Another

Anniversary Issue 2015 • Philippines
Oceana welcomes newly-signed
implementing rules
of amended Fisheries Code
The fisheries sector recently got a much
needed boost in protecting and conserving
the country’s marine and aquatic
resources with the recent signing of the
implementing rules and regulations (IRR)
of the amended fisheries code.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala
signed on September 23, 2015, the IRR of
the Fisheries Code of 1998 (or Republic
Act 8550) as amended by RA 10654, an
Act to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal,
unreported and unregulated fishing
(IUUF).
The IRR lays down the guidelines on
the enforcement of various fisheries
conservation measures, and specific
A victory for dolphins,
mammals, too!
Dolphins in Tañon Strait could have sang
and danced all day had their lawyers
told them that they won their almost
eight-year court battle.
Indeed, it was a hard-earned victory
for environmental and ecology lawyers
led by Gloria Estenzo Ramos, Liza Osorio,
Dante Ramos and Benjamin Cabrido, Jr.,
who banded together and filed two cases
against the government in December
2007, on behalf of the ‘residents’ of Tañon
Strait that include dolphins, toothed
whales, porpoises, other mammals and
marine species, and the subsistence fisherfolk
affected and displaced by the drilling.
Continued on page 8
DA Sec. Proceso Alcala
procedures on how to impose penalties
to fishers who commit illegal, unreported
and, unregulated (IUU) fishing
activities, the Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said in a
statement.
“Once the IRR takes effect, the hard
work starts,” said DA undersecretary
for fisheries Asis Perez, who serves
concurrently as BFAR national director.
“We have always believed in the
Continued on page 11
Illegal, commercial fishing still abound in Tañon Strait
Dynamite and cyanide fishing, and
commercial fishing operations still
abound in Tañon Strait, the country’s
largest marine protected area between
Cebu and Negros islands.
These were the findings of a recent
seven-day expedition conducted by
Oceana, the world’s biggest international
NGO focused on marine conservation.
“The team has gathered valuable
information, and testimonies of small
fisherfolk and local barangay and municipal
officials, confirming that illegal
fishing activities, particularly dynamite
and cyanide fishing, and commercial
vessels are operating with impunity in
Tañon Strait,” said lawyer Gloria Estenzo
Ramos, vice president of Oceana Philippines.
“The Oceana expedition team went
on a painstaking daily monitoring that
took them crisscrossing several towns
in Cebu and Negros, starting from the
southernmost portion in San Jose, Negros
Oriental up to Santa Fe, Bantayan
Island, Cebu, at the northern part of the
Strait,” said Ramos.
Continued on page 12
DA-BFAR trains more
fishery law enforcers
Another batch of fishery law enforcement
officers (FLEOs) has been added to the
growing number of men and women who will
help government and fishery industry stakeholders
to manage and protect the country’s
fishing grounds.
“We are inching towards filling up more than
700 positions for law enforcers. With the recent
graduation of the fourth batch of trainees,
known as Class Matilag on October 9, 2015,
we now have 240 FLEOs, many of them have
already been assigned to coastal
provinces, while others
are awaiting deployment,”
said Department of Agriculture
undersecretary
for fisheries and concurrent
Bureau of Fisheries
and Aquatic Resources (DA-
Continued on page 2 DA USec. Asis Perez
Blasted corals in Santa Fe,
Bantayan Island, Cebu
Continued ... page
1

METAMORPHOSEAS
Transforming governance for the better
By Atty. Gloria ‘Golly’ Estenzo Ramos
Saving Tañon Strait
“In Oceana, we hit the sea
swimming.”
That is the challenging alert hurled at
each of our now complete staff, and the
fact they soon realize is true, mindful of
the big tasks ahead to achieve our main
goal of restoring fisheries abundance in
our country.
With Oceana’s intervention and
initiatives, we expect a transformation
of the governance of our seas,
which we envision will undergo a
“metamorphoseas,” for the better, of
course.
Eleven months after our formal
launch last year, we look back at the
inspiring events that transpired since
we issued our first newsletter. It was
first distributed in Cebu during the
Tañon Strait Stakeholders’ Summit and
the historic convening of the first-ever
General Assembly of the Protected Area
Management Board, together with the
highly popular ‘Love Letter to Tañon
Strait.’
This issue marks a milestone as we,
at Oceana Philippines, observe the first
anniversary of our formal launch. In
tandem with other staunch partners,
Oceana has witnessed several victories
for our fisheries, among them are the
enactment of the amendatory Fisheries
DA-BFAR trains ... Continued from page 1
Code and signing of the Implementing
Rules, which contain empowering
features such as the vessel monitoring
mechanism to ensure sustainable
management of our fisheries, and
another landmark Supreme Court
ruling invalidating as unconstitutional
the permit granted by the government
to a company to conduct oil drilling in
Tañon Strait.
The controversial proposed
11-hectare dumping-and-filling
project, also known as ‘reclamation’
in Toledo City, had been stopped as a
result of the determined collaboration
among key stakeholders to stop further
habitat destruction in Tañon Strait.
Likewise in this issue are the stories
on our first two monthly ‘Kapihan sa
Isla,’ a mobile media forum, in Quezon
City and Cebu City, held in August and
September, respectively.
We also have the stark findings
of our pioneering expedition team
members, who painstakingly
crisscrossed Tañon Strait for seven
days to gather valuable information,
confirming the presence and operation
of illegal destructive and commercial
fishing in the protected area.
We share, in addition, the findings
of the baseline socio-economic and
fisheries survey conducted in
May, covering five towns in Cebu
and Negros Oriental, which are
part of the Tañon Strait Protected
Seascape.
Likewise featured are several
events that we organized and
hosted, namely: a one-week Photo
Safari, involving well-known
professional travel and newspaper
photographers, ‘Sarap sa Isda’
luncheon in Batangas, attended by
top Filipino and Spanish chefs, and
the 17th Tañon Strait Anniversary
in Badian, Cebu, which the
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources – Region 7 and
Oceana co-organized.
There are several more stories in
the following pages, which hopefully
shall elicit positive feedback and
comments from you.
Yours truly,
Golly
DA Undersecretary for fisheries and DA-BFAR national director Asis Perez (in black shirt) joins the newest batch of fishery law enforcers,
at the National Brackishwater Fisheries Technology Center in Pagbilao, Quezon. With them are: assistant executive director Roberto Santos,
of the National Coast Watch Council Secretariat; Director Thomas Hammang, Jr., of the Office of the International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Affairs, US Embassy Manila; and BFAR assistant director Drusila Esther Bayate. (Photo by DA-BFAR)
and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) national
director Asis G. Perez said.
The Class Matilag and three previous
batches successfully completed a threemonth
FLEO training, at the DA-BFAR
national brackishwater fisheries technology
center in Pagbilao, Quezon.
“Through their intensive boot camp
training, we have equipped them with the
needed skills and discipline to safeguard
the country’s marine and inland aquatic
resources against Illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing (IUUF) activities,”
added Perez.
“We commend the DA-BFAR under the
leadership of Undersecretary Perez, who
continues to be a strong and staunch mover
in protecting our oceans and ensuring
sustainable source of livelihood and food
for our small fisherfolk and their families,
all over the country,” said lawyer Gloria
Estenzo Ramos, vice president of Oceana
Philippines.
“Further, we commend him for his
resolute leadership in the enactment
of the Amended Fisheries Code or Republic
Act 10654 and the crafting and
eventual signing of the implementing
rules and regulations of RA 10654,”
Continued on page 10
Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. addresses the Summit
participants. At right, some are signing the ‘Tañon Strait Declaration of Commitment.’
It was a case of a “better-late-than-never.”
It took 17 years before government
agencies, local government units, academe
and NGOs convened a stakeholders’
summit to save the beauty and bounty of
Tañon Strait, as it was in 1988, when former
President Fidel V. Ramos signed Presidential
Proclamation No. 1234, declaring Tañon
Strait as a national “Protected Seascape.”
