10 Cebu LGUs unite to protect Tañon Strait

Ten Cebu municipal mayors sign an agreement with Rare on the protection of Tañon Protected Seascape. (CDN PHOTO/FERDINAND R. EDRALIN)

Ten local government units (LGUs) in Cebu have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Rare to protect the Tañon Strait from further degradation.

The signatories of the agreement composed of mayors of Alegria, Aloguinsan, Badian, Bantayan, Ginatilan, Moalboal, Samboan, Santa Fe, San Remigio and Santander expressed their desire to promote sustainable practices in dealing with marine biodiversity located in their respective towns along the Tañon Strait.

The MOA highlights the roles of LGUs in protecting the Tañon Strait by establishing mangrove conservation and rehabilitation programs, providing community education and outreach, and implementing programs that will monitor the economic condition of its locals.

The LGUs, along with Rare, an international conservation organization dedicated to addressing environmental problems, will implement the

“Strengthening the Marine Protected Areas to Conserve Marine Key Biodiversity Areas Project” in Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Biodiversity Management Bureau.

Bantayan Mayor Arthur Despi said the role of Rare as an organization that specializes in behavior change is relevant in changing the mindset of the fisherfolk community.

“Kaniadto pa man gyud, ang Bantayan ni-suffer sa consequence anang kaingin attitude didto sa dagat — use and abuse (Bayan has long been suffering from the consequence of kaingin attitude in the sea — the use and abuse,” he said.

“Mao man gyud na akong gitan-aw nga mag-change na gyud og mindset. Gone are the days nga abundance (fish). So kung gusto ta nga mabalik ang kaabunda, magsugod gyud ta sa behavior change kay ang ato mang kinaiya nga nagsalig ta sa kadaghan sa isda, nga abi nato di mahurot, nga hangtod karon bisan karon nga wala’y isda, mao ra man gihapon atong panghuna-huna, mao na mag-usab gyud ta og mindset (It’s very important that we should change our mindset. Gone were the days when fish were abundant. So if we want to have abundant fish again, we must start with behavior change by changing our mindset because we think that the number of fish would not dwindle),” he added.

Raquel “Rocky” Sanchez-Tirona, vice president of Rare, said the organization will help the LGUs reduce threats to natural resources through their “Pride Campaigns” that provide technical assistance in the management of the communities’ coastal and fisheries resources.

“We’re going to work closely with the protected area office in their capacity building, help provide the necessary tools for rationalizing, aligning and harmonizing policy, and sustainable financing opportunities,” she said.

The program is a timely response to the ever-depleting fishery resources that have been the source of livelihood among many locals in coastal areas.