UNESCO promotes marine protection in Batanes

BASCO, Batanes — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) National Commission of the Philippines conducted a three-day seminar-workshop here last week with high hopes of an improved and sustained economic and tourism development of this northern paradise.

Ambassador Preciosa Soliven, secretary-general of the UNESCO National Commission, presided over the seminar-workshop, giving a special presentation of learning techniques for schoolchildren based on her experiences with the OB Montessori Center.

The seminar had for its theme "Promoting Marine Sciences in the Northern Frontier for Sustainable Development."

Forty representatives of various barangays and municipalities and the provincial government, schools, non-government groups and national line agencies took part in the seminar-workshop.

Soliven said UNESCO’s outreach program is held annually in various places in the country, aimed at sustaining, protecting and preserving marine areas.

Other resource speakers shared their respective agencies’ marine concerns. Among them were Assistant Secretary Vilma Labrador of the Department of Education, UNESCO Commissioner Florentino Hornedo on human sciences, Edgardo Gonzales on mines and geophysics, and Xerxes Fernandez of the Philippine Coast Guard.

Other lecturers were Virginia Carpio of the National Research Council of the Philippines, Ester Zaragosa of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development, Marivene Santos of the National Museum, Rolu Encarnacion of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and Francisco Torres Jr. of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

In his remarks, Gov. Vicente Gato thanked Soliven for her efforts to reach out to the Batanes folk, who rarely get the chance to hear from experts on marine resources.

"It took a woman diplomat to spearhead what we had been asking for years from other agencies in government," Gato said.