The results of the Summit were encouraging.
After three days of presentations and
discussions, from February 10 to 12, 2015,
in Cebu City, about 400 participants crafted
a “Tañon Declaration,” the Tañon Strait
Protected Seascape (TSPS) Protected Area
Management Board general assembly was
convened, and approved a TSPS management
plan (subject to enhancement), and a
website for Tañon Strait (www.tanonstrait.
org) was launched.
“Convening the PAMB and holding the
stakeholders’ summit are bold, big and
essential first steps to ensure governance
in TSPS that is participatory, transparent,
accountable, predictable and effective,” said
Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria
Estenzo-Ramos.
“With stakeholders working together,
the dream of a well-managed TSPS will soon
be a reality,” she added.
Central Visayas Regional Director Isabel
Montejo of the Department of Natural
Resources could not be happier.
“I cannot suppress my happiness because
of the presence of everyone today, who I
have been dreaming of since 1998, when
we envisioned to gather all the PAMB
members in TSPS,” Montejo said. Seventeen
years ago, he said served as the Provincial
Environment and Natural Resources Officer
(PENRO) of Cebu.
Now, in addition to his duties as DENR
Region 7 chief, he is also tasked to chair the
TSPS PAMB. Its members include all the
local government officials of the provinces
of Cebu, Negros Oriental and Negros
Occidental, 42 cities and municipalities
and 289 barangays. Other members include
the academe, local and international
NGOs, and fisherfolk organizations in the
three provinces.
Former Supreme Court Chief Justice
Hilario Davide, Jr., who keynoted the
event, said “there is a duty to preserve,
restore, and replenish Tañon Strait.”
“We should restore because damage
has been done. We should also replenish
because much has been taken,” he
explained.
“It is beyond imagination how three
provinces, 42 cities and municipalities
and 289 barangays would be deprived of
the beauty and bounty of Tañon Strait,” he
lamented.
“We should not worry about the
Herculean task. All we have to do is to put
our feet on the ground, hands and minds
together, and think that in the end, we are
responsible for the future generation,”
as he challenged TSPS stakeholders and
Summit participants.
Likewise highlighting the summit was
the crafting and signing of a Tañon Strait
Declaration, where key stakeholders led
by five government agencies and all the
LGUs made their respective commitments.
The government agencies represented
included the DENR-PAMB, local government
units, Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department
of Justice (DOJ), Department of Interior
and Local Government (DILG) and the
Ombudsman.
The three-day event was jointly organized
by the DENR, Province of Cebu,
Oceana Philippines, RARE Philippines, and
Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC).
Tañon Strait
DECLARATION
OF COMMITMENT
Whereas, the Tañon Strait Protected
Seascape (TSPS) was created by virtue
of Presidential Proclamation No. 1234 in
1998, and is the largest marine protected
area in the Philippines;
Whereas, the TSPS is one of the richest
fishing grounds in the country, considered
to be one of the tuna highways of the
Philippines, and is one of the Visayas
region’s seven distinct fisheries
ecosystems, supporting the livelihoods of
tens of thousands of marginal fisher folk
and their families;
Whereas, the TSPS is a priority
conservation site and key biodiversity
area, an important migration corridor
for whale sharks, dolphins, and whales,
serving as their breeding, nursery and
resting grounds;
Whereas, the TSPS is now overfished,
its waters are threatened with pollution
from poorly regulated industries and
sewage, and its habitats are getting
degraded by destructive fishing practices
and poorly managed development
projects;
Whereas, after seventeen (17) years
since the TSPS was declared a protected
area, the general management plan has
finally been passed by members of the
Protected Area Management Board,
subject to refinements so that it can be
implemented in the soonest possible
time;
Continued on page 15
3

New Mobile Fish Landing App Launched
Nominate ‘Tañon
Strait heroes’
Keeps track of
boats, fish catch
With a mobile phone, Filipinos would
know where commercial fishing boats
are located and type and size of fish species
they caught.
This is possible if they have a “Fish Landing
App” that was recently launched in the
Philippines by marine scientist Dr. Stephen
Box, who presented it through an online
conference from his office at the Smithsonian
Marine Station, at Port Pierce, Florida,
USA. He serves as the Institute’s program
coordinator of the Integrated Marine
Planning and Conservation Tools, and one of
the main developers of the mobile app.
He said the fish landing app—that also
includes a fisherfolk registry and vessel
monitoring—was designed for android
devices and can be used by fishery industry
stakeholders and organizations, enabling
them to obtain data such as fish species
caught, frequented fishing grounds, and
profile of fishers.
The app, which costs US $80 or Philippine
Peso 3,600 (US$1 = P45), was presented
during the 13th Annual FishBase Symposium,
held September 4, 2015, at the International
Rice Research Institute, in Los Baños, Laguna.
The event was organized in partnership with
Oceana Philippines and FishBase Information
and Research Group, Inc. (FIN).
“It would be very useful in closing the
gap between data deficiency and effective
fisheries management in the Philippines,” said
lawyer Gloria Estenzo Ramos, Vice President
for Oceana Philippines.
“We are a country whose way of life is
largely dependent on the sea. We need
information about our marine resources,
usage and access to effectively craft and
implement policies that will protect our vastly
threatened marine environment,” she added.
“The introduction of a fish landing
application becomes highly relevant and
much welcome in the Philippines, which
has recently adopted the vessel monitoring
system to track the behavior of commercial
Dr. Daniel Pauly (2nd from left), of the University of British Columbia, Canada, stresses a point during a roundtable
discussion on policies, research gaps, and data deficiencies in Philippine fisheries, at the International Rice Research
Institute (IRRI), Los Baños, Laguna, as part of the 13th Annual FishBase Symposium. Joining him are (from left) Margot
Stiles, director of science and strategy for Oceana; Dr. Rainer Froese, senior scientist at GEOMAR Helmholtz-Center
for Ocean Research in Germany; Dr. Cornelia Nauen of European Union International Science Cooperation, and
Dr. Ma. Lourdes Palmonares, associate scientific director of FIN and project coordinator of SeaLifeBase.
fishing vessels under RA 10654, that amends
the Fisheries Code,” Ramos explained.
“The wealth of data which will be collected
using the app will greatly contribute to data
analysis, and can be a primary basis for
any plans related to fisheries management
and sustainability,” added Dr. Box, who
also presented two other technologies for
fisheries management, namely: fisher registry
system and portable boat tracking device.
The fisher registry is an online registration
system that records the profile of fishers,
allowing governments to track their fisherfolk
population. It was piloted in Honduras in
2013, replacing their paper registration
process, Box said.
The boat tracking device, on the other
hand, collects data on vessel position and
fishing activities. In the Philippines, this
would be useful in the vessel monitoring
requirement under the recently amended
Fisheries Code, especially for commercial
fishing vessels.
The three tools—fish landing app, fishery
registry and portable boat tracking device—
can provide analytics and visual tools such as
graphs, so the information is understandable
and can be readily shared, Box added.
“This tool can eventually generate data
capital, so analysis of our data would
be more in-depth,” said internationallyrenowned
scientist Dr. Daniel Pauly, FIN
co-founder and Oceana board member.
In a separate round-table discussion
with media and NGOs, Dr. Pauly said
data deficiency in Philippine fisheries
is not necessarily due to the absence of
information, but the lack of analysis on
available data.
“In the Philippines, we have an
abundance of species data, but it has not
been analyzed,” Dr. Pauly said.
Dr. Pauly noted that analysis of fisheries
data needs to focus on conservation, and
must be integrated in drafting policies and
management plans.
Dr. Ma. Lourdes Palomares, Associate
Scientific Director of FIN, and also the
Project Coordinator of SeaLifeBase, said
local knowledge should also be utilized in
gathering fisheries data at the grassroots
level.
The FishBase symposium was organized
in partnership with Oceana Philippines and
FIN, a non-government organization that
provides free and accessible key data on all
aquatic organisms of the world through its
website, www.fishbase.org.
