After six months in quarantine, residents of Bani in western Pangasinan are rediscovering one of their town’s most treasured natural resources: the Bangrin mangrove marine protected area. The 42.2-hectare lush forest, which is nestled in the heart of Tambak Bay, has been reopened as a tourism site exclusively for the residents. “The response of the townsfolk was surprising,” said Rommel Dulay, the town tourism officer.Since its reopening on Sept. 18, the site had been visited by more than 200 residents in the last 10 days.

Sotelo, Y. (2020, October 3). Pangasinan townsfolk rediscover mangrove forest. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A8.