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Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Bantayan looks beyond fishing
By Grecar A. Nilles
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
BEYOND the beauty of its beaches, Bantayan takes pride in being one of the biggest producers of agricultural and marine products in the country.
Bantayan, one of the three municipalities in Bantayan Island, is the leading producer of yellow corn in Cebu Province and fourth in the country. It is also the main source of seafood in Cebu and the region.
But while the town strives to sustain its status as the leading producer of yellow corn and sea products, Bantayan Mayor Geralyn Escario-Cañares also wants to go beyond just fishing and farming for the townsfolk.
“The thrust of the present administration is to help all the constituents, regardless of party affiliation, to develop and to be educated. Our vision is catered to infrastructure projects, health and education,” Cañares said.
In the 1990 census, only about 70 percent of the population finished elementary school. About 14 percent were able to complete their secondary education, while a measly five percent have finished college.
Cañares hopes to expand and develop the only national high school in the island, if her administration would be able to get funding for the construction of another school building.
The lot where the Bantayan National High School stands was donated by a member of the Escario clan, while the first 18 classrooms were built through the generosity of the Chinese-Filipino businessmen and private individuals.
But while the present administration gives more weight to education and infrastructure projects, Cañares is doing well in balancing growth and sustainability of livelihood of the residents of Bantayan.
Sanctuary
The administration is also throwing its support to the growth of the fishing industry in the municipality by increasing the town’s budget for the fishermen.
“By next year, the fishermen will get more aid from the local government and other government agencies. We lend them money so they will have capital. And we are lending them money without any interest,” Cañares said.
To show the government’s commitment to the fishing industry and the fishermen, the Bantayan Municipal Government has declared about 3,000 hectares of coastal area off Barangay Sillon as marine sanctuary or marine park.
Sillon Barangay Captain Crispin Alon told Sun.Star their fishermen have already organized themselves to protect marine life.
“They also formed the group to keep the big fishing boats from their territory. We have done this with help from the fishermen and officials from barangays Atop-atop and Tamiao,” Alon said.
He added that the Bantayan fishermen are the biggest producers of dried fish in Taboan market, Negros and other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.
Cañares said the establishment of a marine sanctuary off Bantayan started when 36 fishermen, who admitted engaging in dynamite fishing in the past, vowed to help put a stop to the illegal practice.
She said the fishermen were able to group themselves with the help of some private and public organizations, which gave them logistics to protect the marine sanctuary.
“The fishermen were given a pumpboat for the apprehension of violators,” Cañares said.
The local government is also giving the same attention to the plight of the farmers. Because of the success of the yellow corn production, the Bantayan Municipal Government has set aside a P2-million fund for farmers to use as capital.
“We have also inked a memorandum of agreement with B-MEG encouraging yellow corn production on condition that B-MEG would directly buy from the farmers (to eliminate) middlemen,” Cañares said.
Politics
But like any other developing municipality, Bantayan also has its share of ugly politics.
“There’s too much politics here. There are politicians who are buying air time to advance their candidacy,” she added.
The water problem in some barangays and the inadequate power supply have also affected business in the island.
“At present, we are trying to iron things out to solve the problem on power supply,” Cañares also said.
But in the end, Cañares said, there are more important problems that need attention than criticisms from political rivals.
“I would rather continue the programs and plans for the development of our municipality than be affected by my detractors,” she said.
(September 30, 2003 issue)
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