The Iloilo provincial government is transforming a 10-hectare abandoned and unutilized fishpond in Sitio Panus-on, Barangay Nabitasan, Leganes into a coastal greenbelt and hub for mangrove conservation and protection.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. led the launching of the Provincial Katunggan Ecological and Economic Park (ProKEEP), designated as the province’s central site for mangrove and marine biodiversity conservation. “Katunggan” is a native term for mangroves.
ProKEEP evolved from the Katunggan: Coastal Greenbelt for BioCoCo Protection Project of the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office (PGENRO) which started way back in 2016. Under the project, the provincial government allotted an initial budget of P710,000 for the rehabilitation of the area to provide sustainable livelihood and food security for the local community.
What began with the planting of 100,000 seedlings, primarily Bungalon (Avicennia marina) and Pagatpat (Sonneratia alba), has flourished. This year, PGENRO recorded 10 distinct mangrove species thriving in the park. There have also been sightings of migratory birds.
To ensure its sustainability, the provincial government regularly conducts tree planting activities at the site under Governor Defensor’s Tanum Iloilo for MoRProGRes program.
Another highlight of the activity was the unveiling of the 37.5-meter elevated concrete walkway as a vital feature of the mangrove protection hub. The structure was constructed by Palm Concepcion Power Corporation (PCPC) worth P2.4 million which accounts for the share of the Iloilo provincial government from its electricity sales. Under the Department of Energy Energy Regulation 1-94, power generation companies must allocate twenty-five percent of one centavo (P0.0025) per kilowatt hour of their total electricity sales as an electrification fund to the host community.
Under ProKEEP, the provincial government will construct an additional 38 meters of walkway, benches, gazebos, pavilion, and a watchtower to fully realize the area’s potential as an eco-tourism destination.
Governor Defensor stressed the need to protect Iloilo’s coastal resources as they also contribute to the local tourism industry.
“Tanum Iloilo is part of our vision to make Iloilo a forest province. And this elevated walkway, we see this as a developing tourism destination,” Defensor said.
The event was attended by Leganes Mayor Vicente “Jun-Jun” Jaen II, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Office VI Regional Director Raul Lorilla, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias PGENRO Chief Atty. Cesar Emmanuelle Buyco, Jr., PGENRO Supervising Environmental Management Specialist Mitzi Peñaflorida, Public Information and Community Affairs Office chief Jose Nereo Lujan, and Punong Barangay Juan Penetrante.
Also showing their support are project partners from Central Philippine University, Palm Concepcion Power Corporation, and Zoological Society of London.
Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, Zoological Society of London chief mangrove scientific adviser, lauded the provincial government’s proactive stance on coastal conservation particularly in the municipality of Leganes which serves as the “heart of mangrove stewardship in the region.”
She commended Iloilo’s leadership for believing that “nature, community, and good governance, working together, can protect our shores and secure our future.”
The Katunggan: Coastal Greenbelt for BioCoCo Protection Project earned the Excellence in Environmental Governance Award (EXCELL Awards 2024) by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the 2025 Normandy Honor for Peace – with the Earth. (via Iloilo Province)
