Celebrating the Month of the Ocean

May, the month of fiestas and flowers, is also the month of the ocean. This year’s theme is: "Sa-ving Our Seas is a Celebration of Life." The kick-off celebration in the DENR coincided with the launching of "Ideal Coastal Zone" exhibit in the Central Office lobby on May 5 with DENR Secretary Elisea Gozun cutting the ribbon. The exhibit will stay up to May 23. Activities for the coming days of the month are mangrove tree planting with LGU and the community in San Juan, Batangas and Photojournalism Contest, and other advocacy activities.

Observance of the Month of the Ocean is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 57 dated Jan. 9, 1999 which requires relevant national agencies, local govern-ments and other government agencies to spearhead its celebra-tion each year through the con-duct of activities that highlight the conservation, protection and sus-tainable management of Philip-pine coastal and ocean resources.

The month of May has been declared as such in the country as it marks a culmination of activities that are geared towards the use and appreciation of our ocean re-sources, tourism, marine trans-port, and educational and scienti-fic activities; it is the peak fishing season; and the month provides an assured venue for direct benefi-ciaries to show their support for management initiatives relative to the oceans and coastal resources.

The celebration provides an op-portunity for people to become aware of the value of this greatest common heritage and take it a co-mmon responsibility to sustain it. The country is endowed with rich coastal and marine resources that must be protected and conserved. Its 18,000-kilometer coastline supports diverse animal and plant life. This is the place where vital coastal ecosystems are found which is critical feeding, breeding and nursery grounds for our fish and marine invertebrates, and home of wildlife species such as "dugong" or sea cow, and marine turtles.

Because of its resources, our coastal areas become busy livelihood centers, primary sources of food, and important venues for educational, scientific and recreational activity.

Over the years, pressure on coastal and marine resources continues to intensify. The discriminate disposal of factory waste, soil erosion from the uplands and agricultural lands, environmental-damaging fishing techniques, indiscriminate disposal of domestic wastes, and cutting of mangroves-destruction of coral reefs – all have resulted to the degradation of our once-thriving coastline.

The Coastal and Marine Management Office (CMMO) of the DENR was created last year to address the issues and concerns besetting the coastal and marine ecosystems. Its basic responsibility is to manage people and human activities so that its negative impacts on the coastal environment are minimized.