Friday, April 18, 2008 Yap: School of the SEAs, 3 By Januar E. Yap Meanwhile
“NAG-GINUKDANAY si Kinabuhi ug Kamatayan,” says Timoteo “Tuti” Menguito, now 58. Some strong surge in the tide of his life swept him to this shore. Behind him, in his prime, was the Gilutungan marine sanctuary, an idea so fantastic in its inception in 1991 that it fell to frustrating setbacks after its core of 20 fishermen volunteers gradually steered clear from the project.
“Ang number one nga babag mao ang asawa,” says Noy Tuti. “Sa duha ka oras nga mobulontaryo ang mananagat sa pagbantay sa sanctuary, unya walay kita, ang baba sa asawa mora’g sixty caliber machine gun.” Oversight, of course, is part of novel ideas.
Call it mad, but Noy Tuti alone stayed. Through the years, many—some earnest, some perfunctory—have laid their hands on the sanctuary, but Tuti it was who manned the frontlines. To this day, the Gilutungan MPA (marine protected area) generates a cool P5 million, more or less, for the LGU.
Did a trickle of that sum find its way into the hero’s bank? Noy Tuti wanted modest recognition, but instead lost by 12 votes when he ran for barangay captain last year. And since running required him to sever official ties with government as the MPA’s sanctioned steward, he had to resign. Towards the end of last year, he was jobless.
Thanks to kindred souls, however. In April 5, Atty. Tony Oposa took him into the The Law of Nature Foundation team.
Today, Noy Tuti stays at the School of the SEAs, he supplies the common touch with the townsfolk when green speak becomes a bit esoteric.
And he has his way of conveying the message: “Ang banko sa yuta, kinahanglan nimo depositohan aron ka maka-withdraw.
Pero ang bangko sa dagat, pwede ka maka-withdraw bisan walay gi-deposito. Kon managhan ang stocks sa sanctuary, ang mabulahan, kami nga mga gagmay nga mananagat.” The sanctuary, he says, is a bank. Nature, however, has its own way in going about the balance sheets.
To work for the foundation, Noy Tuti, of course, is most qualified. He takes pride in a CRMP (Coastal Resource Management Project) magazine article that featured him as “The Man Who Talks to Fishes” early in 2000. A writer strays in the region and features him in the Reader’s Digest’s “Everyday Heroes” section the following year.
“Nigawas ko sa page six, unya si Kobe Bryant pud na-feature,” says Noy Tuti. The issue hoisted him, he believes, among the ranks of NBA stars. You just have to be of the same political chromatics to see that claim as unquestionable.
What makes him stay? Noy Tuti gives three reasons. “Gusto nako tugkaron ang kalipay ni Adan isip steward o tinugyanan sa mga binuhat sa Ginoo.” (I want to understand the happiness Adam felt as a steward of God’s creation.) Somewhat contrived, but here’s a life that’s testimonial to his word.
Second, “Gusto nako mahibaw-an kon unsa ang kalainan sa butang nga giampingan ug wala.” (I want to know the difference between something that’s taken cared of and something’s that’s left alone) Third, he says, is that he loves the project. If some people, who don’t make a living from the sea, are spending time in making us, lowly fishermen, understand the state of our marine resources, then I see no reason not to adhere to the advocacy, he says.
