A pre-summit last February 19 and 20 entitled “the State of the Coasts and Seas in Illana Bay 9” was a sort of a dry-run where IBRA-9 generated some inputs like tonnage of fish catch recorded by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources per week, month and year; the number of licenses fishing boats operating in the province; livelihood initiatives for fisherfolks and etc.

EcoGov’s technical specialist Marife Portigo told the ZamboSur press bureau that the First CRM Summit is a grand event to be participated in by the 16 coastal municipalities of the province with a theme: “Saving our seas; improving our lives in Zamboanga del Sur.”

Zamboanga del Sur is surrounded by 4 water bays, namely: Yllana, Dumanquillas, Maligay and Panguil. Among the 4, Yllana is the biggest comprising Pagadian City and 7 municipalities (Tukuran, Labangan, Dumalinao, San Pablo, Dinas, Dimataling, and Tabina). 

The second bay is called Maligay consisting 4 municipalities (Pitogo, Vincenzo Sagun, Dimataling and Margosatubig).

Coastal municipalities such as Kumalarang, Margosatubig and Lapuyan are part of Dumanquillas bay while Aurora and Tambulig belong to Panguil bay.

As a marine biologist, Portigo emphasized the significance of holding this activity to evaluate the status of CRM initiatives among the four bays for the concern LGUs to strengthen their support to CRM governance.  This occasion will also enhance and strengthen the inter-LGU, inter-agency and intersectoral partnership in CRM programs.  Inputs from the summit would be vital for the LGU officials to work out agreements on priority CRM programs of the province.

Engr. Noel Pabiran, manager of IBRA-9 Project Management Office noted that having these four bays, Zamboanga del Sur is rich in marine resources but destructive and illegal fishing annihilate these natural wealth for the local government officials and other stakeholders to protect, conserve and manage not only for the present especially for the next generations.

IBRA-9 is considered to be the lone institutionalized coastal resource management alliance in region 9 supervised by the IBRA-9 Council chaired by Governor Auring E. Cerilles.

Remarkably, it sustained its distinction after it won the “Gawad ng Pangulo Galing Pook” in 2002.

So far, IBRA 9 has now 17 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) throughout the 8 LGUs which virtually revived the fishing habitats and eventually develop them into diving sites like in Tambonan in Tabina; Teniapan of San Pablo; Bibilic in Dumalinao; Combo-Labangan and Tagolo in Tukuran.

During the summit, DENR Secretary Lito Atienza and Secretary Arthur Yap of Department of Agriculture are expected to grace the occasion.  As it is mainly an environment protection endeavor, Secretary Atienza will deliver his Keynote Speech to this effect.

As planned, the four bays shall establish booths to display their respective products and showcase their CRM best practices at Hotel Alindahaw where the 2-day activity will be held.

At the municipal level, all the 16 coastal LGUs are enjoined to hang streamers in support to the First Coastal Resource Management Summit.

Last update : 10-03-2008 02:16

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