BACOLOD CITY – San Carlos City in Negros Occidental has collaborated with various government agencies to strengthen the protection and management of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the famous Sipaway Island, the city’s top tourist destination.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mayor Renato Gustilo said the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Adopt-a-MPA project shows that the northern Negros city’s partner agencies and barangays are working together to protect the seas and sustain marine life for future generations.
“This is a stronger commitment to protecting the marine resources and preserving the beauty of our coastal communities,” he added.
The MOU was signed on Tuesday in a ceremony held at the San Carlos City Multi-Purpose Hall, with Gustilo signing for the city government.
He said the partnership is vital to preserving Sipaway Island’s marine resources while developing the city’s dive sites into destinations for scuba divers and environmental advocates, helping protect the island’s underwater ecosystems while opening more opportunities for sustainable tourism and local economic growth.
Other signatories were Philippine National Police – Maritime Group Deputy Director for Administration Col. Rhoderick Campo, Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Negros Island Region (NIR) Regional Executive Director Charlie Fabre, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-NIR representative Rickie Marx Ronamo and village chiefs Valentina Fuerzas of Barangay Ermita and Simplicio Caballero of Barangay San Juan.
Under the MOU, the parties agreed to conduct joint efforts to protect and manage St. John Reef in Barangay San Juan and Camotes Reef in Barangay Ermita, both MPAs within the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape.
The initiatives will be implemented through coordinated patrols and monitoring, law enforcement support, technical assistance and capacity-building, information and education campaigns, pollution response, information-sharing, coastal cleanups and mangrove rehabilitation.
Fabre said the DENR-NIR is committed to working with the city government and partner agencies through science-based monitoring, stronger law enforcement, information and education campaigns and community participation.
“The partnership could serve as a model for collaborative marine resource protection across the region,” he added. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
