Malapascua saves the sharks

MANILA, Philippines - Known for its majestic thresher sharks, Malapascua Island in Cebu draws in divers and adventure seekers from all over the world. However, shark meat and fins command high prices in the black market, making these animals prime targets for poachers.

Driven by its environmental conservation advocacy pillar, iConserve, Globe Bridging Communities teamed up with Malapascua-based non-profit organization Save Philippine Seas to protect the thresher sharks and their habitat. Working with Save Philippine Seas on the Shark Shelter project, Globe Bridging Communities was able to mobilize its other pillars to address various issues faced by Malapascua residents.

“Lasting, positive change is driven by sustainability and community engagement. By helping to address adjacent issues and bringing the community together to make a stake in their future, we hope to help set the stage for a more prosperous and resilient Malapascua,” says Fernando Esguerra, Director of Globe Corporate Social Responsibility.

By providing communication tools through iLead, its advocacy pillar focusing on excellence in public service, Globe Bridging Communities empowered local officials, called “Bantay Dagat” to better monitor the activities in the seas, and easily respond to reports of destructive activity.

“The partnership with Globe has been really helpful in terms of making information more accessible to the community,” says Anna Oposa, co-founder of Save Philippine Seas. “The phones provided to the Bantay Dagats empowered them, and also helped us reach them for meetings, training, and other important matters.”

For Globe Bridging Communities, it wasn’t enough to support local officials – the entire community needed to be mobilized to take on a more active role in the protection and conservation of their natural resources. Teachers and students in Logon Elementary School and Logon High School were also engaged to act as stewards of the seas by strengthening environmental education in the schools.  

Teachers were provided with marine science education training to enable them to impart to students the importance of their role in the conservation of their marine resources. To further engage students, the Shark Shelter Project launched the Arts-Science Festival, which aimed to promote the appreciation of nature, and taught marine conservation through creative forms of learning.

Globe Bridging Communities also provided LCD projectors, screens, and computer labs, each consisting of an 11-user Multipoint System. Globe also powered the school with Internet connectivity, and is the only telecommunications company that services Malapascua Island.

Rhovic Punay, ICT Coordinator for Logon Elementary School, shares, “We are better able to teach students on using Microsoft Office programs in order to make work easier. We are also able to develop the confidence to use computers as we explore the different functions and learn more.” Meanwhile, Benjie Ano-os, OIC for Logon High School, says, “Everyone is excited and very happy. Students can easily comprehend the lessons because they find it very interesting, and it’s convenient for them.”

The equipment not only helped with the environmental education initiative of the project, but also sets the stage for the school’s inclusion in Globe Bridging Communities’ Global Filipino Teachers program. This program aims to help teachers transform the learning environment for their students by using project-based learning and integrating ICT in the classroom.

Globe Bridging Communities also brought in skill-based volunteers through its advocacy pillar that espouses corporate citizenship, iGive. Two employees from the company’s Information Security Group Office, Automation Division took time out from work to train teachers on setting up and using the system to ensure the schools’ seamless adoption of the new technology.

For the residents of Malapascua Island, this is only the beginning. There’s much more to be done in the conservation efforts for their surroundings, and now, more opportunities are opening up for various members of the community. The seamless integration of Globe Bridging Communities’ various advocacy pillars proved crucial in sowing the seeds of sustainable development in Malapascua Island.