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.

I Love the Ocean Infomercial On Air
DYEM FM in Dumaguete City began airing this month a thirty-second infomercial on the I Love the Ocean Movement. The infomercial is a joint project of the Ting Matiao Foundation, CRMO and the radio station. Learning Area Coordinator William Ablong said talks are underway for the other stations in Dumaguete City to air the radio commercial, which is designed to increase public awareness of coastal issues and the Movement.

I Love the Ocean is a movement initiated by CRMP to promote good coastal resource management practices and the sustainability of our seas and coastal environment. The Movement was first launched in Cebu City last February. A Manila launching is set for June 4 during the opening of Our Seas, Our Life, a traveling exhibit mounted by CRMP in celebration of the International Year of the Ocean 1998 and the Philippine Centennial. The exhibit will be set up next in Dumaguete City, in time for the celebration of Silliman University’s Founder’s Day in August.

Bais City Confronts Trash Problem
LAC Ablong also reported the completion of a seminar on "Waste Minimization as a Tool for CRM".

"Our enterprise development team was in town recently to survey the area and found so much marine debris on the shore line of Bais," he said. "That was why we decided to conduct the waste minimization seminar."

Held last May 19-20, the seminar was attended by 120 people from Okyot and Kapinyahan, the two barangays with the most severe trash problem. Ablong said particpants agreed to draft a resolution for the local government to approve a plan to allot some funds for the purchase of garbage cans, toilets and cement.

The city government, with assistance from CRMP, also organized a coastal cleanup in the last week of May.

Marine Ecology Orientation For Teachers Reset
The marine ecology orientation seminar for teachers scheduled for May 17 has been reset for June 5. The seminar is being organized to acquaint the teachers with the newly developed curriculum for Marine Ecology for Grades 5 and 6, which will be piloted in selected schools in the province this coming schoolyear.

Seventy science teachers have been invited to the orientation seminar. §