Mangroves of the Subic

Bay Freeport Zone

Lilia R. Alcazar

Rhea Jane P. Mallari

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) -

Ecology Center

In 1992, R.A. 7227 created the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority to manage

the conversion of the former U.S. Naval Base into Subic Special Economic

Freeport Zone. Presidential Proclamation 532 set its metes and bounds

Composed of the former US Naval

Reservation, Olongapo City, and areas in

Subic and San Antonio, Zambales and

Hermosa and Morong in Bataan

Land Area = 55,102 has

Water = 12,350 has

Total Area = 67, 452 has

Bounded by Subic town in Zambales and Morong in Bataan

Protected from wind and wave by the Redondo Peninsula

Shoreline length = 16.5 km

Coastal Area = 115 sq km

Total Number of

Locators = 1,234 (as

of 2013)

Number of Locators

along the coast = 84

Labor Force =

89,436 (as of 2013)

Subic Bay:

Kinabuksan = 700 HH

Nagbayukan = 200 HH

Nature of Business of Coastal-Dwelling Constituents

• Ship repair

• Ship building

• Manufacturing

• Tourism

• Fuel depot

• Port operations

• Auction of used vehicles

Social problems experienced by coastal

locators

• Encroachment of leased properties

• Lack of education and awareness and

ignorance of rules and regulations re

conservation of coastal resources

• Conflict of interest among locators

• Social acceptability of certain projects

Coastal-related environmental threats

experienced by the Subic Bay Freeport

Natural

• Climatic changes

• Typhoons and flooding

• Physical processes like browsing and trampling by wildlife

• Infestation by barnacles and other pests

• Algal blooms

Anthropogenic

• Discharge of industrial pollutants

• Human encroachment including reclamation

• Over harvesting

Status of Mangroves in the Subic Bay

Freeport Zone

COVERAGE AREA (HECTARE)

Closed

Canopy

Open

Canopy

Cleared/

Denuded

Total

18.32

10.43

1.25

30

2. Boton

8.66

2.32

1.25

12.23

3. Nabasan

3.20

2.80

0.60

6.60

4. Triboa A

6.60

1.20

0

7.80

5. Triboa B

2.50

0

0

2.50

6. Ilanin

2.50

0

0

2.50

Total

41.78

16.75

3.10

61.63

1. Binictican & Malawaan

Location

Mangroves of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone

Binictican & Malawaan = 30 has

Boton = 12.23 has

Triboa A = 7.80 has

Triboa B = 2.50 has

Nabasan = 6.60 has

Ilanin = 2.50 has

Boton Mangrove

Triboa Mangrove

Mangroves are important to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone:

•Serve as natural laboratory for research studies

•Mangroves serve important ecological functions like supporting fisheries; provide feeding, spawning and nursery grounds to many fishes and crustaceans; act as buffer between the land and sea; wildlife refuge and feeding grounds for Phil. mallard

•Serve as recreational grounds for bird watching and observation of other wildlife / ecotourism purposes

•Source of food and low-cost housing materials for the Aytas

•Source of products for selling

Economic Value of Mangroves

Pastolan Village

http://subicnewslink.blogspot.com/2011_04_01_archi

ve.html

Binictican & Malawaan = 30 has

Boton = 12.23 has

Degradation of mangrove forests

Degradation of mangrove forests

Mangrove Protection and Management

The SBMA-Ecology Center is the

department in charge of managing all the

60.ha- mangrove stands in the Subic Bay

Freeport Zone

Management Prescriptions for Habitat

Protection Zone

Permitted Activities • scientific research and

monitoring

• active habitat management

• swimming and snorkeling (human immersion)

• traditional indigenous peoples activities

• supervised scuba diving

• non-powered (engine or sail) small boats activity (dinghy, kayak, canoe, row boat) in open water zones only

Prohibited Activities • all extractive activities

• water sports involving motor powered craft (speed boats, jet skis, launches)

• sports fishing,

• spearfishing,

• turtle eggs collecting

• harvesting of ducks and other shore birds

• mining

• dumping of wastes (garbage, sewage, etc.)

• drop anchorage

Mangrove Rehabilitation

During the roads and bridges component, 0.33

hectares (8,811 mangrove trees were affected).

SBMA through the Ecology Center facilitated

the replanting of 1.33 hectares (26,000

propagules) with 90% survival.

More mangrove planting

MANGROVE

RESTORATION AND

REHABILATION

-Clean-up activities

-Tree planting activities

-Species planted:

Bakawan and

Pagatpat

Biodiversity Monitoring Program

Purpose:

To assure periodic assessment of protected areas and buffer zones within the SBFZ and to ensure prompt abatement of environmental degradation of economically, aesthetically and ecologically important marine and terrestrial resources

Monitoring and Evaluation

Mangrove monitoring

• Organized the SBMA

Biodiversity Monitoring Team

(SBMT) and continuously train

the members

• Developed system for monitoring

• Established permanent transects

and plots

Impacts of mangrove protection

• Enhancement of mangrove forest

• Conservation of mangrove ecosystem

services

• Sustainability of the resources

Summary and Recommendations

• Increase people’s awareness on the importance of mangroves thru IEC

• Stricter enforcement of environmental laws

• Conduct scientific studies on the status of planted mangroves and their growth rates

• Attract more researchers to focus their study on the mangroves of the Subic Bay Freeport by networking and collaboration with academic and research institutions