Oceana Philippines is calling on the
public to nominate deserving individuals
working for the conservation of the Tañon
Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS) for the
first ‘Ocean Heroes Award’ in 2016.
“We are looking for heroes that inspire
us and have shown that we can be agents of
change to protect and conserve the beauty
and bounty of Tañon Strait,” said Gloria
Estenzo Ramos, Vice President for Oceana
Philippines.
Tañon Strait is the largest marine
protected area in the country, located
between the islands of Negros and Cebu.
It is an important habitat for dolphins
and vital source of fisheries resources for
surrounding communities.
Although Tañon Strait was declared
a protected area in 1998, several
management challenges have hindered its
effective management and conservation.
These include the use of destructive
fishing gear, illegal commercial fishing,
pollution from various sources, and
Conservationist
group pays tribute
to slain ally
A group of fishery and environment
advocates gave tribute to their staunch ally,
Gerlie Menchie Alpajora, who was gunned
down mercilessly, on July 29, 2015, while
sleeping beside her two young sons, in
their home in Barangay Bongalon, Sangay,
Camarines Sur,
Alpajora was killed apparently for
reporting to local police persons involved in
dynamite fishing and other forms of illegal
fishing activities in their town, according
to Nonie Enolva, public information officer
(PIO) of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR) in Bicol region.
“We were in great shock, anger and
grief upon learning the tragic death of our
conservation ally,” said the Network of
Conservation Organizations in a statement
read by Joanne Binondo of the World
Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Philippines),
which helped organize Sagnay Tuna Fishers
Association (STFA).
Binondo said Alpajora served as the
secretary of STFA, a community organization
that actively assists law enforcers in
monitoring and reporting illegal fishing
activities in Sagnay.
unregulated dump-and-fill projects that
have resulted in a negative impact on
ecosystems.
In February this year, the TSPS Protected
Area Management Board—composed
of representatives from more than 40
cities and municipalities and nearly 300
barangays— was convened. It approved a
management plan that will pave the way
for stronger enforcement of laws against
destructive activities in the protected area.
The Ocean Heroes Award, organized
by Oceana and the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR) of the Department of
Agriculture in Region 7, will recognize
exemplary individuals in Tañon Strait,
who have worked and contributed to the
protection and sustainability of Tañon Strait.
Nomination forms and contest
mechanics are available at www.tanonstrait.
org.
GERLIE
MENCHIE
ALPAJORA
“We strongly condemn the murder of
an advocate who stood up for her rights,
her children’s, the local community and the
future of the fishing industry,” said Binondo,
during ‘Kapihan sa Isla,’ media forum,
held August 14, 2015, at Cocoon Hotel, in
Quezon City, Philippines.
“We demand for the immediate action
from our authorities to give justice to
Gerlie and the Alpajora family. We urge
all concerned agencies to intensify and
expedite the investigation process and the
filing of appropriate cases,” the Network
said.
The suspected killers of Alpajora were
already identified, according to police
authorities, particularly the Criminal
Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
For his part, WWF-Philippines President
and CEO Joel Palma said “we thank Ms.
Alpajora for her dedicated service as a true
environmental steward. We will remain
inspired to secure a better future for
communities that rely on our seas for food
and livelihood.”
“We also denounce the cowardly act
of silencing a strong voice against illegal
Continued on page 10
GEN. VICTOR P. DEONA
PNP Bicol arrests
more illegal fishers
Police authorities in Bicol have arrested
more illegal fishers than in previous years.
Statistics from Philippine National
Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) show they
arrested 2,698 persons engaged in illegal
fishing in 2014, more than four-fold in
2013, when 627 arrests were made.
Of the 2,698 illegal fishers arrested,
2,027 have been jailed and charged in
court, while 64 fishing vessels were seized
in Masbate and Sorsogon, said former
PRO5 Director Victor P. Deona.
Before leaving his post, Deona has
directed all PRO5 provincial and municipal
commanders to further strengthen their
campaign against illegal fishing in Bicol.
Continued on page 11
5

Showcasing the beauty of Tañon Strait
What a better way to showcase the pristine
beauty of Tañon Strait, including the
fisherfolk and children living along its coasts,
than through the lenses of photographers, who
went on a week-long photo safari organized by
Oceana Philippines.
“It was a fantastic journey,” said travel
photographer Oggie Ramos, who with the team
visited five towns and three islands in Cebu and
Negros, from May 4 to 10, 2015.
“The photos showcase the wonders of Tañon
Strait, capturing people’s interest and bringing
awareness to the protected area,” added travel
photographer and blogger Ferdz Decena.
Aside from Oggie and Ferdz, Oceana also
invited camera luminaries: Gutsy Tuason,
renowned underwater photographer; and two
Cebu chief photographers Tonee Despojo of
Cebu Daily News and Ferdinand Edralin of The
Freeman. Oceana staff—campaigns manager
Danny Ocampo and communications associate
Candeze Mongoya—also joined and took some
photos (some of which are shown in these
pages).
“We organized the photo safari to highlight
the beauty and bounty of Tañon Strait as a
reminder to local governments and residents
about what they stand to lose if the area is
not protected adequately,” said lawyer Gloria
Estenzo Ramos, Oceana Philippine vice
president.
Their itinerary included Bantayan Island
in northern Cebu, spending the first night at
Anika Resort. The following day, they enjoyed
the white sand beach at nearby of Virgin Island,
and spent the afternoon at Madridejos fish
market.
On their third day, the team moved on to
visit the coastal towns of Aloguinsan (via a tour
of Bojo River) and Moalboal in Central Cebu,
documenting the latter’s seascape and its three
dive spots. The following day, the team took a
dive and snorkeled at Panagsama and Pescador
Island.
On Day 5 and 6, the photo safari team
crossed Tañon Strait onto Bindoy (documenting
Mantalip Reef) and Bais in Negros Oriental, and
finally sailed on to Dumaguete.
The photo collection was first displayed
for the general public in an exhibit on May
27, 2015, celebrating the 17th anniversary
of Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS) in
Badian, Cebu; and during the ‘World Oceans
Day,’ on June 8, 2015, at Eastwood Mall Atrium,
C5, Libis, Quezon City.
Selected photos were also displayed during
the ‘Kapihan sa Isla’ media forum, at Cocoon
Hotel, in Quezon City (August 14, 2015), in
Dumaguete City (September 14-17, 2015) and
at Marcelo Fernan Press Center, in Cebu City
(September 22, 2015).
Several photos are also included in
the gallery of the TSPS website, at www.
tanonstrait.org.
Insights, Accounts
Below are some of the photographers’ insights and accounts during their one-week
journey, capturing with their lenses the wonders and human face of Tañon Strait.
“The Oceana Philippines Photo Safari
was such an enriching experience
where we got first-hand information
on the social issues arising in the area,
but also of the beauty within Tañon
Strait.
“Our first night in Bantayan Island,
Sta. Fe, a tourist destination facing the
East, we witnessed the moon rising
from the horizon with local children
serenading us with songs of old while
playing soccer by the beach.
“I was trying to sneak snapshots of sharks
being sold in Bantayan fish market.
Fortunately, there was no shark catch for
that day. However, I chanced upon this
heartbreaking scene of a 60-kilo blue-spotted
eagle ray being butchered right in front of me.
As an underwater photographer, it is one of
my ultimate dreams to take photographs of
this majestic creature in its natural habitat,
but it felt like I was being stabbed several
times while capturing this picture of the ray
being chopped.”
Fishermen proudly haul their catch: a bluespotted
eagle ray in Bantayan.
Run with the sardines. Below the waves,
sardines swarm around in motions of a dance,
here and there, and suddenly everywhere, in
Moalboal, one of Cebu’s famous dive sites.
Ferdinand ‘Bong’ Edralin
Chief Photographer, The Freeman
“The second day was much different from
the postcard pretty photos of yesterday.
