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Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Nalzaro: 'Sutukil' at the Mactan Shrine
By Bobby G. Nalzaro
I received an e-mail from Alen Mondido of Project Seahorse Foundation for Marine Conservation, an advocacy group of biologists, development specialists and other professionals committed to conserving and protecting seahorses and their habitat while respecting human needs.
I admit this is the first time I heard of this kind of non-government organization, whose advocacy is to protect and preserve marine life. So I find this very interesting:
“Reading your column and listening to your radio commentaries made me consider you as one of the right persons that can help raise the awareness of the people concerning the continuous rape of the environment. I would particularly like to point out the continuous sale of prohibited shelled mollusks in sutukil (sugba, tuwa, kilaw) eateries at the Mactan Shrine in Lapu-lapu City.
“These mollusks include the true giant clam, locally known as takobo (scientific name: tridacna gigas), fluted giant clam or hagdan-hagdan (tridacna squamosa), smooth giant clam (tridacna derasa) and elongated giant clam or manlot/manlet (tridacna maxima).
“Collecting and selling these species is illegal under Section 97 of RA 8550 or the Fisheries Code of the Philippines. The species are also listed under Cites Appendix II or Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, thus making it illegal to trade.
“Why law enforcers are not going after the sutukil, however, is puzzling. Maybe they just don’t recognize the fact that collecting and selling these mollusks is banned, or they don’t know that a crime has been committed. I even saw a police car in the area, and a police station is in the vicinity. I think the police station was established to protect the citizenry, especially people visiting the historic Mactan shrine, and to protect businesses in the area.
“Last year, a team of enforcers, including elements from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources raided the sutukil eateries following a tip that they are selling the said prohibited species. The raid, however, wasn’t successful and none was prosecuted.
“Last week, I brought a friend to the Mactan shrine and we dropped by the sutukil for a dinner. The sight of those giant clams sold in the stalls was disappointing enough for us to lose our appetite. Why do enforcers allow such a crime to happen right in their doorsteps? Are they ignorant of the law? Or is there something “fishy” going around?
“Sale of giant clams is only one of the many crimes committed against the environment and marine resources in particular. The masterminds and the culprits, as well as their accomplices, should be punished.
“Nature’s revenge is more potent than the lethal injection administered to a death row convict, for it does not only claim the lives of the criminals but also the innocent.”
Well, we can’t immediately point an accusing finger at the sutukil operators at the Mactan shrine. First, we should educate our fishermen so they won’t extract those kinds of marine products. Second, we should educate the public so they will not patronize these sea products. Without demand, there will be no supply and without supply, there will be no demand.
Very simple. Pero unsaon nga lami man gud pod na.
(e-mail: bobby@sunstar. com.ph; text: 0919-181404)
(February 11, 2004 issue)
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