The Sea: SeaSPOC

The Sea: SeaSPOC: "VISION-MISSION STATEMENT of SeaSPOC “We envision a Community of God’s People that cares and nurtures its environment, and responsi..."

SeaSPOC

VISION-MISSION STATEMENT of  SeaSPOC

“We envision a Community of God’s People that cares and nurtures its environment, and responsibly draw benefits therein for the Common Good of the present and future generations”

“In view of our vision, we commit ourselves to be an instrument of change, both personal and societal, through values formation, promotion and care for the environment, and enhancement of access to life’s basic necessities.”

GOAL STATEMENT OF SEASPOC

“In pursuit of the organization’s vision and mission, SEASPOC further commits to improve the quality of life in the coastal communities thru:

· Increased local sustenance fisher folks’ control and access to municipal fishing grounds;

· Heightened awareness of fisher folk households in preserving the coastal environment;

· Improved mechanisms to protect and conserve the coastal resources in the participating municipalities;

· Enhanced livelihood opportunities for the local sustenance fisher folks, and;

· Strengthened the capabilities of the PO Consortium on Coastal Resource Management


 PROJECT HISTORY

A. Responsive Project: 1992 - 1996

About two decades ago, coastal areas of Eastern Samar had been destructively affected by the loss of biodiversity and decline of fisheries production caused primarily by competition among various economic sectors and resource users. It was for this reason that Guiuan Development Foundation, Inc. (GDFI), implemented the Guiuan Marine Resources Development and Management Project in June 1992 with assistance from the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE). It aimed to address the issues and concerns on coastal resource conservation by capacitating local communities to take the lead in conservation activities.

The following year, the project expanded to six adjacent coastal municipalities in Eastern Samar, namely; Mercedes, Salcedo, Quinapondan, Giporlos, Balangangiga, and Lawaan. These municipalities share the same body of water – the northern portion of Leyte Gulf. It covered an area of approximately 1,000 sq km. The 70 – km stretch of coastline that connects the seven municipalities.

Within four years (1992 – 1996), GDFI organized and assisted peoples’ organizations (POs). Capacity building activities were provided to members of POs. Local ordinances were passed by the local policy making-body to provide legal framework for the marine protected areas (MPA) which include but not limited to the creation of Coastal Zone Management Council (CZMC) for each of the seven municipalities, and the delineation and establishments of MPAs. Research on the behavior and breeding of giant clam and abalone were conducted both for livelihood augmentation and resource enhancement. Massive and intensive conduct of information, education and campaigns (IEC) on coastal resource management were done which generated support from other stakeholders in the area such as the youth, academe, and business among other sectors.

Despite the apparent good beginnings and intentions of the project, problems and issues in the implementation had deterred achieving its goals. Serious problems and issues that resulted to the set-back in the implementation of the second phase, most particularly the murder of the Chief of the Bantay Dagat Task Force and the inability of the government to pursue the case and bring justice, affected many of the members. GDFI’s inability to address economic concerns had made some members of the communities to be unreceptive to the project. As a result, there was a resurgence of illegal and destructive fishing activities. Moreover, legal battles on mining specifically the delays in court proceedings discourage many of community volunteers.

B. 1997 - 1999

The succeeding years (1997 – 1999) were practically lull and there was no funding support from FPE. Most of the major interventions were halted, including organizing, which was unfortunate as a good number of the POs were barely two years young. Nevertheless, FPE, GDFI and the local POs continued their partnerships and move-on with the conceptualization of plans to carry-on the initial efforts on coastal resource management building on the lessons learned from the previous project and with utmost consideration of the available financial resources. Therefore, 

in December 1999, Guiuan Community-Based Coastal Resource Management (CBCRM) Project was launched and started the conservation efforts anew.

C. Guiuan CBCRM Project (Strengthening Stage): 2000 - 2003

Following FPE's CBRM Framework, this project was considered to be at the Strengthening Stage. This stage took place from December 1999 to December 2003. It was a scaled-down version of the responsive project – from seven municipalities, the project area was reduced to two municipalities, namely Guiuan and Salcedo, and focused only on six POs remained from the original 25 POs. The first two years (2000-2001) of Guiuan CBCRM project were devoted in gathering what still remains from the previously implemented responsive project after about three years of limited interventions in the area.

