Last May 22, 2016 our photography club had the chance to visit the quiet town of San Juan, Batangas. This is in line with their photography contest that aims to showcase the best of what the town can offer.
One of the highlights of our trip to San Juan is a visit to their vast Mangroves area. According to the website of San Juan, there are 496 hectares of mangroves and swamp area. Of this area, over 100 hectares of intact mangroves forest is located along the coasts of Imelda, Bataan, Nagsaulay and Subukin. This is the largest mangroves area in all of Batangas Province.
No other than Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) chief Noelito M Pasco accompanied us to this natural wonder. These mangroves are classified as a finger type of mangrove as it is a strip located along the coast and is covered by daily tides. The predominant groups are Bakauan, Bungalon and Pagatpat (Source).
We were amazed at the pristine water and there are really very few residents leaving these mangroves. Navigating it via a small boat is like navigating a river that has not been commercialized. We do hope that the Municipal Government of San Juan, Batangas will do everything to protect these mangroves and at the same time, develop eco-tourism so that citizens will be aware on how important these mangroves are to our marine life and the environment.
Thank you again MENRO Officer Noelito M. Pasco for this wonderful trip.
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