The National Women's Month celebration every March highlights women’s achievements, the women who managed to overcome prejudice and play a significant role in managing natural resources. It is just fitting to acknowledge the women in the environment sector who tirelessly contribute to the data gathering and generation of information towards sustainable ecosystems management.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources 7 requested the Coastal Resources and Ecotourism Research, Development and Extension Center
(CRERDEC) to provide technical assistance in the conduct of the comprehensive assessment of typhoon-damaged mangroves of the province. Four teams were created to cover the assessment of nineteen (19) local government units (LGUs).

Despite the arduous tasks in assessing typhoon-damaged mangroves, women are not taking the back seat. Like their male counterparts, they wade through knee-deep mud and made their way through mangrove thickets. They endure scratches and injuries caused by protruding pneumatophores, barnacles, and even thorns of some mangrove-associated plants as well as the scorching heat of the sun.

We salute and honor these women, Ms. Chona M. Tura, Head of the Research and Development Unit (RDU) of CRERDEC, and Forester Glecirita V. Racho, Conservation and Development Section (CDS) Chief of PENRO Bohol. Both have played a crucial role and have long been at the forefront of implementing research and development projects on ENR, including mangroves.