NEWLY FUNDED
PROJECTS FOR SUAKCREM AND FOR CHED ZONAL RESEARCH CENTER
Vivien
Cabanban
Dr. Russ and Dr. Alcala were awarded a A$75,000 for a three-year grant from
Australian Research Center (ARC) to continue their work on the five islands
found in the Bohol/Mindanao Sea. The grant will start next year.
Silliman University Ched Zonal Research Center (SU-ZRC) institutional research
on the topic: “Fully Protected Marine Reserves: How to Make Them Sustainable
for Food Security,” was considered for P3M funding by the Bureau of Agricultural
Research for Year 2002.
Mantigue Fisher folks’ Income-Generating Projects
Vivien
Cabanban
Mantigue Island is primarily a fishing community with about 33 households
or about 200 people. With fish, shells and other marine animals as their
main source of livelihood, their initial reaction upon establishment of
a marine sanctuary was fear that fisher folks were being deprived of their
livelihood.
To address this fear and misconception, Pew/SUAKCREM
community organizers educated the fisher folks on the importance and benefits
of marine sanctuaries. They also assisted in determining possible alternative
sources of livelihood and helped the people’s organization, Malungtaron
nga Tinguha Guipangandoy (MANTIGUI), in linking with various local government
agencies and Non-Government Organizations.
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A fisherman showing a line of seaweeds of his farm
in Mantigue Island. |
With the assistance of the Pew/SUAKCREM community organizers, Grace Limotoc
and Elfa N. Leoncito, MANTIGUI became the recipient of seaweed (carageenan)
seedlings from the Provincial Agriculture Office on October 6, 2001. The
members of MANTIGUI, as shown in the picture, have started farming the seedlings.
Another income-generating project of MANTIGUI is the construction of a cottage
for rent to visitors. The cottage will also serve as guardhouse for the
Marine Sanctuary Management Committee/Bantay Dagat.
The desire of the fisher folks of Mantigue to find alternative sources of
income and the formation of the Marine Sanctuary Management Committee/Bantay
Dagat are indicators that the community is protecting the marine sanctuary.
Seminar/Workshop on Gender Sensitivity and Awareness to
Fisher folks Community on Apo Island
Juvie
M. Chavez
Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation in the Philippines and Silliman
University-Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management
(SUAKCREM) sponsored a three-day seminar/workshop on Gender Sensitivity
and Awareness to Fisher folks on Apo Island on September 16, 22-23, 2001.
Mrs. Phoebe A. Tan, Coordinator of the Center for Women’s Studies of Silliman
University, conducted the seminar and assisted by Pew/SUAKCREM Community
Organizer, Juvie M. Chavez.
Eductional campaign about marine sanctuary on Mantigue
Island was participated by the local community. Children were inside
the house (above) while adults stayed outside (right). The resouce
speakers are Mr. Paderanga (top, left), Mr. Roberto Apugan (top,
center), and Ms. Elizabeth Obenshain. (Photo: G. Limatoc & E.
Leoncito) |
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The workshop aims to: a. increase the fisherfolk knowledge and awareness
in gender issues and development that will enable them to concretize their
roles and functions towards self and community improvement; b. enable men
and women; husband and wife to participate in decision making in family
and in community issues; and c. foster responsible parenthood through valuing
family planning approach.
Fifty-five participants from Apo Community, 16 men and 39 women, participated
in the workshop. The participants were enthusiastic and actively participated
in the various role-playing activities of the workshop. They were also happy
to be given the chance to express openly their gender related questions
that were considered taboo and to be made aware of their rights as men and
women. The awareness will make the men and women of Apo Island be more gender
sensitive.
COMMUNITY REPORT
Juvie M. Chavez and Louie Abines
A. MANTIGUE ISLAND, CAMIGUIN
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An on going construction of a cottage for rent
by MANTIGUI Organization on front of Mantigue Marine Sanctuary.
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Last October 6, 2001, seedlings
of sea weeds were released to the community of Mantigue by the Provincial
Agriculture Office through the effort of the community organizers of SUAKCREM.
The planting of sea weeds will be the alternative livelihood of the community
people as a means of increasing family’s income.
- The MANTIGUI (Malungtaron
nga Tinguha Guipangandoy) members put up a cottage on the sanctuary site
for the members of the organization to generate more income by renting
it to future visitors and at the same time, the building will also serve
as a guard post for the marine sanctuary.
- The community reactivated
the Marine Sanctuary Management Committee/Bantay Dagat to patrol the sanctuary.
B. BARANGAY BINALIWAN, MAHINOG
MUNICIPALITY
- Upon the request of Binaliwan
community to survey their area for possible siltation problem, Dr. L.
Raymundo and Ms. A. Maypa of the Silliman University-Angelo King Center
for Research and Environmental Management (SUAKCREM) surveyed the area
last June 2-3, 2001. The result shows that the Binaliwan Marine Reserve
was affected by human influences in the past. The predominance of small
massive species of coral suggests that the reef is still impacted by human
activities, primarily siltation and breakage and abrasion from swimmers.
To address the existing problem of siltation, SUAKCREM donated 1,000 seedlings
of mangroves for them to plant along the shore to minimize runoff of water
from rice fields. It is hoped that a full protection to their marine reserve
can be achieved.
C. SELINOG ISLAND
- Last September 4, 2001,
Silliman University-Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental
Management (SUAKCREM) granted SIDFA (Selinog Island Dapitan Fisherfolks
Association) an amount of P30,000.00 as a revolving fund for their salt
making livelihood. Presently, members of SIDFA including the youths, fisherfolks,
women and men are cooperating to clearing the site for salt making. Likewise,
they are constructing the salt beds and “talasikan” for them to make salt
during sunny days next year.
Dr.
Steve Palumbi from Harvard visits Silliman University
Jasper Leif Maypa
Dr. Steve Palumbi visited Silliman University last
August to study connectivity in the Bohol (Mindanao) Sea. He is one of the
leading geneticists of Harvard University . Dr. Garry Russ, from James Cook
University and associate of Dr. Angel Alcala, Dr. Amanda Vincent and Dr.
Milita Samoilys, from Project Seahorse in Bohol, and Nancy Baron, a journalist
from Discover Magazine accompanied his visit. Aileen Maypa and Dr. Angel
Alcala both from SUAKCREM assisted and facilitated their activities.
This study was done by collecting tissue samples from
certain marine organisms, such as fish, sea urchins, giant calms and other
invertebrates. The organisms were released right after the samples were
taken. These samples were then analyzed for their genetic code to see if
species in one place is related to the species in other places. Before leaving,
he gave a brief lecture in the Marine Laboratory about his study with respect
to marine reserves. Some Marine Lab. staff, biology faculty and graduate
students attended. “What we’d like to know is whether or not small marine
protected areas that are scattered around the archipelago really are communicating
by sending larvae back and forth, or whether or not they’re isolated from
one another, or whether or not everything just keeps washed away and never
helped the system;” said Palumbi. He also added that; “If we have a large
number of small marine protected areas that are exchanging offspring and
propagules, back and forth, then they are more resistant to environmental
damage or problems that are associated with of fishery.”
The group went to Sumilon Island to collect some samples
for DNA identification. Above, from left to right Dr. Amanda Vincent,
Nancy Baron, Dr. Angel Alcala, Dr. Garry Russ, and Dr. Steve Palumbi.
Left, the group leaving for Sumilon with Aileen Maypa at center. Above
left, Steve with Nancy sorting out some sea urchins. Top left, Dr. Milita
Samoilys with Amanda and Steve in front of a cave in Sumilon. (Photos:
A.P. Maypa) |
