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Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Hilly Samboan turns to sea for shot at tourism, growth
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
Adive spot in southern Cebu that promises breath-taking sights for marine lovers has been declared a marine sanctuary.
Officials of the Samboan Municipal Government aims to protect Barangay Colase’s 15.88-hectare dive spot to promote not only marine life preservation in the town but tourism as well.
Samboan is 143 kilometers south of Cebu City.
The barangay’s around 500 residents were at first apprehensive about the declaration because they rely mostly on fishing and farming as sources of livelihood.
But Mayor Peter John Calderon was able to convince them of the benefits of the move, assuring that jobs will be generated and that they will be offered alternative livelihood.
Calderon is optimistic that tourism will be a more viable industry because of the municipality’s terrain, which allows only subsistence farming.
With the help of the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation (CCEF), residents of Barangay Colase were consulted early this year and were made to understand the importance of having a marine sanctuary.
“It will benefit you in the long run. The success of this relies on you all,” said CCEFG’s Vangie White during last week’s launching of the area as a dive spot.
Colase Barangay Captain Gloria Bendanillo said the barangay had passed in 1993 an ordinance setting fees for tourists who wish to dive or snorkel in the sanctuary, which Jun Samson, of the environment department, called “excellent.”
However, the ordinance was reportedly disregarded during the term of former mayor Crisologo Abines, who ran a fishing business.
Bendanillo said that with their renewed efforts to maintain the sanctuary, the residents organized the Baryohanong Nagpakabana sa Colase (Banac), which hopes to preserve their resources to secure their children’s future.
Under the municipal ordinance, the barangay and the Colase fisherfolks’ association will each get a 25-percent share of the revenues, while the town gets half of the amount.
Scuba divers will be asked to pay P50 while those with still cameras and video cameras will be charged P150 and P300, respectively.
Resident Eleuterio Dingal, 43, said the 33 member families of Banac have pledged to police their ranks and guard the 15.88-hectare sanctuary.
The sanctuary reportedly ranks second to Sumilon island in terms of having the best corals in the province.
Mario Tapales, of Seaquest, an organization of scuba divers, urged Banac to sustain their efforts.
Calderon said the success in Colase will be “crucial” to the establishment of additional marine sanctuaries in six other coastal barangays in Samboan.
Marites Alenton, CCEF’s community officer in Colase, said that aside from the marine sanctuary, tourists can visit the town’s two scenic waterfalls, its historical sites or go whale watching.
(December 16, 2003 issue)
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