Early morning in the town of Bantayan,
stingrays were grilled for food, and in
the neighboring town of Madridejos we
witnessed the disparity of small-time
fishermen in stark contrast to their bigger
counterparts.
“At night on Kawit Beach, children would
gather around the shore waiting for big
fishing boats to arrive so they can scavenge
for fish that were thrown away.
“Down south of Tañon Strait, we saw dancing
dolphins performing stunts for tourists on
pump boats. However, some boat operators
would cut through schools of swimming
dolphins, which shouldn’t have been allowed
so the dolphins would be able to move freely.
“Education in different levels of the
socio-economic ecosystem, from the local
fishermen, to the big fishing players, to
the local residents and even tourists, can
definitely go a long way in changing how we
treat our environment.”
Tonee Despojo
Chief Photographer, Cebu Daily News
“I’ve been to numerous photography and
writings assignments and no two are alike.
The photo safari for Oceana Philippines
is unique in a sense that yes, it’s a job, but
it’s also about answering the duty to call
people’s attention to a natural resource and
national treasure through images.
“I had the misfortune of developing fever
from two infections, one on my toe and
a bigger one on my back, during the trip
which kept me land- and boat-locked, while
my companions had the time of their lives
snorkeling and diving. However, this also
gave me an opportunity to observe people
and their relationship with Tañon Strait in
a way that I may not be able to, had I been
caught up in the snorkeling.
“Every day brings a highlight moment or two
so it’s hard to pinpoint just one specific high
point of the whole trip. On our first night on
Bantayan Island, the full moon rose big and
beguiling on the horizon as the locals waded
for shellfish, while some serenaded the
moon with a guitar and local ditties.
“On an afternoon trip to Lawis, we passed by
the market and saw the bounty of the sea on
display. I wonder, do the vendors, the kind
“Coming into the Tañon Strait Oceana Photo
Safari, I had little idea of what to expect. Yes
we were briefed on the location, the route from
starting point to the end point of the week-long
expedition, and the richness of the marine life
at Tañon Strait. But once we got into the actual
expedition, it was just easy to get lost in the
experience.
“As a photographer tasked to capture the
beauty of the landscape and the people above
water, I felt my gear was not enough to capture
everything. Yes I was awed by the white sands
and clear waters of Bantayan islands, the
warm smiles of the people at Madridejos or the
stunning sunset on the rocky coast of Moalboal.
But I was mesmerized more of what was
underwater. For me who loves snorkelling and a
Oceana Philippines
Photo Safari Team
lolas and manangs we talked to, know these
are treasures from Tañon? Approaching
dusk, on the way to the parola, I passed by
the local kids sifting through the shallows
of the exposed reef for small fishes. It’s like
they’re bottling the remains of the sunshine
for the day.
“Seeing the itinerary, I knew I couldn’t pass
up the chance of sleeping on the ranger
station of Mantalip Reef. I expected a lowkey
affair, maybe some makeshift shack in the
middle of the sea. Well, it turned out to be a
concrete structure complete with bedrooms,
bathrooms, and verandas… It was surely
memorable to sleep under the stars right
there on the reef station.
“Of course, seeing the spinner dolphins on
Bais bay was a treat. Maybe seeing dolphins
do really bring out the kid in everyone. Just
when we thought that a wayward boat of
bikini-clad tourists and recalcitrant pilots
had chased the dolphins headed our way, we
got another chance, and still another chance,
to encounter them. We were doubly, triply,
blessed that day.”
Oggie Ramos
Travel Poetographer and Blogger
little freediving, Tañon Strait had some of
the best snorkelling I had.
“I was amazed by the vast pristine corals
at Talisay Reef, overwhelmed by the sheer
number of sardines running at Panagsama
Beach, had a visual overload of snappers
and corals at Mantalip Reef and enjoyed
the company of playful dolphins at Bais.
It was a time I wish I had my underwater
case replaced instead of just using and
action camera. The beauty of Tañon Strait
is encompassing, above and below sea level
and deserves all the protection it should
get.”
Ferdz Decena
Travel Photographer and Online Publisher
7

Filipinos catching smaller fish, harvesting less
Filipino fishermen are catching less from
their depleted ocean due to decades
of overfishing, illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing, catching of juvenile
fish, and use of illegal fishing methods,
according to sustainable fisheries
advocates.
“It is unfortunate that the country’s
small and commercial fishermen are
fishing themselves out of business, but this
trend can be reversed,” said lawyer Gloria
Estenzo Ramos, Vice President for Oceana
Philippines, at the launch of the ‘Kapihan sa
Isla’ media forum in Quezon City.
Many fishers are catching less and
smaller fishes, with some wantonly
harvesting juvenile ‘danggit,’ one of the
most commercially valuable fish in the
country, Ramos said during the August
14 forum, which coincided with the first
anniversary of Oceana Philippines.
From an average of more than 10
kilograms a day in the 1950s, fish catch
drastically went down to less than five
kilograms a day in the 1990s due to
unsustainable practices, said Jimely
Flores, senior marine scientist for Oceana
Philippines.
Municipal fishers are now harvesting
only less than two-thirds of fish compared
to the 1980s, even though they are exerting
the same amount of effort, added Dennis
Calvan, executive director of NGOs for
Fisheries Reform.
He said the use of destructive methods
like cyanide and dynamite remains
unhampered, with about 150,000 kg of
sodium cyanide sold yearly and an average
of 10,000 blasts occurring daily, citing
statistics from the Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Another problem is that juvenile yellow
fin and big-eye tuna gather around ‘payaos’
or fish aggregating devices, and are caught
along with skipjack tuna that are the target
species, added Vince Cinches, oceans
campaigner for Greenpeace Philippines.
The group is proposing that BFAR
Fisheries Administrative Order 226, issued
in 2008, be amended to increase the weight
of tuna that is legally caught and traded
from 500 grams – the average weight of
juvenile tuna – to at least 15 kilograms, the
average weight of mature tuna species.
If managed properly, Philippine oceans
can be harnessed to feed its growing
Atty. Gloria Gloria Estenzo Ramos (above) shares with
media persons the advocacies and programs of Oceana
Philippines at its monthly media forum, held August 14,
2015, in Quezon City. Joining her are the other speakers
(from left): Jimely Flores, senior marine scientist
for Oceana Philippines; Rocky Sanchez Tirona, vice
president for RARE Philippines; Vince Cinches, Oceans
campaigner for Greenpeace Philippines, and Dennis
Calvan (back to camera), executive director of NGOs for
Fisheries Reform.
population of more than 100 million,
of which 1.4 million directly depend on
fishing for food and livelihood, said Rocky
Sanchez Tirona, Vice President for Rare
Philippines.
“We therefore need to take concerted
action – among small and commercial
fishers, government, private sector and
NGOs – to reverse the declining trend
in fish catch and save the oceans by
putting in place science-based fisheries
management, and equally as important,
making our laws work,” noted Ramos.
Oceana is supporting the BFAR’s
ban on ‘hulbot-hulbot’ or Danish purse
seine fishing. The group has also actively
assisted in the crafting of the recentlysigned
implementing rules and regulations
for the amended Fisheries Code, which
puts in place a monitoring system for
commercial fishing vessels as a deterrent
against illegal fishing.
“In all, the national government through
the DA-BFAR and DENR and the LGUs
have taken important steps toward more
responsible fisheries management. We
believe more engaged collaboration and
continued implementation of the Fisheries
Code and Local Government Code and
relevant laws are needed to safeguard the
country’s marine resources,” Ramos said.
During the forum, the NGOs gave a
tribute to slain fisheries advocate Gerlie
Menchie Alpajora, the secretary of a tuna
fishers association in Bicol. She was
killed mercilessly last July 29, while
sleeping beside her two children at
their home, in Sagnay, Camarines Sur.
A police report linked the killing to
her group’s campaign against illegal
fishing, according to Joanne Binondo
of WWF-Philippines, which had
helped organize her group. (Pls see
related story on page 5.)
