Usufruct deal for Lagundi Reef structure okayed

CEBU, Philippines - The Talisay City Council has authorized Mayor Johnny De los Reyes to accept the Deed of Usufruct with a private organization for the sustainable development, management, conservation and protection of the fishery and aquatic resources.

City Councilor Antonio Bacaltos Jr., who is the chairman Committee on Agriculture and Aquatic Resources, said the Knight-Stewards of the Sea Inc. (Sea-knights) will use and maintain the floating guard house at the Lagundi Reef.

Sea-knights is the owner of a floating bamboo structure used as a guard house by enforcement agents such as FISECA, Bantay Dagat, Task Force Lagundi, among others, assigned to watch over the Bogo Shoal (or Lagundi Reef) Marine Sanctuary.

The Lagundi Reef Marine Sanctuary was established under Municipal Ordinance No. 99-21. It is a 2.4-hectare coral reef situated about 1.5 kilometers away from Barangay Poblacion.

The reef was declared a marine sanctuary in 2005.

As mandated by RA 8550, also known as the Fisheries Code of the Philippines, it is a policy of the local government unit to “manage fishery and aquatic resources in a manner consistent with the concept of coastal area management.”

Bacaltos said Sea-knights, a non-government organization with the vision of the sustainable use of coastal and marine resources, has a strong track record of their environmental advocacy in Talisay City and in other parts of Cebu.

"Sea-knights built and owns a floating guard house intended to be installed in Lagundi Reef and has executed a Deed of Usufruct allowing the enforcement agents of the City of Talisay to use said guard house in guarding and enforcing local ordinances and national fishery laws at Lagundi Reef Marine Sanctuary," Bacaltos said in his resolution.  (FREEMAN)