AboitizPower launches mangrove reforestation initiative in Bataan

AboitizPower has launched the “Baka1Bataan” initiative to reforest 37 hectares of mangrove forests in Orani and Samal, Bataan. The program, implemented through GNPower Mariveles Energy Center and GNPower Dinginin, aims to support the Provincial Mangrove Restoration and Management Plan.

The project utilizes a science-based approach to optimize seedling survival by matching species to specific tidal elevations and substrates. To date, the initiative has planted 19,900 seedlings, with 13,500 planted in 2025 alone.

Beyond ecological restoration, the program seeks to build community resilience by developing non-destructive alternative livelihood models for local fishing communities and strengthening local governance in disaster response and environmental monitoring. This effort follows reports of significant mangrove decline in Bataan, where forest area decreased from 3.95 square kilometers in 2012 to 1.56 square kilometers by 2016.