In a petition circulated to the
media, the 12 conservation NGOs
strongly condemned the murder of
Alpajora. They appealed to concerned
agencies to intensify the investigation
and file a case against the killers.
A VICTORY FOR DOLPHINS ... Continued from page 1
In a unanimous decision penned by Associate
Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro, the Supreme
Court (SC) on April 21, 2015, nullified a service
contract the Department of Energy (DOE) previously
awarded to Japan Petroleum Exploration
Co. Ltd. (Japex) for oil exploration and drilling in
Tañon Strait.
The SC said the Philippine government through
the DOE has violated the Constitution when it
entered into an agreement with JAPEX in 2004.
“It is a landmark ruling that should prevent
similar exploration projects that would destroy
the ecological integrity especially of a protected
seascape,” said Ramos.
“An ecologically destructive activity, such as
oil drilling, is an oddity especially in an environmentally
critical area like Tañon Strait Protected
Seascape,” she added.
A narrow body of water between the islands of
Cebu and Negros, Tañon Strait was declared a protected
seascape by then-President Fidel Ramos on
May 27, 1998.
It is a habitat for at least 14 species of dolphins
and whales, other mammals, 26 species of
mangroves, 70 species of fish and 20 species of
crustaceans.
“The SC ruling should serve as a reminder to
national agencies to perform their mandates of
environment protection, and also protect the
rights of the people. This should also deter them
from ecologically destructive acts, especially in
protected areas like Tañon Strait,” Ramos said.
Last Laugh
For lawyer Benjamin Cabrido Jr., he had the last
laugh, as reported by Inquirer Visayas.
He said when they filed the case on December
20, 2007, coinciding with his birthday, many people
have ridiculed them, saying their case would
not prosper.
“A lot of dolphins are in that area. During the oil
exploration, they moved to another location,” he
added.
Upon knowing that the SC decided on their
favor, Cabrido said he was dumbfounded, as
it was the first time that dolphins and marine
mammals had won a court case in the Philippines.
“Now, vindication comes. It’s a victory
shared with dolphins and sea mammals. They
too won in the lawsuit,” Cabrido noted.
The 8-year struggle
For her part, Ramos has recalled that former
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo — in collaboration
with the former Governor of Cebu
and two mayors from Aloguinsan and Pinamungahan
— has allowed the seismic survey and
eventually the drilling by Japex in Tanon Strait.
“The subsistence and artisanal fisherfolk
were callously displaced as they were prevented
from fishing in their traditional fishing
grounds. Their rights were recklessly disregarded
with impunity,” lamented Ramos. “Their
children stopped schooling. Fish kills occurred.
The cetaceans that depended on the Strait
to eat and reproduce, disappeared. Only two
species were sighted.”
She said the oil drilling in Tañon Strait has
reflected the lack of fisheries management in the
protected area. Despite the NIPAS Act meant
to protect the seascape, there was no PAMB,
no management plan; data and science were
clearly set aside. Only the personal preference
of the authorities was made the basis for
decision-making. There was open access to
limited resources. There was no rule of law. No
transparency, accountability and participatory
governance.
With crisis comes opportunity for awakening
and reforms, she continued.
She recalled that the Cebuanos and Negrenses
were galvanized into action and formed the
“Save Tañon Strait Citizens Movement” or ST-
SCM, of which she co-founded. They conducted
campus tours, environmental education classes,
both formal and informal.
She said the STSCM was even awarded as
one of the “Citizens of the Year” by Sun Star.
“I started my column with Cebu Daily News
at the height of the drilling controversy, with
my maiden article, of course, on Tanon Strait,”
she added.
“Media was a potent ally and highlighted
all the activities in the fight to stop oil drilling.
There were editorials, columns and cartoons
on the issue,” she said.
Eventually, with fellow lawyers Osorio, Ramos
and Cabrido, they filed two cases against
the government in the Supreme Court on
behalf of the dolphins, whales, and fisherfolk
in Cebu and Negros.
The case landed on the front page of local
dailies, Ramos recalled. Even the national
newspaper picked up the “David vs Goliath”
case.
Five months after the cases were filed, she
said JAPEX withdrew from the area.
“The rest is history, but the fight to protect
Tanon Strait continues,” Ramos concluded.
PNP BICOL ... Continued from page 5
He also instructed the PNP
provincial director commander in
Camarines Sur, PSSupt Walfredo
Pornillos, to speed up the
investigation so they can capture and
file appropriate charges against the
killers of Gerlie Menchie Alpajora.
Deona has been promoted as chief
of the PNP Criminal Investigation
and Detection Group. He served
as PRO5 chief since 2013. He was
succeeded by PSSupt Romulo
Alimbaba Esteban, as OIC. (With reports
from Rhaydz Barcia, The Manila Times)
9

Tañon Strait fishers catching less, remain poor
Bisag may kuha o wala, lipay lang. (With
or without catch, it’s okay).
“I fish tsamba-tsamba (I count on chance
to catch fish).”
“Less fish caught due to the presence of
commercial fishing who use sonar/purse
seines.”
“There is a decrease in fishing unlike
before. Now, we are able to sell fish only
three times a month.”
These are among the sad and stark
responses of subsistence fisherfolk in
Cebu and Negros, when asked by a team
from Oceana Philippines that conducted
a month-long socio-economic and fishery
baseline survey in Tañon Strait.
The survey, conducted from May 9 to 30,
May 2015, covered 96 fisherfolk families
in the towns of San Jose (which served as
the pilot area), Guihulngan and Calatrava,
in Negros Oriental; and Moalboal and
Samboan, in Cebu.
The survey team — led by Oceana
marine economist Charlotte Grubb, and
marine scientists Dr. Christopher Krenz and
Marianne Saniano, among others — said
that municipal fishers in Tañon Strait are
catching lesser fish, and many of them still
remain dependent on fishing as a major
source of income.
Further, the poor fishers surveyed said
they were not only catching less per trip,
ranging from two to 13 hours, but were also
getting smaller fishes, including juveniles.
Worst, some went back home without
any catch at all for their families. They used
hook and line (crystal, hawihiw, isda-isda,
and lasdak), surface longline (pahawin), and
squid jig (kulambutan).
Majority of them who used other fishing
gears and practices could only catch less
than 1 kg/hr, ranging from 800 grams to a
measly 100 grams/hr, as measured by catch
per unit effort (CPUE). They employed
panglumiyagan (squid jig), catching 0.8 kg/hr;
kurantay (gillnet), 0.8 kg/hr; angkla (fish jig/
squid jig), 0.7 kg/hr; pang-nokos (squid jig),
0.6 kg/hr; and cystal/rentik (hook and line),
0.5 kg/hr.
Those who are considered “better off”
municipal fishers, who used bagnet or basnig
were able to catch an average of 5.3 kg/hr,
followed by patulay (a type of gillnet), at 3 kg/
hr, and pokot (another type of gillnet), at 2.4
kg/hr.
Tañon Strait is overfished
“The number of municipal fishers
dependent for livelihood from Tañon Strait
fisheries in the late early 2000’s is about
26,850 (Green et al. 2004). During the
Oceana baseline survey in 2015, 67% of the
interviewed fishers from the municipalities
of San Jose, Samboan, Guihulngan, Moalboal
and Calatrava perceived that the number
of municipal fishers have been increasing in
the last five years (2010-2015), while 41%
of the interviewed fishers believed that the
commercial fishers have also been increasing
in the same time frame. This perceived
increased could indicate that Tanon Strait is
under very heavy exploitation,” said Jimely
Flores, senior marine scientist at Oceana
Philippines.
Compared to previous years, particularly
in 2004, municipal fish catch then was better,
although it was measured on a CPUE per day.
A 2004 study showed that among 29
fishing gears and practices employed by
municipal fishermen, the top 10 most efficient,
at kg/day, were using: stationary lift net, 30;
spear fishing with compressor, 23; encircling
gillnet, 17; drive-in gillnet, 15; hook and line
with float, 12.7; beach seine, 12.6; surface set
long line, 11.3; scoop net with lights, 11.1; drift
gillnet, 10.7; and troll line, 8.9.