Essentially, it was in 2002 that the strengthening activities began. The main goal of the project was to enable the local communities represented by six POs to sustain the management of the coastal resources of the Northern Leyte Gulf by building the capacities of the six POs on natural resource management and organizational development . Thus, at the end of this period, the project accomplished the following:

1. Organizational Development

Capability-building activities such as training were provided for them to acquire additional knowledge, to develop the right attitude and to acquire skills on organizational management to install proper systems and procedures. Enhancement of necessary skills, knowledge and attitude (SKA) on organizational management was done in two ways – on-the-job coaching and training. Aside from the project staff, local CO volunteers (LCOV) had been identified to monitor and coordinate the activities of the POs as well as the whole communities specifically activities that would have effect on the coastal resources. The LCOV, usuallyt the officers of the POs, became the point person of GDFI and have assisted the project staff in carrying out various project activities.

2. Management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Five MPAs were maintained, namely: Puno Point Marine Sanctuary; Minombonan Marine Sanctuary; Bagonbanua Marine Reserve; Maliwaliw Mangrove Reserve; and Candulom Marine Reserve. It was observed during the conduct of coral reef assessment and fish visual census on the various MPAs that coral growth improved and fish density increased . (Please refer to Attachment 10 for details.)

In Bagonbanua Marine Reserve, a pilot site for habitat rehabilitation, it could be observed that the growth in the marine reserve had improved, different species of fish can be seen even in the dock area, the clams are also in good condition which the caretakers take time to clean and transfer location when they are already crowded. Presence of different kinds of birds is very evident, some are migratory birds while others maybe permanent resident of the marine reserve/island.

3. Conduct Patrolling and Monitoring of the Municipal Waters of Guiuan and Salcedo

Bantay Kalikasan and CZMC of Guiuan jointly conducted patrolling and apprehensions of violators and/or illegal fishers. However, some of these patrolling activities were constrained by the warning of the LGU on not to do apprehensions without the assistance of a law enforcer, as they maybe operating in areas no longer covered by the municipalities of Guiuan and Salcedo. Market inspections were regularly done specifically in Guiuan Public Market to make sure that marine products coming in were not illegally caught.

Although outside the project site, it was unfortunate that another case of a missing member of Bantay Kalikasan volunteer happened in Giporlos, a municipality adjacent to Salcedo. He was abducted by a "liba-liba" operator when he decided to apprehend the violators. The case was already forwarded by GDFI to the Environmental Legal Assistance Center, Inc. (ELAC) for legal action.

4. Provision of Technical Support and Guidance to Coastal Zone Management Councils of Guiuan and Salcedo

In October 2003, representatives of Guiuan CZMC attended the Municipal Development Council Meeting to lobby for the Approval of the Annual Investment Plan for CY 2004. The group was allotted a certain amount to be used for seaborne patrolling. The amount was based on the submitted proposal for the acquisition of equipments for patrolling of the CZMC/Bantay Dagat Task Force of the municipality of Guiuan.

The GCZMC also discussed with DENR, MAO, BFAR and GDFI to encourage the LGU to conduct review and amendment of the Municipal Fishery Ordinance in accordance with the Fisheries Code of 1998 or RA 8550.

5. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Campaign

Massive and intensive conduct IEC on coastal resource management are being conducted to generate support from other stakeholders in the area such as the youth, academe, and business among other sectors.

Specifically, GDFI had facilitated training-seminar on Basic Ecology/Environmental Awareness to SK officers. The participants formulated an action plan and assigned point person for every school. As part of the action plan, they formed the Young Environmentalists of Guiuan (YEG).

Thru the project, GDFI also facilitated module enhancement for elementary and secondary school teachers in Guiuan and Salcedo. This was carried out with the realization that the teachers play an important role in raising the awareness of the children, the youth and the public to issues like the environmental protection and conservation. They can integrate the environment in their lessons and raise the awareness of their students in the process.

Three (3) manuals i.e., Simple Methods in Marine Protected Area Monitoring, Marine Reserve Monitoring Manual for Communities, and Giant Hatchery and Ocean Nursery Management were published. These manuals could be used as reference materials for training on coastal resources monitoring and assessment.

