OVER SEAS -- The Online Magazine for Sustainable Seas

Negros Oriental

CRMP’s coverage in Negros Oriental is extensive: seven coastal municipalities and two cities, including the provincial capital, Dumaguete City, and Bais City, the industrial center about 45 km north of Dumaguete. The province is recognized as a pioneer in coastal resource management, largely as a result of work done by researchers of Silliman University, which is noted for its Marine Laboratory at Silliman Farm Beach. Here, a short distance offshore, one finds the country’s first artificial (tire) reef, installed in 1977 and now sheltering diverse marine life. There are more than 20 marine sanctuaries along the coasts of Negros Oriental, including the Apo Island Marine Sanctuary, widely regarded as a model of community-based coastal resource management. Strong local government support and multi-sectoral cooperation play a crucial role in Negros Oriental’s success in sustaining the coastal management programs initiated by the World Bank-assisted Central Visayas Regional Project (1984-1992), Silliman University and other groups.

ICM Training Goes To Dumaguete
Now it’s the Negros Oriental Learning Area’s turn to receive training in integrated coastal management (ICM). The training was held in Dumaguete City on June 22 to July 3, with government representatives from the two cities and eight municipalities under the learning area participating. Also present were representatives from the Environment and Natural Resources Management Division (ENRMD) of the provincial government of Negros Oriental, the Provincial Agriculturist’s Office, the Department of Environment Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Silliman University and non-governmental organizations.

Meanwhile, the first draft of the coastal environmental profile for the learning area has been completed. Besides coastal resource and socioeconomic information, the profile also include results of the assessment report of the enterprise development team on areas viable for seaweeds and mariculture projects. "Since the approach of the project is integrated and participatory, we took extra effort to mobilize barangay core groups and municipal teams to gather secondary information from all sources to come up with a comprehensive Barangay Profile for each of the PCRA pilot barangays," Learning Area Coordinator William Ablong noted in his midyear report.

Also in June, an orientation workshop on "Marine Ecology Curriculum Integration" was conducted to orient science teachers on the lessons plans and visual aids developed for the conduct of marine ecology subjects for Grades 5 and 6. Attended by 55 participants, the workshop was jointly conducted by ENRMD, the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, CRMP and the US Peace Corps. It was preceded by a marine ecology seminar, curriculum writing workshop, editing of modules and visual aid production. §