Negros Oriental
CRMP’s coverage
in Negros Oriental is extensive: seven coastal municipalities (Manjuyod,
Tanjay, Amlan, San Jose, Sibulan, Bacong, Dauin) 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.
New environmental
radio show launched
CRMP, the German Development Service and other concerned groups launched
recently a radio program about the coastal environment. The program,
which is hosted by Rey Bendejo of the Ting Matiao Foundation, will air
for six months. Bendejo plans to hold quiz shows in air to encourage
audience participation and hopes to extend the show for another six
months with the support of sponsors.
Meanwhile, Learning Area Coordinator William Ablong reported that fish
and benthus assessment in selected marine protected areas in Negros
Oriental has started. "We are hoping to do the assessment in five
sites," he said. "There are 22 marine protected areas in Negros
Oriental, and at least 10 of them are in the learning areas. We would
like to know the changes that have occurred in these areas since they
were established."
Bais City forms CRM technical working group
Bais City has organized a technical working group to finalize the city’s
draft coastal resource management plan. The group was formed in a two-day
planning workshop attended by 60 participants from different government
agencies and non-governmental organizations.
Among the main outputs of the workshop was a zoning plan for Bais City’s
municipal waters. “The best thing about this plan was that it was
formulated by the different stakeholders themselves, including fishers,
law enforcers, fishpond operators,” said Learning Area Coordinator
William Ablong. “We are now preparing to put the plan through a
massive consultation process with the community to ensure that everybody’s
views and concerns will be considered.”
A similar process will be undertaken in other municipalities such as
Manjuyod and Tanjay, after which CRMP will work toward getting all municipalities
to adopt an integrated plan. “We hope this will lead to the resolution
of outstanding jurisdictional issues, such as the ongoing conflict between
Manjuyod and Bais City over who has jurisdiction over a sandbar at Bais
Bay,” said Ablong. CRMP is proposing a co-management scheme to
resolve the conflict.
Meanwhile, a family-based mud crab fattening project is being pilot-tested
in Looc, also in Bais City. The pilot project involves two families
with funding from the Bais City Multi-purpose Cooperative (BACMUCO).
The funding is part of a memorandum of agreement between CRMP and the
Negros Oriental Union of Cooperatives (NOUC). Under the agreement, BACMUCO,
a member of the NOUC, will finance CRMP’s enterprise projects and
buy the proponents’ products.
Preparations
for Ocean Month begin
Preparations are underway in Negros Oriental for the first ever celebration
of May as the Ocean Month in the Philippines. This came after CRMP and
its partners in the province formed a multi-sectoral group to handle
the information, education and communication requirements of coastal
resource management projects being undertaken in the province. The group
has drafted a program for the Ocean Month, which includes, among others,
simultaneous “crown-of-thorns collection dives”, a story-writing
contest, regional information caravan for coastal resource management
and forums on the Philippine Fisheries Code and the role of the fisheries
and aquatic resource management councils in coastal resource management.
May was declared by Presidential Proclamation No. 57 (January 9, 1999)
as the “Ocean Month in the Philippines.”
CRMP Negros Oriental
office moves to a new location
Beginning April 5, the CRMP Negros Oriental Learning Area staff will
hold office at the old Silliman University Marine Laboratory. The Marine
Laboratory is now located in a new building in the same area.
The new Marine Laboratory building is a project of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through CRMP and funded by
the United States Agency for International Development. It was inaugurated
early this month in simple ceremonies attended by DENR Secretary Antonio
Cerilles, USAID Mission Director Patricia Buckles, Silliman University
President Agustin Pulido and other dignitaries.
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