Helping build

The nation is one passion of Roberto Ballon, a 2005 Gawad Quedancor Awardee for Outstanding Self Reliant Team for his leadership and effort in the development and promotion of the oyster (talaba) industry in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

The 37-year old fisherman is credited with introducing the planting of talaba seeds in the mud instead of the traditional "sudsud" method. In our conversation, he related his experience while visiting Malacañang to receive from the President a "Parangal ng Bayan" Award and opined that since his home address was part of Mindanao, the security check was most intensive. We had a laugh when he related that before the affair he was so happy to be issued a pair of pants and a barong to wear for the affair at the security office only to return them when they exited from the palace.

In his efforts to help the community with the small fisher folk association he leads, he has taken on the responsibility of managing the fish cages for grouper (lapu-lapu) fry that his fellow fishermen catch. As we commuted to Maria, Siquijor he noticed and commented that houses being built beside the mangrove reforestation projects negate the project itself as in due time the people will start moving into the mangrove.

His concern for protecting nature made me admire him more and wished that we had more of his kind. Another surprise was his entrepreneurial bent when extended an invitation for us to celebrate and witness their provincial attempt to secure a Guinness World Record of holding the Longest Talaba Grill. Last year their record was 1.2 kilometer, on February 24 they are prepared to reach the 1.5 kilometer distance with 6 tons of talaba. With a smile he remarks that the more people know and consume talaba, the better for their livelihood and province.

He further claims that the talaba they culture are "the biggest, juiciest, and meatiest oysters in the country," then winks, saying he has seven children to prove it. The man has a good sense of humor that binds together his being a fisherman, leader, conservationist and entrepreneur. A modern-day Filipino hero who may not be as popular as a boxer, but Dodoy is a Filipino champion too.

Let us end with a story of an oyster by an unknown author that encourages us to help build our nation. "There once was an oyster whose story I tell, who found that some sand had got into his shell. It was only a grain, but it gave him great pain.

For oysters have feelings although they're so plain. Now, did he berate the harsh workings of fate that had brought him to such a deplorable state? Did he curse at the government, cry for election, and claim that the sea should have given him protection? 'No,' he said to himself as he lay on a shell, since I cannot remove it, I shall try to improve it.

Now the years have rolled around, as the years always do, and he came to his ultimate destiny stew. And the small grain of sand that had bothered him so was a beautiful pearl all richly aglow. Now the tale has a moral, for isn't it grand what an oyster can do with a morsel of sand? What couldn't we do If we'd only begin with some of the things that get under our skin."*