THE Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) Pampanga led renewed efforts to clean up tributaries and waterways in the City of San Fernando a year since the launching of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation.

Penro Pampanga, headed by Laudemir Salac, together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Central Luzon joined with mandamus agencies in a recent cleanup and mangrove planting activity. They were joined by local government participants.

With a total of 919 participants, the group conducted a mangrove planting and clean-up activity in Barangay Consuelo in Macabebe town.

Some 4,000 mangrove propagules in an area of two hectares were planted during the activity.

Mangroves trees have lots of benefits: they form a natural barrier against storm surges and floods, are good carbon sinks, and are breeding grounds for numerous species are just a few of them.

The group also collected 15,440 of residual wastes on three cleanup sites with an area of 800 meters. The waste consisted of mostly plastic wastes.