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THE Center for Empowerment and Resource Development (CERD),
a nongovern-mental organization working toward community-based
resource management, implemented a project called Fishery Integrated
Resource Management for Integrated Development, or Firmed, in
Hinatuan Bay, Surigao del Sur. This project was selected as one of
this year’s finalists for the Equator Initiative, a United Nations
recognition for local efforts on conservation.
In implementing the project, the
CERD employed the strategy of partnership to get conservation work
done. It engaged different partners like the local government unit,
church and schools and Namahin, the united fisher folk federation
combining alliances of different coastal villages. The FIRMED
initiative has been instrumental in the formation of NAMAHIN by
providing them with organizational and development program
management. A joint project of Namahin and CERD is the Hinatuan
Coastal and Upland Resource Development project which focused on
livelihood and lobbied for resource management. This earned the
support of elected leaders who in turn provided infrastructure such
as guardhouses, buoys and radios which helped marine resource
protection efforts. The presence of endangered marine species, like
the dugong and the marine turtles, has motivated the CERD to partner
with local schools on awareness raising reaching more than 1,000
students and 100 teachers.
The CERD organized the people’s
organization Ladies United Movement Onward to Development (LUMOT
Development) and provided them with gender sensitivity trai-nings,
leadership, fishery management. Armed with these skills, LUMOT
spearheaded the establishment of a fish sanctuary. The women
realized the value of having a fish sanctuary, thus, they pioneered
in its monitoring and actual guarding through a rotational team
composed of their members. Cross site visitors were inspired by the
strength of the spirit of these women because in other parts of the
Philippines, only men are designated as fish wardens.
To sustain CERD’s efforts in
Hinatuan Bay, the CERD enabled households to budget their incomes
and undertake resource inventories, among others. At the municipal
level, the CERD facilitated the Municipal Fishery and Aquatic
Resource Management Council composed of representatives from the
community leaders which was able to lobby for local government
budget for activities related to policy reforms in fisheries. The
CERD also put in place livelihood programs including mariculture and
a hatchery managed by the community to augment its income.
With these initiatives, the CERD
together with the fisherfolk federation involving community members
led by women established 8 fish sanctuaries with a total area of 441
hectares ranging in size from 11 hectares to 175 hectares. The
presence of these sanctuaries influenced local policy on fishing.
The impact to livelihood is very evident because of the significant
increase in the number of observed fish families from 23 in 2004 to
30 families in 2005 and increased fish catch from three to five kg
to five to 8 kg. Mangrove replanting reached 116 hectares thus,
expanding the spawning ground for fish, crustaceans, fry and shells
and providing shelter to fish eggs thus, increasing fish species in
the wild. Maybe the best impact yet is the positive behavior and
values exhibited by the community including the children creating a
new level of appreciation and action for its marine resources thus,
painting a rosy, healthy and sustainable future for the residents of
Hinatuan Bay.
As Mr. Kyo Naka, deputy resident
representative of the United Nations Development Program in the
Philippines, said in his speech honoring the Equator Initiative
finalists, “… we honor the winners of this year’s Equator
Prize which recognizes and rewards local communities for their work
in helping to reduce poverty through the sound management of
biodiversity . . . protecting biodiversity is vital in any response
to the changes affecting our planet, especially for the poorest
people.”
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