Project A

First Gen also facilitated the conduct of a carrying capacity assessment of the mangrove forest in Barangay Lagadlarin for the local government unit of Lobo, Batangas. This capacity-building activity was conducted in partnership with the University of the Philippines Los Baños School of Environmental Science and Management. Following the carrying capacity assessment, First Gen cascaded the learnings to the Batangas MPA and BDN. It also engaged in a partnership with Make A Difference Travel to develop a sustainable community-based eco-tourism package for Lobo, Batangas, along with an online adventure tourism program. These initiatives have been credited with having a positive effect on marine protected areas. A coral reef assessment carried out by the ABS-CBN Foundation in Lobo, Batangas in 2022 revealed that study sites in Lobo, Batangas yielded a hard coral cover of over 50 percent relative to the national cover average of 22.8 percent. First Gen remains committed to its role as a technical partner of the Batangas MPA and BDN in marine conservation, particularly through its capacity-building initiatives.