Coastal stewardship of Boracay

(Part 2 of a series on NCMS in Boracay)

BORACAY – My previous article introduced the attempt of the UNESCO National Committee on Marine Sciences (NCMS) during its recent “small island” outreach visit to Boracay “to help communities to mitigate and adapt to the impact of global climate change through marine science.

Half a year earlier, our UNESCO secretariat led by Freddie Blanco helped put together this meeting of NCMS members with the local government, hotel and restaurant operators. We wish to acknowledge the cooperation of Toti Cariño (Fairways and Bluewaters), Duke Ventura (Alta Vista de Boracay), UNESCO Commissioner Lisa Macuja Elizalde and husband Fred, who provided lodging and accommodations. The large La Carmela de Boracay was the conference venue. Annabelle Wisniewski, president of Raintree Partners, an environment advocate, made sure delicious snacks and lunch were delivered from Discovery Suites. I was happy to note that their Executive Chef, Kit Carpio, graduated from the OB Montessori Culinary College.

Working together

Congressman Florencio Miraflores treated us to lunch upon arrival at the huge Regency Hotel and Restaurant. Governor Carlito Marquez and BFAR Regional Director Drusila Esther Bayate gave us Casa de Pilar dining experiences. Most enjoyable was the post-conference dinner personally hosted by Jose Carlos Remedios at his popular Dos Mestizos Spanish restaurant. He and Christopher “Jude” Lee (Hey Jude Bar) actively participated in the entire conference program.

Before our last dinner at the Elizalde compound, skipper Cyrus Tapispisan gave us a one-hour sailing experience in a huge glass bottom boat. We were saddened by the sickly looking gray corals all along the coastline. They cannot provide the nutrients for any fish. Thus, Boracay fishermen have turned tourist guides providing boat rides to visitors.

The full Marine Science committee attended, led by new Chairman Mike Fortes of the UP Marine Science Institute and former NCMS Chairman, former PAGASA Deputy Director Rolu Encarnacion, together with members: Dr. Virgie Cariño (biologist member of NRCP - National Research Council of the Philippines and MAB - Man & the Biosphere international committee member), Ramon Macabuhay Jr. (DENR Marine Geologist Survey Division), aquaculturist Francisco Torres Jr. (National Fisheries & Research Development Institute), Professor Enrico Villoso (Iloilo Institute of Marine Fisheries & Oceanology), Atty. Marilyn Sta. Romana (MSU Tawi-Tawi), Capt. Audie Ventirez (Assistant Director, NAMRIA Hydrography Department), Dr. Paciente Cordero (DOST-NRCP), Lt. May Marfil (Coast Guard), and Commander Marlon Roy Roa (Philippine Navy).

The Boracay experience

Boracay experience starts with flying on small planes of Sea Air, Zest Air, Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines whose frequent delays can be exasperating. Manila flights or bus trips from Kalibo end at Caticlan port. Ferryboats vary from sleek motorboats with uniformed skippers and stewardess to plain motorized bancas. This is a ten-minute crossing to the southern tip of Boracay at the Cagban jetty port. The landing is filled with jeeps, the main transport tricycles, and hotel coasters that would take the tourists to any of approximately 45 hotels ranging from “no-star” to two-star to three-star to five-star standards. Most of them are built along White Beach where their premises extend to beach fronts filled with very fine powdery white sand – unlittered.

It is very safe for children to play on this wide 10-meter expanse of smooth sand, while parents take a leisurely sun tan on lounging chairs. Another 10-meter of shallow blue water descends to five meters of waist-high water. Meantime, half of the White Beach four-kilometer long walk gets filled up almost 24 hours with all kinds of tourists and peddlers going in and out of souvenir shops, seafood eateries, occasional tattoo and spa establishments. The other half between Station 2 and 3 are very lively in the evening when the tide stays low. A more select group of tourists sit down to enjoy a candlelit dinner of grilled or barbecued seafood, while listening to music bands, organized by the three- to five-star hotels.

