Barobo public school creates marine preservation website

MANILA, Philippines - “Doon po sa amin, lumuluha ang mga isda” is the message sent out to the world by concerned students and teachers of Barobo National High School (BNHS) through a website that delves into the degradation of marine treasures in their community in Barobo, Surigao del Sur.     

Their work, which required going out to sea and interacting with fishermen, including one who lost an arm in dynamite fishing, won top honors at this year’s 4th Doon Po Sa Amin (DPSA) Learning Challenge of Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart). They received P50,000 and a desktop computer, plus an additional P30,000 and another desktop as the winner in the Environment and Disaster Preparedness category. Another P10,000 was awarded to the group for being best in Community Involvement.

The team, composed of students Maria Shasta Dane Adlawan (head researcher), Julius Jim Credo (web master), Gretchen Balahay (web master) and RM David Martinote, (researcher and photographer) were supported by mentors Aida Aribal (Principal IV/adviser), Brenda Adlawan (Principal I/adviser), Alex Mistula (moderator/web development consultant/trainer), Liza Guingguing (coach/content manager/internal mobilization in-charge), Jaiglo Layno (coach/community mobilization in-charge/team consultant on fisheries) and Tiburcio Octubre (coach/content manager/statistician).

“This municipality used to produce a lot of fish, but now the fishermen are complaining of small catch,” shares Guingguing. “We have heard of illegal fishing methods and when we went there, we really saw for ourselves the materials that they use,” Octubre said.

The student-faculty team from Barobo National Highschool is accompanied by their town Mayor Felixberto Urbiztondo (fourth from right) onstage while receiving the grand prize from (first and last from right) Smart Public Affairs Community Partnerships senior manager Darwin Flores and online services manager Nick Wilwayco.

Aside from using fine nets which trap even the small fishes, preventing them from growing and multiplying, other illegal and dangerous methods are also practiced. Dynamite fishing continues to be prevalent. The blasts kill all marine creatures within the vicinity and destroy coral reefs which play a crucial role in marine biodiversity. 

Another modus operandi uses cyanide to poison the fishes. Again, this hurts more than just the targeted species and destroys many underwater organisms.

The life-threatening practice of buso or compressor fishing also continues despite the loss of lives. “The father of one of our students died because of compressor fishing,” reveals Octubre. “And we discovered that we have students who engage in compressor fishing. It is their means of survival, to go to school and support themselves,” adds Guingguing.