Palawan
CRMP’s work in Palawan
focuses on San Vicente, 180 km from Puerto Princesa. Known to the outside
world primarily for its 14-km White Beach, San Vicente is, to CRMP,
a rich ground for instituting programs in coastal resource management.
This municipality northwest of Puerto Princesa City has four out of
the 165 fishing grounds found in Palawan: Imuruan Bay, Caruray, Pagdanan
and Jibbon Bay. With forest reserve areas covering 86.8% or 68,834 hectares
of the total land area of nearly 80,000 hectares and a coastline extending
to 120 kms, majority of San Vicente’s 20,000 residents depend on fishing
for livelihood.
Plan for Marine
Park pushed
A draft plan for the establishment of a marine park in Port Barton is
expected to be approved by the village council and then endorsed to
the municipal government of San Vicente in November or December. Part
of the plan is to set up a "CRM information center", actually
waiting sheds converted to information booths dedicated to animals found
in the area (each booth will be named after a marine animal). The plan
also includes a solid waste management project and the zonation of municipal
waters.
Meanwhile the enterprise development team launched in November a demo
farm for seaweeds, grouper, siganids and abalone. "We will soon
identify project cooperators for a pilot seaweed farm as well as for
mariculture," said Provincial Coordinator Benjamin Francisco.
Province holds
first Handog sa Dagat
Palawan staged its first ever "Handog sa Dagat" September
28 in celebration of the International Year of the Ocean 1998. The affair
was held at the Capitol Gounds with key local officials in attendance,
including Palawan Vice Governor and Acting Governor Joel T. Reyes and
Puerto Princesa Vice Mayor, Acting Mayor Vicky de Guzman and Palawan
Council for Sustainable Development Staff Executive Director Joselito
Alisuag.
Pre-launched during the International Coastal Cleanup Day last September
19, Handog is intended to be a continuous activity, an opportunity to
work together regardless of political affiliation because, as Alisuag
put it, "there are no turfs in the ocean."
Handog is laid out in a five-year development plan focusing on public
information and awareness, said De Guzman, urging the crowd of government
employees and students who gathered for the September 28 launching of
Handog to give future generations the opportunity to "enjoy the
bounty of nature that God has endowed us."
The program was launched simultaneously in Palawan's 23 municipalities,
said Reyes. "Maybe with today's launching of Handog we can begin
to take collective action and do something to arrest the degradation
of our marine resources."
Handog, a week-long celebration, was organized by the PCSCDS, Palawan's
highest policymaking body for development, in cooperation with other
government agencies, including the province's Environment and Natural
Resources Office and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
through CRMP.
Palawan starts
I Love the Ocean membership drive
The membership drive in Palawan for the I Love the Ocean Movement for
Sustainable Seas, initiated early this year by CRMP to provide the public
with an opportunity to participate actively in efforts to protect and
save our seas, was launched at the start of the Handog celebration last
September 28. Bandillo ng Palawan Foundation, a cause-oriented group
based in Puerto Princesa City, has agreed to serve as the anchor organization
of the Movement in Palawan. As anchor organization, Bandillo will take
responsibility for recruiting members who will help advance the Movement's
cause.
The Movement was launched in the province last July by DENR's Provincial
Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Palawan. Palawan
follows Cebu, Metro Manila and Negros Oriental in initiating its own
membership drive for I Love the Ocean. §
