2 marine protected areas in Cebu vie for award

CEBU, Philippines – Two Marine Protected Areas in Cebu are among the finalists in the 12 Most Outstanding MPA Award for 2009, an award given to recognize the efforts of the different coastal municipalities in the country that “practice good governance in managing and sustaining marine protected areas.”

The recognition of the winner will be held on June 28 at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel during the “2nd Para el Mar” that will be given by the Marine Protected Areas Support Network together with the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines.

Daan-Lungsod Guiwang MPA in Alcoy Cebu and Pilar Municipal Marine Park in Pilar Cebu are among the 12 who made it to the list out of 70 nominees from all over the Philippines.

To be nominated, the MPA should have a minimum size of 20 hectares and needs a lot of involvement from the local government, community and local volunteers for its progress together with effective enforcement.

As part of the 2nd conference of coastal municipalities formed by the LMP, the event aims to address interrelated issues of food security, poverty, coastal resources management and climate change impacts.

According to MSN, this will also be a way to join together MPAs with other potential partners “to champion the cause for protection and conservation of marine biodiversity and natural marine resources which our country is famous for.”

The other 10 finalists for the Award are Ambao Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve Area in Hinundayan, Southern Leyte; Balingasay MPA in Bolinao, Pangasinan; Bangaan Marine Sanctuary in Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay; Bani Marine Protected Area in Masinloc, Zambales and Bibilik Marine Sanctuary in Dumalinao, Zamboanga Del Sur.

Also included are Barangays Carretonan and Quilitisan MPA in Calatagan, Batangas; Buluan Island Marine Sanctuary in Ipi,l Zamboanga Sibugay; Cahayagan Marine Fish Sancutary in Carmen, Agusan Del Norte, and Talisay MPA and the Tambunan MPA, both in Tabina Zamboaga del Sur.

The establishment of the MPAs is important because it is an entry point for overall LGU efforts in Coastal Resource Management efforts.

MSN coordinator Porfirio Aliñio said that since 2007, there have been 1,300 MPAs all over the Philippines but only 10 percent of this number has been well-managed by the community or the LGU. The group said that sustaining the efforts for the MPAs are the greatest challenge since others have set up MPAs but had a hard time in managing them.

Through recognizing the efforts of the different municipalities, MSN aims to promote to more places the protection of marine biodiversity and to double the number of MPAs by encouraging more people and municipalities to follow the example of those that have shown initial progress. — AJ de la Torre/WAB (THE FREEMAN)