Malita, Davao Occidental – April 15, 2025 — In a concerted effort to combat coastal degradation and enhance climate resilience, the Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST) – Institute of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (IFMS), in partnership with local and national stakeholders, launched a two-day hands-on training titled “𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏” at the mangrove rehabilitation site of Brgy. Fishing Village, Malita. The event mobilized an enthusiastic alliance of People’s Organizations, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), JCI Davao Gulf, and committed local volunteers — all driven by a shared mission to protect and restore the natural defenses of coastal communities.
The training, held on April 14-15, 2025, unfolded under the larger extension project “Empowering Coastal Communities through Mangrove Propagation, Rehabilitation, and Aquasilviculture.” Participants, including small-scale fisherfolk, women’s associations, youth leaders, and barangay officials, were equipped with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills vital for sustainable mangrove restoration. Experts delivered a comprehensive curriculum covering site selection, ecological functions of mangroves, species identification, and the science behind successful seedling propagation. The participants then planted 500 mangrove seedlings with guided precision—each one a symbol of hope, resilience, and community solidarity.
The training concluded with the crafting of a robust Monitoring and Maintenance Plan, ensuring that the rehabilitation effort will thrive long after the last seedling was planted. The open forum and commitment signing served as a powerful testament to the participants’ dedication to becoming custodians of the coastline. In this humble village framed by sky and sea, what began as a training bloomed into a movement—one that echoes a profound truth: when people plant together, they rise together, rooted in purpose and hope for generations yet to come.