6. Sustain Existing Livelihood Projects, and Development and Implementation of Other Livelihood Opportunities

Assistance provided to local communities to implement livelihood activities was deemed necessary since it was already recognized that most, if not all, resource-destructive activities was caused, directly and indirectly, by the lack of livelihood opportunities to support even the basic needs of the families along coastal areas. One of the milestones of the project was the success of Comverse Fisherfolk Association (CFA), one of the local communities assisted by GDFI, in implementing seaweed farming. CFA was not the first to establish seaweed farm in the area yet it was this organization that strive to continue farming despite the attacks of some pests and diseases. Infestation of “ice-ice” disease is common to almost all the seaweed farms. Nonetheless, CFA members observed that the diseases attack only in certain period of the year then the seaweeds will have a normal growth beyond such period. CFA had developed 7 has seaweed farm and had sold eucheuma seedstocks. Based on their records, they were able to produce and sell a total of 150 tons of dry seaweeds from 1995 to the present. Nearby communities were inspired with CFA’s success and were encouraged to establish their own seaweed farms with seedstocks coming from CFA. CFA members were also developed into trainers and gave technical assistance to other communities who would want to venture on seaweed farming.

Towards the end of 2003, GDFI was able to facilitate approval of Mud-Crab Ranching Project for Maliwaliw, Salcedo and the Seaweed Farming for Guiuan Coastal Zone Management Council (CZMC) submitted to Poverty Alleviation Program for Samar Island (PAPSI) funded by GTZ amounting to around PhP 500,000.00. The assistance given complemented the livelihood component of the CBCRM Project.

D. Transition Period: 2004 - 2006

1. Community Organizing and Institution Building

One of the major accomplishments of the project is the formation of Southeastern Samar PO Consortium (SeaSPOC) composed primarily of the six POs in Guiuan and Salcedo being assisted by GDFI. This will serve as a management team for the PO-Managed stage of the project. The structure is composed of Board of Advisor, the Directors, Project Managers, Finance manager/Cashier, Bookkeeper, Secretary/ Clerk. Moreover, the consortium had also formulated their Vision, Mission and Goals, and a 5-year Strategic Plan. This VMGO was recently reaffirmed during strategic planning activity last October 17-20, 2006 in Borongan, Eastern Samar with assistance of a development consultant. 

Each of the 5 POs had put together their policies and guidelines into an operations manual. Being more advanced than the rest of the POs, the consortium agreed to adopt the manual of Comverse Fisherfolk Association as a model. SeaSPOC accreditation with SEC faced some challenges and was forced to include 5 other POs to qualify as a consortium under SEC rules.

2. Resource Management

Simultaneously with the organizational development of the POs, the communities had sustained the maintenance and enhancement of the three marine protected areas (MPAs), namely: Bagonbanua Marine Sanctuary, Minombonan Marine Reserve and Puno Point Marine Sanctuary. The people sustained the protection of these MPAs from poachers and unsustainable fishing practices. From time to time, they conducted fish visual census, inspection of clams, coral growth covers and mangroves. As a result, several species of birds and plants can be noticed (see Table 1). This could be one areas of research that SeasPOC together with GDFI would want to continue in the future.

GDFI provided one unit of patrol boat for patrolling and monitoring activities in Minombonan Marine Reserve. The PO lobbied the present Mayor to provide support for the maintenance of the Sanctuary. Fuel for the patrol boat and an honorarium for the caretaker are provided now by the Municipal LGU.

Guiuan Coastal Zone Management Council (GCZMC) with the assistance of BFAR-Guiuan, delineated the sanctuary and constructed a guard hut to aid the group in their patrolling activities in the vicinity of Puno Point Marine Sanctuary. One unit of patrol boat for patrolling activities in the area was provided to the group. Markers and signages were installed on certain areas of the sanctuary. The GCZMC members from Hamor-awon take turns in guarding the sanctuary. GCZMC requested from the municipality assistance of P2,500.00 per month. CZMC and Bantay Dagat Task Force jointly conducted patrolling/monitoring operations in the Municipal waters of Guiuan and Salcedo. The patrolling operation resulted in apprehensions and filing of cases.

Baol and Binabasalan Islands have been described and on the process of enacted as marine protected areas in Salcedo. 

3. Advocacy, Networking and Linkage

Patrolling and Monitoring operations are complemented with continuous IEC drive on CBCRM. This includes production and distribution of training materials on BCSD and CBCRM. A member of Young Environmentalists of Guiuan (YEG) coordinated with local artist to draw four posters regarding the situation of marine fisheries. The posters are ready for reproduction. Another IEC material that GDFI prepared is a brochure type which is also ready for reproduction.

Media Advocacy/IEC is also used to reach out to more communities. CZMC and Bantay Dagat Task Force have been on the 7:00 am radio program of Radio Diwa in Tacloban to share to the listeners the activities that they are undertaking in the protection of Guiuan and tried to call on the illegal/ unsustainable fishers to stop destroying the marine habitat for the good of all and for the generations to come.

