LIVING in this country makes one naturally communes with the sea which connects more than seven thousand islands. On a glorious sunny day, water ripples like diamonds in the seven green seas or switches to hues of blue that reflects the spectacles of a tropical sky.
The month of May has been declared as the “Month of the Ocean” through Proclamation No. 57, s. of 1999 which recognizes that “coastal and marine resources provide both economic and ecological benefits, such as food, livelihood, recreation and other services, as well as biodiversity, aesthetic value, and shoreline protection.”
Lifted from the Philippine government website, the proclamation also reiterates the provision in the Constitution that “the State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens.”
The Camiguin provincial government honored the month of the ocean which was spearheaded by the Camiguin Coastal Resource Management Project (CCRMP) in collaboration with the five municipalities in the island namely, Mahinog, Mambajao, Catarman, Sagay and Guinsiliban.
A community-based visual puppet story theater brought stories of the sea to a province-wide tour performance in public spaces in partnership with the cultural collective of Enigmata artists and children summer art campers and Mindanao State University – Marawi student interns.
CCRMP is a project of the Philippine government through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) with assistance from the New Zealand Aid Programme in the island province of Camiguin.
CCRMP covers the province’s five municipalities which have a total of 144,058 hectares of municipal waters. CCRMP seeks to address the complex issue of sustainable management of coastal resources and the promotion of sustainable economic activities in Camiguin Province.
Let’s go back to some basic facts about water such as: the planet’s surface is 70% water, 97% of this water is found in the ocean, 2% is ice in the polar ice cap and only 1% is fresh water.
I hope this information makes the islanders and everyone keener on conserving some of the first class spring water sources which most often are taken for granted by the locals.
The island is blessed with all kinds of fresh water from cold springs and hot springs, soda water and mineral water which perhaps rank top of the line in the country.
However, if waste disposal is not properly regulated, carrying capacity not observed, and wasteful use of everyday household water, most of these waters are in danger of pollution, contamination and shortage in the near future.
It’s not too late to seriously think about the wise use of water, it’s not unlimited for it wastes so much energy for nature to recycle used water when absorbed back in the ground.
We have to remember again that the drinking water needed by all the people in the planet comes only from the 1% fresh water supply.
According to the data gathered CCRMP, “the ocean is the key regulator of global climate. It serves a massive reservoir of water, recycling rain and preventing continents from turning into deserts.
As part of the coastal ecosystem, one hectare of mangrove trees produces up to 3.6 tons of litter fall annually. One hectare of healthy mangrove ecosystem produces about 1.08 tons of fish per year.”
CCRMP technical team fact sheet further reveals that “our seas are the extension of our life.
It is estimated that 9 out of 10 organisms on earth live in the ocean.
Camiguin Island has 714.4 hectares of Coral reefs, 117 hectares of Seagrass beds, 99 hectares of inshore flats, 37.5 hectares of mangrove forests.
A total of 70.2 km. of shoreline and 114,038.27 hectares of municipal waters, 158.8 hectares of sandy beaches, with 23 mangrove species found in the coastal area of Mahinog and Guinsiliban.
The island of Camiguin has 31 community-based Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) distributed among the five municipalities; Mambajao (7), Mahinog (7), Guinsiliban (5), Sagay (4) and Catarman (8). Two of which are model MPAs (MPA MEAT Level 4 Status) namely the Magsaysay (Mantigue) Island and the White Island Marine Sanctuaries.”
Camiguin waters are passageway and part of the migratory path of tunas and other pelagic fishes which are also home to endangered turtles and mammals.
Philippines is a marine biodiversity hot spot.
Living in this island paradise is a huge responsibility more than a privilege to help sustain the marine ecosystem in the planet.
Marked it green in your calendars:
April 22 – Earth Day
May – month of the ocean
May 22 – International Day on Biodiversity
June – Philippine environment month
Sept – International Coastal Clean-Up every third Sunday of Sept
October – third week of October fish conservation week.
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(Ms. Zerrudo is a community-based artist based in Mambajo, Camiguin. Rosalie is an Enigmata resident artist, cultural worker and multi-media teaching artist who organizes pioneering biodiversity art camps, culture-based education and eco-cultural tourism programs in partnership with local and international organizations and agencies. She completed her Master in Educational Theater Program at the New York University in May 2012.)