October came and was swiftly gone, and in two months’ time, a new year ushers in. Undeniably, 2015 has been a glorious time for those into the tough but eternally rewarding advocacy to protect our planet and our people. Positive developments are taking place for us to be able to shift toward a better tomorrow.
For this columnist, the month of October was one of the most exhausting in recent memory, traveling from one time zone to another and hopping from islands to islets. But as always, the various activities offered astonishing opportunities to be re-acquainted with colleagues and meet more of the kindred spirits, here and overseas.
It is a privilege to know them as they are all creating huge waves in helping make our world sustainable for the present and future generations, including non-humans. There are, as always, priceless lessons to be learned from each encounter.
The empowering story of a remarkable and feisty woman-agent of change in her 70’s who is leading women enforcers in fighting illegal fishing in Mindanao is one for the books. Imbued with a full sense of self and service to our marginalized sectors in coastal communities, she is a leading light in influencing our citizens to be fully engaged in governance. She is a gem in capacity-building trainings in our communities as she exemplifies courage and fierce determination in attaining goals, amid constant challenges.
Truly, as her personal journey tells us, we all have the power to effect changes in our respective spheres of influence.
This we can do without waiting endlessly for others to start the process or for government to implement the thousand laws or get hold of the vast resources that unfortunately not a few bank on for their dreams to come true.
The remarkable collaboration of our enforcers from local government units and national agencies in leading sea-borne patrols in Tañon Strait, the country’s biggest marine protected area, and doing much-needed further steps by filing cases against violators, are boosting the morale of our affected artisanal fishers and their families.
The DENR, including the Protected Area Management Board, BFAR, participating local government units and other agencies, deserves commendation for this positive development. The actions give incessant hope that with a no-nonsense implementation of our laws and commitment of our stakeholders, indeed a healthy ocean and the Earth, for that matter, is within sight, if we prod on and do not easily give up.
The reactivation of the cluster of local government units in Negros Oriental fronting Tañon Strait, with the acronym of BATMAN (Bindoy, Ayungon, Tayasan, Manjuyod) plus (now including Amlan and San Carlos City) under sustainability-oriented local chief executives is a much-welcome news.
They are prioritizing the restoration of the ecological integrity of interconnected mangroves, corals and sea grass ecosystems through establishment of more marine-protected areas with the active engagement of our fisherfolk and local and national stakeholders. By doing so, they smartly recognize that a robust life-support system is essential if we are to build the resiliency of the constituents to climate impacts and other challenges we all face. Hopefully, this mind set resonates sooner than later in the hearts of more local chief executives in Cebu and all over the archipelago.
Last week, we also had the chance to have a meaningful dialogue with the officials from the provinces of Cebu and Negros Oriental, led by Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale and Manric Barillo, Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), respectively, on their initiatives and policies in protecting our oceans and the livelihood of our people.
Their encouraging stories draw parallelism to the exciting convergence which my colleagues and I saw happening in Robinson Crusoe Island in Chile. The visibility of the navy and local government and the actions of the local fishers in partnership with Oceana as the largest non-government organization are immediately apparent. All are focused on marine conservation and showcasing effective protection of its uniquely rich biodiversity and warding off potential encroachers of one of the biggest protected areas in South America.
The birthday celebration of one of the country’s foremost defenders of our vastly threatened home planet, and good friend, Tony Oposa Jr., became a reunion of sorts among passionate stalwarts from public and private sectors, young and forever young, carrying on advocacies ranging from forests to oceans and in restoring sanity in our road networks.
Last but not the least, the outpouring of worldwide sentiments on the senseless death of a young dive master, Al Bernard Coyoca, and which should lead to immediate action to stop the widespread and illegal dynamite fishing by strengthened market denial policy, should convince the political authorities that their constituents now demand sincere and committed action from them to protect and conserve our vanishing resources and protect livelihoods.
Truly, each of us has the unlimited potential to contribute in easing the tremendous pressures humans have inflicted upon our natural systems. We can say that the emerging strengthened alliances of civil society with government have rekindled the life force from within.
Yes, there is certainly hope for an ecologically vibrant world for our children and their children.
Certainly, as the famous British poet Robert Browning inscribed, “…the best is yet to come.”
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