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Monday, January 17, 2005
Guv, fisherfolk save beached pilot whale
ALABEL, Sarangani -- Using bare hands and ropes, Governor Miguel Dominguez and a group of fishermen helped a beached pilot whale swim back to the sea at 10:00 p.m. Monday from the shores of Alabel.
"Pulling the whale back to the sea was like pulling a carabao that does not still want to plow the fields," the 27-year-old governor said."In both, you have to do your best and never mind how hard the task is."
Lawyer Jennifer Ramos, provincial legal officer and a staunch environmentalist herself, was among those who witnessed the release.
"It's my first time to see a whale. Imagine ha? I went to Panglao (Bohol) just to see the whales and dolphins, and even went to Donsol (Sorsogon) to see the whale sharks," Ramos said. "I did not just see one last night, I even touched it. Nawala yung lungkot ko."
Hours earlier, the whale was spotted swimming closer to the port of Sarangani Agricultural Company, Inc. (Saci), two kilometers fronting the provincial capitol. The whale, visibly wounded, drew a large crowd of workers and photographers.
ABS-CBN newscaster Majah Moralde and her crew rushed to Alabel upon learning of the event.
She described her experience as a "chance of a lifetime, an unforgettable experience no money can buy." "Swerte ang mga taga-Sarangani they have this treasure," Moralde added.
The whale, sighted at around 3:00 p.m. Monday, stayed about a hundred meters from the Saci wharf until it got stranded by nightfall.
Pilot whales are known for their distinctive, medium sized, long slender body and a bulbous head. They have been known to travel in groups that number to around 20 individuals. They are also known to be vulnerable to mass stranding.
The Short- Finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala Macrorhynchus) is one among the various specie of whales inhabiting tropical waters like Sarangani Bay.
Giusseppe Chiew, Coastal Resource Management Program officer, said it is not the first time that whales and other rare and endangered marine species have been sighted at Sarangani Bay.
"Also visible and confirmed species by DENR in our waters are three out of seven species of turtles, giant clamps, triton, sea cow, and pilot whales. These are studies and observations made by Earth Island Institute of the Philippines and the Marine Biology Department of Mindanao State University and Silliman University", Chiew disclosed.
Rene Paraba, executive director of the Environmental Protection and Conservation Center (ECPC) confirmed that Sarangani Bay is a "migration highway" of various marine species.
"Most of them are endangered," Paraba added. "This is the reason why Sarangani Bay is protected tropical water in Asia. It has a rich marine biology still under exploration."
Studies about Sarangani Bay indicates that marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and sea turtles are common to the area. There are five species of whales and seven species of dolphins present around Sarangani Bay including sharks particularly the whale shark.
Dugongs are also present in Glan and Kiamba. Recently, a dugong was trapped in a fishnet around Sarangani Bay.
The whole area of Sarangani Bay and adjoining municipal waters of Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum was declared as Protected Seascape by President Fidel Ramos on March 5, 1996 under Proclamation No. 756. It covers a total water area of 345 square kilometers.
Moralde urged resident to "actively" protect Sarangani Bay by not engaging in dynamite fishing or the use of poison.
"Let us ensure that the bay is free from oil spills. Let's protect the reef so fish can thrive as a source of living for the residents," Moralde said.
"A sound Sarangani Bay is people's wealth because it will feed future generations. It will also be their source of pride when people will come and visit the clean bay with all the wonderful things it can offer tourists, like watching a pilot whale swim through the bay." (Sarangani Information Office)
(This page is updated every Monday)
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