MANITO, Albay — On the quiet shoreline of Barangay Cabit, something meaningful took root—an effort that speaks not only to protecting nature, but to securing the future of the community itself.
The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) Albay formally launched the Albay Biosphere Reserve Research and Development Center (ABRRDC) Biodiversity Museum during a tree-growing activity marking World Wetlands Day 2026.
Carrying the theme “Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage,” the event delivered a clear message: caring for wetlands is not just environmental advocacy—it is protection against floods, storms, and the growing impacts of climate change.
DENR Bicol Assistant Regional Director for Special Concerns Adona P. San Diego emphasized that healthy wetlands serve as a natural shield for coastal communities, while preserving biodiversity and cultural traditions shaped by water and land. Simply put, when wetlands are protected, people are protected too.
Turning awareness into action, students of Cabit Elementary School joined the Manito local government, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine Coast Guard in planting around 250 bitaog and kamagong seedlings along the shoreline—trees that can help prevent erosion, soften storm surges, and restore habitats over time.
Albay OIC PENR Officer Narisol C. Divina reminded participants that conservation is not the government’s task alone, but a shared responsibility of the whole community to ensure that nature—and the life it sustains—continues to thrive.
Observed every February 2 under Presidential Proclamation No. 74 (1999), World Wetlands Day is more than a date on the calendar.
In Cabit, it became a quiet but powerful act of planting hope—a belief that protecting wetlands today will lead to safer, stronger communities for generations to come.
