MMPH’s Statement on the Mangrove Degradation Case in Cebu City Brought by DPWH’s Flood-Mitigation Project

Mangrove Matters PH, a youth-led organization dedicated to mainstreaming mangrove conservation in the Philippines through science communication, advocacy, policy-lobbying, education, and mangrove reforestation, strongly condemns DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) for posing a threat to the remaining mangrove forests in Cebu City. 

Mangroves are considered vital lifelines to coastal communities, offering a wide range of ecological and socioeconomic services to the people and to the environment, encompassing biodiversity, food security, climate resilience, tourism, flood mitigation, and carbon sequestration. In the Philippines, a country frequently impacted by ~20 typhoons annually, mangroves have protected communities from intense typhoons and this is evident in the case of Siargao ravaged by Super typhoon Odette and calls for their protection have continued to be amplified.

However, mangrove fragmentation persists to thrive in the country despite existing environmental laws that protect this vulnerable ecosystem and implementation and enforcement are ultimately weak and lacking.  

In Cebu City, only ~20 hectares of mangroves remain and the numbers might decline due to existing infrastructure developments that harm them, notwithstanding the effects of the climate crisis. The development of the flood mitigation project by the DPWH has resulted in the death of a single mangrove but the rest are affected from the smothering of limestone sediments in Barangay Codon Pardo as reported by the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO).

Buried mangroves result in potential mortality. The roots of mangroves facilitate gas exchange, enabling them to adapt to the coastal environment. Essentially, the roots serve as the ‘lungs’ that facilitate oxygen absorption and the buried roots can restrict the oxygen supply which is necessary for them to ‘breathe’.

Furthermore, the project disregarded its procedures. The project continued without obtaining an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources). This practice is prevalent in the country where projects that pose environmental risks often fail to comply with the requisite documentation. 

Damage has been done and attempting to compensate with an ‘earthballing’ tactic will ultimately exacerbate the situation. A study by Tabilog et al. (2025) revealed that earthballed mangroves in the country exhibit low rates of survival after transplantation, making this approach impractical. Furthermore, 934 mangroves were earthballed in Dumanjug, Cebu in 2019 and none survived. 

Application of green-gray infrastructure approaches to mitigate flooding can be a way to promote nature-based solutions, maximizing the potential of our mangroves to reduce flooding risks in coastal areas and a notable success story of this approach was done in Ajuy, Iloilo.

DPWH must be held accountable for their actions in causing an environmental impact on the mangroves and the communities that rely on them in Cebu City. We hope that government agencies in the country will recognize the significance of our mangroves and the imperative need of their protection. We are currently facing a climate crisis and it is important to safeguard the environment that protects us.