The study was conducted by Dr. Green,
S.J., in tandem with Flores and other marine
scientists and researchers (Dizon-Corrales,
J.Q., Martines, R.T., Nuñal, D.R.M, Armada,
N.B., and White, A.T.). It was entitled “The
fisheries of Central Visayas, Philippines:
status and trends,” and done as part of the
Coastal Resources Management Project
of the DENR and DA-BFAR.
Fishing remains main source of
livelihood
The May 2015 survey also showed
that of the 96 respondents, 65 (or 68%)
engage in fishing, with nearly one-half
relying on fishing as a primary source
of livelihood, and another 14% as their
secondary source of income. Some of
the fisherfolk also sell their catch in their
respective markets.
As for the respondents’ wealth or
economic standing — measured in
terms of housing, food security, source
of income, health services, and physical
assets and amenities — over one-half
(56%) fall into the “middle” category,
19% are “better off,” 17% are considered
“poor,” and 8% are considered “rich.”
The ‘poor’ fishers live in one-room nipa
and bamboo houses, with no electricity,
and use communal water. They own nonmotorized
‘banca’ or small boat, and enjoy
a few amenities.
With decreasing fish catch and lesser
income, some of the poor fishers are
considering to move on to ‘greener
pastures.’
One respondent in Samboan, Cebu said
“many people are leaving the community to
work in Cebu City.”
Another said: “I want to go to Manila. I
hear that there you can make as much as
4,000 Pesos in one month. I plan to go, but I
can’t find tickets.”
Some aspires to improve their economic
condition, but they do not have the means,
saying: “We want to prosper especially in
fishing, but we do not have enough capital
or money.”
When asked about what has been the
most significant change in the last five
years, most of respondents said that aside
from decreasing fish catch, the weather has
become more unpredictable.
More marine species
“With the geophysical attributes of Tañon
Strait — coral reef-lined shorelines that are
narrow and sharply sloping into deep waters —
it is expected that the area is home to diverse
marine organisms, from the base of the marine
food chain to the cetaceans,” said Flores.
“Initially, we have identified 87 species, and it
could be more than 100.”
For instance, they initially documented
seven species each of palata (damsel fishes)
and lagaw (threadfin breams), five species of
timbungan (goat fishes), and three species each
of tambod (lizard fishes) and solid (fusiliers).
“Probably, there are many more species,”
said survey team member Marianne Saniano,
junior marine scientist at Oceana Philippines.
Further, most fishes sold in the markets
were from municipalities with commercial
fishing vessels, plying their municipal waters,
hence commercial fishers were visibly doing
business, the survey showed.
Conservationist Group ... Continued from page 5 DA-BFAR trains... Continued from page 2
Oceana welcomes ... Continued from page 1
activities that plunder the wealth of our
seas. We lost an ally in the frontlines of
conservation and we demand swift action to
deliver justice to Ms. Alpajora,” added Palma,
as posted in their WWF-Philippines website.
In recognition of her bravery, the WWF-
Philippines has given Alpajora a posthumous
‘Hero of the Environment’ award.
For her part, Oceana Philippines vice
president Gloria Estenzo Ramos said “we
condemn in the strongest terms this atrocious
act, and we call on the authorities to conduct
a thorough investigation of her assassination
and file charges against those accountable.”
“Alpajora has dedicated her life in the
service of our country and our people in
furthering the goal towards sustainable
fisheries. She is our hero,” Ramos added.
The Network of Conservation
Organizations has echoed Palma’s and
Ramos’s sentiments, saying they consider
Alpajora as a “true hero of the environment,”
adding that they will not allow her sacrifice to
be for naught.
The Network is composed of Oceana
Philippines, WWF-Philippines, Save
Philippine Seas, Marine Wildlife Watch of
the Philippines, NGOs for Fisheries Reform,
Bicol Consortium for Development Initiatives
Inc., Greenpeace Philippines, Tambuyog
Development Center Inc., Pangisda Pilipinas,
PKSK (National Union of Rural Based
Organizations), and RARE Philippines.
Meanwhile, the BFAR Bicol regional
office has initially given Gerlie’s husband,
Mario Dacuno, a 6.5-horsepower engine for
their banca to help augment their fish catch
and family income, said Enolva, adding that
Gerlie’s case is still under investigation. (With
reports from The Manila Times and WWF-Philippines)
she added.
Perez said as part of the government’s
law enforcement capacity-strengthening, the
DA-BFAR will procure needed vessels and
equipment. These include 27 units of 40-footer
monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS)
vessels, 70 units of 30-footer multi-mission
vessels, and two units 50-meter vessel—which
will be equipped with necessary special operations
tools and devices such as service fire
arms, GPS, night vision goggles, scuba gears
and, rigid-hulled inflatable rubber boats.
“To complete our target 700 FLEOs, it
would take nine more batches, as the number
of volunteers depends on the personnel
sent by the respective DA-BFAR regions to
undergo the three-month training,” said Dr.
Nilo Selim Katada, OIC of DA-BFAR fishery resource
protection and law enforcement quick
response team. (With reports from DA-BFAR)
success of collaborative works. We count on
our partners—the private sector, the academe,
government agencies, the fisheries sector
and the general public—to continuously exert
efforts to protect and safeguard our marine
and aquatic resources,” he added.
“This is a positive development in trying to
save what is left of Philippine fisheries,” shared
lawyer Gloria Estenzo Ramos, vice president
for Oceana Philippines. “We hope that the
DA-BFAR continues with its holistic approach
in helping our fisheries recover.”
The IRR also requires all commercial fishing
vessels (CFVs) to install a satellite-based
tracking system, or a vessel monitoring
system (VMS), as well as the vessel monitoring
measures (VMM) to be implemented by the
DA-BFAR in coordination with respective local
government units (LGUs).
This policy will enable DA-BFAR, LGUs and
concerned authorities to keep tract of commercial
fishing vessel and prevent them from
encroaching into municipal waters, or within 15
kilometers from the coastline, said Ramos.
The IRR has prescribed that a VMS be
installed by catcher CFVs, weighing more than 30
tons, within the next four years, as follows: above
200 gross tons (GT), within six months; 150 to
200 GT, within one year; 100 to 149 GT, within
two years; 50 to 99 GT, within three years; and 30
to 49 GT, within four years.
The IRR also stipulated that within one year,
the DA-BFAR shall determine the appropriate
VMM technology and the corresponding schedule
to cover CFVs, weighing between 3.1 GT to 29
GT. Those weighing 3GT or less are considered as
municipal fishing vessels.
“The provision on VMM is definitely a step
in the right direction, as it can help ensure that
commercial vessels are fishing in their designated
areas,” Ramos said.
To improve registration of boats, the DA-BFAR
has also created a Fishing Vessel Electronic
Licensing System that would centralize data.
Furthermore, the agency adopted an ecosystems-based
approach in fisheries management.
Ramos welcomed the innovations, and stressed
that “commercial fishing vessel gear licenses
should be based on scientific principles rather than
just maximizing yields.”
She said there is a need to monitor the enforcement
of the amended law, especially in prioritizing
access for municipal fishers. Artisanal fishers,
considered as the “poorest of the poor,” have
complained of competition from illegal commercial
fishing allowed in their traditional fishing grounds.
Ramos added that “the new rules may not be
perfect, but they provide stronger mechanisms
and remedies for authorities and citizens alike to
hope for long term sustainable fisheries.”
The 89-page IRR, also known as the DA Administrative
Order No. 10, Series of 2015, has been
formulated through multi-sectoral participation
and consensus-building approach, said Perez.
The country’s fisheries subsector accounted
for 17.65% of total agricultural output in 2014,
grossing P242 billion at current prices, 1% less
than in 2013.
