Tagbilaran councilor vows law protecting dolphins, whales

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Councilor-elect Adam Relson Jala, speaking at the opening of the 3rd Dolphin Festival last Friday, vowed to enact a law protecting marine mammals around the city's seas.

"I can assure you that I will personally spearhead the enacting of an ordinance on the safeguarding of our whale and dolphin watching industry," Jala told the crowd during the festival, initiated by the provincial government headed by Governor Edgar Chatto.

The Dolphin Festival has been intended to raise public awareness on the value of conservation and protection of marine wildlife, said Jala, citing the big contribution of marine mammals to eco-tourism's financial and educational ends.

"Bohol is lucky to have these marine mammals. Out of the 28 species of whales and dolphins, the waters surrounding our province are truly blessed to be the home of 18 species of these marine mammals," said the councilor.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Central Visayas assistant regional director Alan Poquita, who graced the festival held at CPG sports complex, pointed out the need for conservation of marine mammals and other marine wildlife. "The presence of marine mammals in Bohol seas means that Bohol sea is clean," he said.

Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II, representing Chatto in the event, and BFAR-Bohol provincial officer Cres Pahamutang also expounded on similar task of protecting dolphins and whales in the province.

Pahamutang said Bohol should not do what Oslob town in Cebu has done to the whale sharks, which are being fed by local fishermen just to keep them there always. He however admitted that there is no law prohibiting the feeding of marine mammals.

The Dolphin Festival started with a parade from Plaza Rizal to the sport center where different activities, participated by various schools around Bohol, were staged, such as the dolphin and shark relay contest, dolphin game, dolphin-went-to-town, mangrove planting and coastal clean-up by the DENR and Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO). (FREEMAN)