Why Plant More Mangroves? Eco-friendly Property Shares Reasons

Posted by Jane on

In the morning of October 11, 2014, the Primavera Residences team trooped to barangay Bonbon in Cagayan de Oro City to join the mangrove planting activity conducted by Philippine Air Force TOG 10 and students from the Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGCHS). 

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 As the first eco-friendly building in Cagayan de Oro, Primavera Residences advocates environmental protection and conservation, and is therefore, honored and happy to support the activity.

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Students from MOGCHS, Primavera Residences staff, and members of the PAF-TOG 10 after the mangrove-planting activity in Bonbon, CDO

Mangrove forests are among the most productive ecosystems and are especially helpful in coastal areas such as Cagayan de Oro City. Aside from providing goods worldwide that account to approximately US$186 million each year, mangroves also serve as protection and shelter against extreme weather conditions – something Kagay-anons are unfortunately quite familiar with.

Here are more reasons why planting mangroves is one of the extremely important things you can do to save our community and our planet.

1. Mangroves provide a habitat for various animal species

Different varieties of fishes, crabs, shrimps, mollusks, and other marine life seek shelter and thrive in mangrove forests. Mangroves are also home to birds and mammals such as the mangrove monkeys of South Asia, and also serve as nurseries and breeding grounds for several types of fishes and invertebrates. These natural fisheries provide food for thousands of coastal communities around the world!

2. Mangroves create livelihoods for communities

Fishing, gathering of crustaceans, and use of mangrove timber are just some of the livelihoods being provided by mangrove forests. Mangrove wood is very valuable because it is resistant to rotting and insects, and this is why several communities around the world rely on it for construction and for fuel.

Other opportunities created by mangrove forests include tourism (imagine snorkelling in and around mangrove trees and marvelling at the diverse marine life amidst a backdrop of interwoven mangrove roots!), plant products (some medicinal plants thrive in mangrove ecosystems, and mangrove leaves are also used as animal feeds), and myriad other economic potentials.

In a study made in 2007, it was reported that one hectare alone of a mangrove forest has an annual economic value of around US$12,000. That’s roughly P540,000 in Philippine pesos. Now can you imagine how that would help the local economy and the local communities?

3. Mangroves protect coastal areas 

Mangroves have been known to provide a buffer against extreme weather conditions like storms, tsunamis, cyclones, floods, and hurricane winds. There are several reports of villages being saved from tsunami destruction by the wide belt of mangroves protecting the shoreline. Because mangrove trees absorb and disperse tidal surges, coastal communities which are prone to calamities can definitely benefit from more mangrove reforestation programs.

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mangrove trees are starting to grow in Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro

Aside from these, mangroves also filter pollutants and trap sediments coming from land, thereby maintaining the clarity and quality of water.

Want to organize your own mangrove-planting activities? Contact the nearest DENR – CENRO (Department of Natural Resources – Community Environment and Natural Resources Office) to inquire.

 

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Primavera Residences is a twin tower, 10-storey mixed-use development located in uptown Cagayan de Oro City. It is internationally awarded due to its eco-friendly design that allows residents to save up to 32% in energy consumption because of the building’s natural ventilation and heat reduction features.

The structure of Primavera Residences is also designed to withstand strong earthquakes, typhoons, and other natural calamities, while its elevated location at 110 meters above sea level makes it flood-free and ideal for safe, hassle-free, and convenient eco-friendly living.

For more information about Primavera Residences, visit www.primaveraresidences.com or call 088-880-5002.

 

 

 

 

Five Reasons for Celebrating the Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines Award

Posted by Primavera Residences on

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We at Primavera Residences are honored and humbled from having won the Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines Award at the 2014-2015 Asia Pacific Property Summit of the International Property Awards last month in Kuala Lumpur. The award from such a prestigious global award-giving body recognizes not just us but also all our partners and stakeholders.

We believe that it created another world-class avenue for us to do greater things for the people of Cagayan de Oro and the Philippines. We are determined to pioneer sustainable real estate development in the country because we believe it provides much-needed value and because it is what we need to alleviate the rising cost of energy, environmental degradation, and increasingly congested and poor quality of urban living.

With your help, we can make a difference. The five reasons for celebrating the award is therefore ‘you,’ friends and partners whose support helped us win the award.

 

THE PEOPLE OF CAGAYAN DE ORO AND NEIGHBORING CITIES The award strengthens the position of Cagayan de Oro as an emerging world-class city and of Northern Mindanao as an economic hub and strategic entry-point to Mindanao.

INVESTORS Unit buyers and financing partners are reassured of the quality and value of the property they are investing in. One of the major criteria of the award is the profitability of the development.

REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY PARTNERS The award validates that sustainable development in the country is finally catching on and getting the attention it deserves. The efforts of brokers, sales agents and other partners in the real estate industry are helping educate the country of the rewards, benefits and value of a truly eco-friendly property (energy-efficient, affordable, self-sustaining, and environment-friendly).

MEDIA PARTNERS With the influence of our media partners, the industry and market are made aware and can benefit from the best practices of eco-development. We’re not doing this just for ourselves, we want to spread the word and encourage more people to invest in or go into sustainable property development that works with nature instead of against it.

LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS We share the same mission and vision and that is to build a better Earth through a more sustainable lifestyle and one that is designed to adapt to a changing world.

 

As Atty. Jojo Leviste, the president of Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corporation (ITPI), developer of Primavera Residences, says, “We may not become the biggest in terms of size, but we want to become thought leaders. We see environmental design and urban planning as a matter of rights and not as a matter of luxury.”

Arch. Romolo V. Nati, ITPI CEO, adds, “That Primavera Residences was recognized as the Best Mixed-Use Development in the Philippines by the International Property Awards is a guaranty of our commitment to produce environmentally sound designs and energy efficient buildings that can be enjoyed by a wide range of Filipinos.”

To all our partners, we can’t thank you enough! You are all the reason we are pushing ourselves to develop world-class communities that are your partners in growth.