11

‘Sarap ng isda’
Linking arms to protect Tañon Strait
Some of the dishes were served in clay
pots (palayok) and banana leaves to
provide a distinctive Filipino touch.
Chef Myrna Segismundo shows
Spanish chef Andoni Luis Aduriz how
sinaing na tulingan is cooked.
Filipino and Spanish chefs had a taste
of local cuisine, savoring several lunch
recipes at ‘Sarap ng Isda,’ hosted by
Oceana Philippines, in Anilao, Mabini,
Batangas, April 27, 2015.
Starting with ‘kinilaw na dulong’ or silver
fish ceviche, the chefs relished ‘sinaing
na tulingan’ (mackerel tuna stewed in
kamias, a sour fruit), sinigang and piniritong
galunggong (dried round scad, served
in a sour vegetable soup and also fried).
They also had a taste of a local condiment
‘bagoong Balayan,’ a fish paste made from
anchovies.
In partnership with the Mabini municipal
tourism office, the Oceana-hosted luncheon
was attended by local officials, villagers
from nearby Tingloy Island, food and
lifestyle media persons from Metro Manila
(Philippine Daily Inquirer) and Spain (El
Illegal fishing ... Continued from page 1
The 16-man expedition team was led by
Daniel Ocampo, Oceana Philippines campaigns
director, and supported by senior
marine scientist Jimely Flores, legal and policy
director Edward Lorenzo, and communications
director Yasmin Arquiza. They were assisted
by four other Oceana technical staff, two
support staff from Cebu, and six dive masters
and crew members.
“We went incognito to see what really is
going on in Tañon Strait, monitor the impacts
of destructive fishing, and presence of commercial
fishing vessels,” said Ocampo during a
‘Kapihan sa Isla’ media forum, September 22,
Pinoy, Spanish chefs savor
Batangas fish recipes
Pais). The visitors took home some bottles
of bagoong Balayan.
The visiting chefs included: Andoni
Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz Restaurant; Chele
Gonzalez of Gallery Vask Restaurant;
Jose Ramon Calvo, manager of Mugaritz
Restaurant; Julieta Caruso, former head
chef of Mugaritz; Myrna Segismundo,
host of ‘Fork in the Road’ TV program on
Lifestyle Channel 52; Gina Navarro, owner
of Estrel’s caramel cakes; Jill Sandique,
owner of Delize; and Anne San Diego.
Chef Myrna Segismundo (top, 2nd photo)
took time to show how to cook sinaing na
tulingan to visiting Spanish chefs. She was
assisted by Batangas chef Jay-R Patupat,
who prepared the sumptuous traditional
lunch, with some of the dishes served in clay
pots (locally known as palayok) and banana
leaves to provide a distinctive Filipino touch.
2015, at Marcelo Fernan Press Center, in Cebu
City.
“We were disheartened to see rubbles of
blasted coral reefs off the coast of Santa Fe, in
Bantayan Island, Cebu,” Ocampo noted.
Aside from blasting or dynamite fishing,
coral damage due to cyanide was also
observed in Santa Fe, added Oceana marine
scientist Jimely Flores.
She also said ‘ghost fishing’ was observed in
Guihulngan, Negros Oriental. Ghost fishing is a
situation where fish gets entangled or trapped
in abandoned or damaged gears like traps, gill
nets and hooklines, and then subsequently
attract predator fishes, which likewise get
entangled.
In a simple program before lunch, Mabini
tourism officer Nini Casapao gave the welcome
remarks, while Oceana policy officer Atty.
Edward Lorenzo explained the importance of
responsible catching of fish, some of which were
prepared and cooked during lunch. The venue
was an open-air porch beside the Mabini tourism
office, a few steps from the Anilao beach,
offering a scenic view of a nearby mountain.
‘Sarap ng isda’ came after the successful top
chefs’ event in Sebastian, Spain, also sponsored
by Oceana.
Both events were able to gain favorable
endorsements from Filipino and Spanish chefs
on the advocacy of Oceana Philippines campaign
to support sustainable fisheries, particularly the
ethical sourcing of ingredients for their recipes
and promoting traditional cuisine making use of
marine and fishery products.
“In visited sites, we found that the coastal habitats
were mostly in poor state,” added Flores.
“We documented about 12 commercial fishing
vessels, either transiting from fishing operations or
engaging in actual fishing operations,” added legal and
policy team leader Lorenzo. “All the vessels had active
fishing gears, of which two were having the same
name, and one vessel had no markings.”
Strangely, majority of the commercial fishing
operations making use of ring nets were being done
in areas where payaos were located, and some were
working in tandem with municipal fishers, added
Lorenzo. Payao is a fish collecting devise to attract
fishes.
“There were also reports of commercial fishing
vessels using ‘baby bag net,’ which is done in tandem
That was exactly what the stakeholders
from government and civil society did to
symbolize their solidarity during the 17th
anniversary of the creation of Tanon Strait
Protected Seascape (TSPS), on May 27, 2015.
Their show of unity was rendered more
meaningful with the inauguration of a TSPS
Protected Area office, located in a mangrovefilled
islet, in Barangay Malhiao, Badian, a
southwestern coastal town in Cebu.
The nipa-roofed bungalow used to be a
coastal environment office of the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources-
Region 7 (DENR-7). It was blessed by Fr. Tito
Soquino, an ecological evangelization leader
and co-founder of “Knight-Stewards of the
Sea.”
Another highlight of the anniversary
celebration — with the theme “Atong Dagat,
Atong Kinabuhi, Atong Ampingan” — is
the first “State of TSPS Address” or SOTA
delivered by DENR-7 regional director
Isabelo Montejo.
He emphasized before dozens of guests,
fisherfolk and journalists the significance
of Tañon Strait, traced its history, its major
challenges, priority programs in the next five
years, and the strengthened collaboration
with citizens, local government units, the
PNP Maritime Command, BFAR, and other
enforcement agencies.
“The SOTA is a precedent and a legacy that
future successors and stewards are expected
to imbibe,” said lawyer Gloria Estenzo Ramos,
Oceana Philippines vice president.
“Human-caused pressures on our seas in
the form of illegal fishing, use of destructive
gears, destructive coastal development,
pollution, and weak implementation of our
laws remain as major challenges,” added
Ramos.
Local government officials also shared their
respective insights and commitments, during
the anniversary program, commemorating
the creation of TSPS through Presidential
Proclamation No. 234 signed by former
President Fidel V. Ramos.
Ayungon, Negros Oriental Mayor Edsel
Enardecido said illegal fishing is also a
Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria “Golly” Estenzo Ramos (10 th from left)
and Tañon Strait Protected Seascape stakeholders link arms to show their solidarity.
problem in their municipality. They were
able to minimize it, if not eradicate, through
advocacy and by involving people in their
marine conservation programs.
Moalboal Mayor Inocentes Cabaron
said they also employ a similar technique
in his town, which has gained good results.
Moalboal is a popular dive site with its vast
coral reefs, frequently visited by Filipino and
foreign divers and tourists.
Development in coastal towns and cities
is affecting the Strait, like shipbuilding in
Balamban town, and reclamation projects in
Toledo City, added Montejo, who is assisted
by Park Superintendent Concordio Remoroza
in overseeing the management of TSPS
through the Protected Area Management
Board (PAMB).
“With the use of improved technology,
we could help monitor illegal activities and
commercial fishing vessels in Tañon Strait. I
know of drones, image-capturing satellites,
web systems that can help monitor activities
at sea. If we employ this technology, and
continue to build on our concerted efforts,
then it would be a lot easier to facilitate
stewardship, address critical concerns in
protecting our coral reefs, our fisherfolk, our
future,” said Ramos.
Oceana also launched the search for
the “Ocean Heroes Award” which aims to
recognize individuals who have consistently
worked for the protection of Tañon Strait.
with blast fishing, at the northern part of
strong cooperation with the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR) as it
Tañon Strait,” said Ocampo. “The combined
bagnet-dynamite operation ensures that
has jurisdiction over the management and supervision
of the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape,
all targeted fish will be harvested,” Ocampo
noted.
and the local government units.
