In Bantayan Island: 6 get int’l recognition for guarding marine life

CEBU, Philippines - Six individuals have been given recognition by the International Climate Legal Action Team for their efforts to protect the municipal waters of Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island.

The awarding was held last Monday at the School of the SEA (Sea and Earth Advocates) in Sta. Fe in time for the Earth Day celebration where international lawyers and youth leaders converged to launch a series of socio-political and legal actions to compel the present generation to take action on the impact of climate change.

The signatories of the award include Australian lawyer Stephen Leonard, the president of the Climate Justice Program; American lawyer Brook Meakins of the International Climate Legal Action Team; lawyer Sigfrid Fortun, team leader of the Team Beautiful Philippines; lawyer Antonio “Tony” Oposa Jr., founder of the School of the SEA and his daughter, lawyer Anna Oposa of the Save Philippine Seas.

Tony said that long before, only very few has understood what a marine sanctuary is until some individuals who attended seminars started working on it by mobilizing their members spending their own resources.

Leading among the awardees is Engr. Romeo Villaceran, a civil contractor and also engages in commercial fishing whom Oposa considered as a protagonist in their advocacy.

As president of the Northern Cebu Commercial Fishing Operators Association (NOCCOFOA), Villaceran was awarded in his efforts to mobilize his members to understand the wealth of the fabled Visayan Sea.

“Today, we declare Romeo Villaceran, former protagonist but now a co-worker for a shared passion, we hereby declare him a brother in arms and a fellow traveler in the journey of a dream,” read the certificate of recognition.

“Ma-feel gyud nako nga ang akong sakripisyo, ang akong gibuhat nagmalampuson,” Villaceran said.

A former barangay councilor, Nestor Batiancila, was also awarded for being the fearless leader who established the first and most successful coral reef garden in the entire Visayan Sea.

“Gikaloy-an gyud sa Ginoo, nagmalampuson gayud ang akong gibuhat,” Batiancila said.

Jilantaagaan, Sta. Fe barangay captain Jenor Marabi was also awarded for his courage to enforce the law to protect the “storied Jilantagaan Marine Sanctuary” which was left out by his predecessor.

“Karon nindot na kaayo ang marine sanctuary namo, di lang sa panghambog, tan-awa lang ninyo didto,” Marabi said.

In the face of great political and financial pressures, Miguel Jimenez Jr. was awarded for exhibiting such admirable courage to pursue and to prosecute illegal fishing cases using even his own modest resources to bring justice to the fish and marine lives of the fabled Visayan Sea.

“Ang ako kinabuhi itaya gyud nako para ang isda mabalik, dili ko gusto nga ang sumulunod wa nay makaon, amo na mosugod gyud ta,” Jimenez said.

Above and beyond call of duty, Sta. Fe municipal agricultural officer Romeo Pacilan, was also awarded for showing his dedication and commitment to protecting the municipal waters of his town.

“Daku pa kaayo og kulang ang akong natampo sa kalamboan sa atong buhilaman sa kadagatan,” Pacilan said.

For being a local legislator of Sta. Fe town, awardee Ithamar Espinosa has dared to speak, to stand, and to fight for the cause of reason, common sense, and for the benefit of the greater good, for the greatest number and for the generations yet unborn.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7 urged the public to be watchful of one’s “carbon footprint” as the rise of carbon emissions in the atmosphere will set off a greater global warming and thus climate change.

Carbon footprint refers to the totality of the impact or effect of all activities done by an organization, group or individual on the environment. It covers all greenhouse gases that each individual or organization may emit in the atmosphere as a result of its activities.

DENR-7 stated that according to reports, carbon footprint of the Philippines is equal to 0.8 metric tons per capita or 0.3 of one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Isabelo R. Montejo,DENR-7 executive director , said that if there’s anything that we need to do very seriously and urgently is to reduce our individual carbon footprint.–(FREEMAN)