[ Manila Bulletin Online ] February 15, 2009
Boy Ryan B. Zabal
KALIBO, Aklan – An outbreak of pest infestation in the mangrove plantations of Kalibo Bakhawan Eco-Park is alarming the coastal communities here.
Atty. Allen Salas Quimpo, chairman of Kalibo Save the Mangrove Association (Kasama), said the mangrove swamp forest areas suffered widespread infestation caused by insect larvae of unknown species.
"The infestation could spread to other mangrove areas in Aklan. Ten years ago, we handpicked the larvae and pupas and buried them in the ground when there was massive infestation in the Bakhawan. We are taking steps now to address the situation," Quimpo said over DyRU Super Radyo Kalibo.
He said they conducted an inspection of the mangrove areas with foresters in Aklan and found out that 20 to 30 hectares of the Kalibo Bakhawan were affected.
The award-winning reforestation project, a 78-mangrove plantation in Barangay New Buswang, this town, is a sanctuary and hatchery ground for sea creatures such as oysters, prawns, crabs, fish and lobsters and protects the coastal areas from typhoons and erosion.
Quimpo, also the executive director of Aklan Rivers Development Council, said he will seek the help of local governments in monitoring and reporting signs of pest infestation in a periodic basis.
"The mangrove trees showed signs of damage by stem-boring moth larva. The infestation threatens the marine plant ecosystems in Bakhawan," he added.
Derlito Rico, Environment Management Specialist of DENR here, said there are three ways to eliminate the unknown pest infestation – the tedious picking of antata-eo (larvae), biological through migratory birds, and the spraying of insecticide.
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