor together." By the powers of language and social branding, collaboration is seen as an honorable endeavor. I read this beautiful piece about collaboration written by award-winning designer and educator Kevin Barrett Kane   : "You see, true collaboration is a practice in empathy as much as it is in collective effort.  The goal of collaboration is fundamentally reliant on the intellectial and laborius pursuit of a common goal by a group...True collaboration is feeling as though you and your peers form a collection, a single body of effort, dedicated to a single cause.  This effort can include argument, frustration, and discordance, and nearly always does.  The important thing is that every confrontation in pursuit of the final goal is felt and dealth with by all." 

List of partners displayed at the LIKE welcome area. 

Truly, there was and is collaboration in the implementation and continuing management of LIKE.  Many stakeholders were and are involved.  There is a case study  conducted  by  the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research  and it identified many stakeholders playing significant part in the success of LIKE.  These stakeholders included the Leganes LGU, DENR, ZSL, a people's organization called Coastal Barangay Mangrove Seedling Growers Association (CBMSGA), local communities,  barangay LGUs, business partners, NGOs and the academe.  These LIKE stakeholders collaborated and played varying participatory roles in the various phases of the project which included local site coordination, comprehensive site assessment, mangrove rehab planning, project implementation, monitoring and evaluation. 

A volunteer from Coastal Barangay Mangrove Seedling Growers Association (CBMSGA) assited MLP and Tessa in mangrove planting in LIKE  

It is an example that can be replicated in other provinces and towns.         

3rd, LIKE is a magnet for learning. 

LIKE is a 15-hectare mangrove ecopark that has attracted many,  from near and  far, who are interested to learn more about the mangrove ecosytem and the benefits it provides to the community and the environment.  And there is much to learn about the mangroves in LIKE. Thank God, there is generosity in the hearts of  Wilson  and community volunteers as they share knowledge to the visitors. 

According to Wilson, there are 11 mangrove species in LIKE. These are Avicennia marina, Avicennia alba, Avicennia rumpiana, Sonneratia alba, Sonneratia caseolaris, Sonneratia ovata, Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora stylosa, Rhizophora apiculata, Xylocarous granatum, and Excoecaria agallocha.  

Close up photo of a Pagatpat (Sonneratia alba) in LIKE.

Close up photo of a Bakhaw Babae (Rhizopora mucronata) in LIKE.  

And what better way to learn about mangroves than to actually plant a mangrove. Which is what many visitors of LIKE get to do. Volunteers in LIKE are careful to make sure that they get to orient  first the visitors about the mangroves, it benefits and how it is planted before the visitors do the actual planting. 

All year round, LIKE hosts many LGU officials, government agencies, civic organizations and academic institutions (local & foreign) for mangrove planting activities and sharing of best practicies  

National leaders like Sen.  Loren Legarda have visited LIKE and planted mangroves.  

Video of MLP planting a Bungalon (Avicennia marina) in LIKE. Here is the Link to the YouTube video. 

There is a saying:  Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. 

4th.  LIKE is an award winning mangrove ecopark.

Actually visiting LIKE, one gets the sense that this mangrove ecopark is being managed very well.  No surprise then that LIKE is an award winning mangrove ecopark,  many times over. The MLP requested Wilson to enumerate  the awards and recognition  LIKE has received and he forwarded  this list:

1. Best in Coastal and Resources Management during the search for the Provincial Blue Waters Competition 2013, 2014 & 2015.

2.  Best Implementor in National Greening Program - DENR6

3.  Champion - Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management (3rd International Conference on Integrated Natural Resources and Environmental Management - UPLB). 

4.  Champion - EXCEL AWARD in Environmental Governance - DILG

5.  Champion - Para El Mar Best Mangrove Award. 

Para El Mar Champion (2023) trophy awarded to LIKE.  

Wilson proudly showing  the Walt Disney Conservation Hero awardee certificate  received from Disney Conservation Fund.   

In addition, Wilson is a Walt Disney Conservation Hero awardee in 2016. This award,  given by the Disney Conservation Fund,  honors conservationist all over the world who have gone above and beyond, demonstrating passion, courage, and tenacity in tackling some of the biggest challenges in protecting the planet resources.  Wilson is one of the "Trailbazers" that paved the way for the establishment of LIKE. Back in 2009, as the Agriculural Technologist of  the Leganes LGU, he adeptly mobilized  stakeholders in nursery establishment, mangrove planting and maintenance activities. Appointed to the Leganes MENRO in 2018, Wilson continued managing LIKE from 2009 to the present.  

LIKE Trailblazers include Adolfo Jaen (Leganes Mayor in 2009), Samson Jaspe (Leganes Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator in 2009), Josephine Savaris (ZSL Phils Socio-economist), Wilson Batislaon (Leganes Agriculture Technician in 2009), Dr. Jurgenne Primavera (ZSL Phils Project Manager), and Vicente Jaen II (Leganes Sangguniang Bayan member  in 2009).   

Having been there since the start of LIKE, Wilson is well-positioned to share what are the key success factors for LIKE.  He points to 5 factors.

1. Support from the local officials, especially the Local Chief Executive (LCE). The LCE refers to the Mayor and the current mayor of Leganes is Hon. Vicente P. Jaen II who is the grandson of the brother of Atty. Adolfo E. Jaen who was the Leganes Mayor back in 2009 when LIKE was started.    

2. There is a Municipal Ordinance that established LIKE with a management structure headed by the MENRO that oversees.

3. Partnership building to various stakeholders from different sectors and all walks of life. 

4. Best practices and unique innovations which highlight the reversion of abandoned pond(s) into a flourishing mangrove area.

5. Community engagement has been maximized which created a social fencing mechanism leading towards project sustainability. 

Well said. Asked as to whether these key success factors are scalable and can be replicated by other coastal towns, Wilson's answer is a  positive one: "Yes, I'm very sure that it can be replicated...With the involvement of every stakeholder and support from the local officials."  

There is hope.  Let there be more LIKEs. 

    

     

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