Nature's bounty

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

In Sagay City , there is a barangay located in the middle of the sea, made up of three islands, all of which do not have access to fresh water except from rainfall collected in jars. As with most coastal and island barangays, fishing is the primary source of livelihood of the inhabitants of the barangay known as Molocaboc.

What sets Molocaboc apart from other similar barangays in the country, aside from the scarcity of fresh water, is its location inside the Sagay Marine Reserve that has made the quaint barangay a model in marine conservation efforts. The efforts of the local government, with the cooperation of the people of Molocaboc, in mangrove reforestation, coral and marine habitat regeneration, and enforcing a strict ban on illegal fishing, has borne fruit and revived the ravaged seas in that area. Coupled with the introduction of a novel idea called sea ranching, the inhabitants of Molocaboc have found a way to coexist with nature, learning firsthand that a protected environment is more beneficial and financially rewarding than one that is being exploited.

Our naturally bountiful seas continue to be ravaged by indiscriminate and illegal fishing methods, largely due to the meager resources of the government and the indifference of the people living in the coastal communities, most of whom do not realize that their dwindling catch is being caused by this illegal activity. Successful implementations of marine reserves like the Sagay Marine Reserve and the positive impact on the environment, as well as Filipino lives, as evidenced by the developments in Molocaboc, prove that development need not be destructive and can be sustainable to boot. We hope that other local governments can learn from the experience of Sagay in maintaining a marine reserve and find way and means to apply, and maybe even improve on that information in their own areas for the benefit of their constituents and the environment as well.*