The other side of Boracay fronting the Sibuyan Sea is not congested at all. At the moment, it has only five establishments, the largest being the Fairways and Bluewaters resort golf and country club.

The role of Boracay NGOs in coastal stewardship

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can play important roles in putting together coastal stakeholders whether they are LGU governors, congressmen and mayors, the business operators, the community or schools. They can, as “watchdogs”, call the attention of government to issues and stimulate public awareness programs concerning coastal degradation and destruction. Jun Aguirre of Panay News has helped in media advocacy. A prominent NGO is the Boracay Foundation with active members: Elena T. Brugger, Jude Lee, Jose Carlos Remedios, Virgie Sarabia and Jose Macavinta.

Elena, a member of the local Chamber of Commerce, headed the group discussion on Socio-Economic and Cultural concerns with Mary Amores, Binggoy Remedios and Judith Ecotanim of DOT (Tourism). Due to the increase of local residents with migrants from Romblon and Marinduque, functional literacy classes are essential so they can provide quality service. Some ethnic minorities linger around begging for alms.

Promoting stewardship in the small island is to be seen as a challenge to inform, educate, empower and motivate the islands towards becoming managers and custodians of their environment. Elena, who is married to a Swiss businessman, is disturbed by the erosion of the Diniwidi Beach coastline (in the northwest part of the island) since the barrier reefs have been destroyed by typhoons and fishing of long ago. She finds the conflicting views of DENR with local government rules so unfair for allowing more construction in the overpopulated island. Wetlands have even been reclassified so hotels and shops have been constructed over them – worsening water supply.

Learning sustainable development from our ‘cousin’ islands

The Philippine archipelago, like Indonesia, is made up of little islands. So are the 15 Asia Pacific islands (APIA) alongside Australia and New Zealand. Their Polynesian culture is akin to that of Hawaii. Islands being isolated though has absorbed the culture of European colonizers who have in the past occupied them. Thus, the Caribbean isle people speak either French or English although they keep a local dialect mixed with foreign words.

Since the ’80s, UNESCO has paid more attention to the welfare of small islands of the east and the west in the project “Small Island Voice”. In 2005, Mauritius held “Youth Visioning” workshop whereby young island people envision how they would like to see their islands develop and change in the coming decade. It seeks to give youth a voice in sustainable development matters and make positive changes.

Sandwatch and Coastcare

Sandwatch started in Tobago, a Carribbean state trying to focus on “making science live” in conserving the coast and the sea. Basic Education teachers credited students in various beach assessment activities integrating it into the school curriculum. The activities were repeated as UNESCO ASPNet projects in other small islands, so that by 2001, eighteen Caribbean countries participated in a three-day workshop in St. Lucia to train teachers in beach monitoring methods relating to erosion, accretion, wave action, water quality and human beach activities. A manual was prepared prior to the event.

In Australia, a federally funded program focusing on coastal stewardship, ‘Coastcare’, operates nationally. Coastcare is a network which provides support to coastal communities to help repair and protect the coast. Seven hundred projects around the country focus on activities such as rehabilitation of coastal habitats, protection of endangered species, e.g. sea turtles, preparation of local coastal management plans, reduction of pollution and litter, development of codes and practice for specific user groups, and the preparation of educational materials for beach users.

Coastal management, a pledge to the future

“In managing our coastal resources, we are being called upon to play the all-important role of stewards to that resource, for other present day users. However, these resources have also been entrusted in our care for future generations. Because of the way that we have been doing things in the past, conflicts will arise from time to time among various stakeholders for such limited and shrinking resources, and we will have to find creative ways to resolve such conflicts…” (Arlington James, 2001)

(References: UNESCO publications – Wise Practices for Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Small Islands; and Introduction to Sandwatch, An Education Tool for Sustainable Development)

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