The celebration of Fisherfolk Day was continued since its launching in October 2004. The celebration was intended to pay tribute and honor to the people who had devoted their time and service for the conservation and protection of the remaining coastal and marine resources in the Northeastern Leyte Gulf. 

As part of the advocacy, SeaSPOC together with GCZMC and GDFI pushed for the review of existing policies and ordinances and drafting for appropriate ordinances/policies to address identified threats. The group conducted a review of the existing Fisheries Ordinance of Guiuan with the LGU, DENR, BFAR, Coast Guard, PNP, Brgy. officials and fisherfolk. Proposed Amendments were discussed and will be brought to a public hearing, before a new ordinance is approved.

The mayor of Salcedo had designated Mr. Victorino Duran SCZMC/CMPA BOD (also counterpart CO of the Salcedo LGU to Plan Philippines) to initiate the review of their ordinances. He was expected to come up with his analysis and recommendations so that it can be taken up during the SB session.

SeaSPOC took active part in lobbying of the passage of the Unified Fishing Ordinance during the A7 for ICZM launching.  The UFO is now under public notification and hearing in the seven municipalities.  SeaSPOC also seats as member of the Committees on Livelihood and IEC/Advocacy of the A7 for ICZM.

Linkage with the GTZ on the implementation of Poverty Alleviation Program for Samar Island (PAPSI) enabled twenty two (22) CZMC members to benefit from funding and implement the seaweed farming. In addition, the program also provided the group with one unit patrol boat, 1 heavy duty flashlight, 3 paddle boats, 1 unit binocular were provided to the GCZMC in support of their patrolling activities and guarding of the Puno Point Sanctuary.

GCZMC through PAMANAKA, federation of fisherfolks assist SeaSPOC in maintaining marine protected areas. The group was able to avail of six (6) units of cellphones to aid during their patrolling activities.

4. Livelihood Development

Training on Enterprise Development was conducted to help the local communities in the developing and managing their livelihood programs. Butig submitted and is still waiting for the response of their project proposal to Plan Philippines for a proposed 1-hectare mudcrab ranching. Camanga has implemented its multi-species ranch focusing on siganid and sea cucumber culture. The proposal of Sulu-an proposal for 2 pumpboats for fishing and for octopus gathering, and additional capital for their store to put up fishing supply is still being matched to potential funders. Comverse is still working out to have additional livelihood i.e., on the service vehicle for their children when going to school. Maliwaliw proposed a fishing supply store.

Abalone larvae are already introduced into natural environment (through larval dispersal) and pilot test in selected sites as an IGP. In Bagonbanua Marine Sanctuary, GDFI stocked 1,000 pieces of hatchery breed abalone juveniles in a 4x4 m pen with rock mounds. BFAA is currently maintaining the pilot site. Unlike the Camanga site, this project is to test the yield of the hatchery breed abalone. In Camanga, people already harvested three times in abalone ranch.

Another livelihood project initiated in the area is the one hectare mudcrab ranch in Maliwaliw. The livelihood project was funded by GTZ-PAPSI. The establishment took longer than planned because of the hard rocks that were encountered during the excavation, and the inability to work fulltime for reasons that they can only work during low tide, and not all of them can work at all at one time as they also have to earn a living. MMPA has harvested 221 pieces of mudcrabs from October and December 2005 from the mudcrab ranch.

THE STATE OF COASTAL AND MARINE RESERVES IN

LEYTE GULF, EASTERN SAMAR

(Compiled by F. Cadiz, project officer, FPE)

I. Location

Eleven (11) marine reserves were investigated by Kuhlman (2000), in the Eastern Samar coastline of the Leyte Gulf, 110 00’36” to 11008’02” N Latitude and 125016’16” to 125039’22”E Longitude. The 11 reserves cover a total area of 240.7 hectares spread out in seven (7) municipalities along a 100-km long coastline (Figure 1 and Table 1). The reefs were established as marine reserves in the early to mid 1990’s (Table 1). Thus at the time of the survey, the oldest marine reserve was 7 years old while the youngest was 3 years old. Most of these reefs are in the intertidal zone and thus periodically get exposed and indundated by the tides. A few are interspersed among mangroves. Figure 1. Map situating 11 marine reserves in Eastern Samar in the Northern Leyte Gulf.

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