Wednesday, February 15, 2006
9 towns forge agreement to protect marine resource
Nine municipalities in southwestern Cebu yesterday signed a memorandum of agreement to form a common policy to preserve their marine resources along the Tañon Strait.
This is the third group of towns to band together to protect their coastal waters, especially since illegal fishers in one town seek refuge in the next.
Towns
This time, it’s the turn of the mayors of Ginatilan, Malabuyoc, Alegria, Badian, Moalboal, Alcantara, Ronda, Dumanjug and Barili to heed the call for them to cooperate with each other for a more effective implementation of preservation laws.
They signed an agreement yesterday at the Boloc-Boloc Training Center in Barili, in front of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
As each municipality is not capable in terms of manpower, equipment or technical expertise on the matter, the agreement will allow them to share and pool resources for their cause.
Council
The memorandum of agreement signed yesterday established the Southwest Cebu Coastal Resource Management Council.
The Cebu Provincial Government distributed to each municipality a global positioning system equipment to help them with their task.
In April last year, eight municipalities in Cebu’s southeastern coast also inked a deal to help each other in marine protection and in coming up with solutions to problems.
Problems common among them include rampant illegal and destructive fishing practices, mangrove cutting, sand quarrying and presence of illegal structures along the coast.
Last January, Danao City and four island municipalities in Cebu’s fifth district also grouped together to form a body to protect the Camotes Sea. (JPM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (February 15, 2006 issue)
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