“In all, this is where government agencies
In fact, Bojos said BFAR 7 has provided each
should strictly enforce vessel monitoring measures
(VMM), which are now required under Strait a 16-horsepower engine with accessories
of the 42 cities and municipalities along Tañon
the Fisheries Code (RA 8550) as amended by for their ‘bantay dagat’ surveillance patrol boats.
RA 10654 and integrated in the implementing
rules and regulations (IRR), signed on
will continue to help keep the beauty and bounty
The Department of Agriculture through BFAR 7
September 23, 2015, by Agriculture Secretary of Tañon Strait, he added. It also operates a hotline
service, where residents can report illegal
Proceso Alcala,” said Ramos.
For his part, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR) region 7 director Andres Based on the findings of the expedition,
fishing in their respective areas.
Bojos said they will extend full support and Continued on page 15
Winners will be known during the 18th
anniversary of TSP”S on May 27, 2016.
(Pls see related story on page 5.)
“Tañon Strait is our life, so let’s
protect it,” added DENR Biodiversity
Management Bureau Director Mundita
Lim, whose message was read by
Montejo.
“There is still much to be done.
Beyond the management plans, all the
summits and meetings, and on-ground
interventions, what we truly need are
concerted and dedicated actions in
looking at ways on how we can efficiently
and effectively utilize the services that
our Tañon Strait provides. We must scale
up our efforts in building awareness
and concern for the conservation of our
Tañon Strait,” Lim noted.
During the program, the DENR7 and
Oceana also gave due recognition to
two advocacy groups — “Save Tañon
Strait Citizens Movement” or STSCM
and “Knight-Stewards of the Sea” or
Sea Knights — for their selfless acts and
engagement in protecting Tañon Strait
and marine habitats. The STSCM has led
the fight to stop the offshore oil drilling
in the area years back, while Sea Knights
are modern-day stewards of the sea, said
Ramos.
Present during the event were local
chief executives and representatives
from Negros and Cebu, BFAR7,
Philippine Coast Guard, PNP and NGOs
from Rare, Oceana, STSCM, Phil. Earth
Justice, Sea Knights, Tambuyog, ELAC,
and POs and cooperatives from Zaragosa
and Badian.
Oceana also took the opportunity
to display several photographs in the
barangay stadium to create public
awareness, appreciation for and action
to conserve Tañon Strait. The beautiful
images were taken by topnotch
photographers, including two from Cebu.
(Pls see related story on pages 6-7.)
(With reports from Cebu News Daily, The
Freeman & Maria Eleanor E. Valeros)
13

‘Sea Rangers’ help enforce fishery laws
DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT ... Continued from page 3
new batch of 35 ‘Sea Rangers’
A completed in May 2015 a three-day
Fisheries Law Enforcement Training (FLET)
to help enforce fishery laws and apprehend
illegal fishers in Tañon Strait, particularly
in the municipal waters of Bindoy, Negros
Oriental.
The ‘Sea Rangers’ were composed of
personnel from the Local Government Unit
(LGU) of Bindoy, DENR Protected Area
Office (PAO) and Negros Oriental Provincial
Environment and Natural Resources
Office (PENRO). They will be deputized by
the DENR to augment the enforcement
teams of the Negros Oriental Provincial
Environment and Natural Resources Office
(PENRO) and the TSPS PAO.
The training — held May 14 to 16,
2015, at Bindoy’s Domolog public market
conference hall — is a multi-sectoral effort
of Oceana Philippines, LGU of Bindoy, TSPS
PAO, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources Region 7 (BFAR7), Negros
Oriental PENRO, and the Philippine
National Police Maritime Group, said lawyer
Edward Lorenzo, head of the legal and
policy team of Oceana Philippines.
Municipal Mayor Valente Yap of Bindoy
graced the training, inspiring and motivating
the participants to continuously protect
Bindoy’s municipal waters from illegal
fishers and the Tañon Strait, in general.
The ‘sea rangers’ underwent a threat
mapping exercise to enable them to
determine illegal fishing practices such baby
trawling, hulbot-hulbot (modified Danish
seine). They were also briefed on pertinent
fishery laws, and taught how to conduct
legal arrests, searches, seizures, boarding
procedures, and joint monitoring and
enforcement operations with other TSPS
stakeholders.
TSPS assistant protected area
superintendent Enrico Sarong discussed the
National Integrated Protected Areas System
(NIPAS) Act, and explained the integrated
coastal and marine ecosystems, and how
these should be protected to provide
sustained livelihood to fisherfolk and their
families.
Oceana writes Love Letter to Tañon Strait
The letter — which is actually a 24-
page glossy colored magazine — tells
readers what and where Tañon Strait
is, its beauty and bounty, its ‘residents’
composed not just of people but also of
dolphins, whales, dugong or sea cows
and fishes, and its many challenges and
threats.
It is a romantic rendition of a plea —
combined with exquisite photographs
of the many marine species the Strait
hosts — to inspire and persuade readers,
particularly stakeholders, advocates, local
officials and policy makers to contribute
their share to protecting and saving
the largest marine protected area in the
Philippines.
Written and packaged by an Oceana
team — composed of Dr. Stacy Baez,
Charlottte Grubb, Margot Stiles and
Lorenzo discussed the amended
Fisheries Code (Republic Act 10564) and
Wildlife Act, including other laws applicable
to the TSPS.
Along with fellow Oceana lawyer Roger
Joseph Guzman, they also discussed the
legal concepts such as arrests, searches
and seizure, rules of evidence, and rules
of procedure for environmental cases; the
law enforcement process — from arrest,
filing, custody of seized materials, until the
trial process and promulgation; and legal
remedies for sea rangers and other law
enforcers, such as the anti-SLAPP (Strategic
Lawsuit Against Public Participation)
provision of the Fisheries Code and the
rules of procedure for environmental cases.
A BFAR 7 technical staff conducted a fish
examination exercise to detect fish caught
with explosives and cyanide.
Senior Police Officer 3 Arnel Anino of the
PNP Maritime Group discussed procedures
on boarding illegal fishing vessels, safest
means to apprehend violators, search
tactics and approaches in various boat setups,
and filing of criminal cases.
During the training, two workshops
were conducted: first, a simulation to show
procedures on boarding and apprehension
of illegal fishing vessels, how to document
evidences, and procedure to make valid
arrest of violators; and second, how to make
an affidavit, particularly a sworn statement
or sinumpaang salaysay, and how to
identify relevant facts.
Gloria Ramos — the ‘Love Letter’ is divided
into five informative and inspiring sections:
Introduction; Whales, Dolphins and Dugongs;
A Cornucopia of Fish; Extraordinary
Places; Key Threats; and Solutions.
It is hoped that love letter could pave
the way to softening the hearts of people,
and changing the mindsets of destruction,
particularly those who exploit the bounty
of Tañon Strait by employing illegal and
destructive fishing methods, and those who
pollute and destroy the waterway’s marine
habitat and ecosystems into sustainability
and responsible stewardship.
To all fish and ocean lovers, ‘Love Letter
to Tañon Strait’ is worth reading and having.
Kindly visit: http://oceana.org/sites/default/
files/love_letter_final_singlepages_with_bleeds_
editedsh.compressed_1.pdf
Whereas, illegal fishing activities
continue to degrade fish stocks within the
TSPS in a rapid manner, and enforcement of
fisheries and environmental laws is in need
of improvement;
Whereas, the Tañon Strait Protected
Seascape Stakeholders Summit has
identified major issues that are critically
affecting the long-term survival of this
ecologically sensitive area;
Whereas, due to the large size of
the protected area, there is a need for
collaborative efforts among government,
civil society, the academe, and other
stakeholders to ensure that the
management plan is effectively carried out;
Whereas, there is a need to work
together with all relevant national
government agencies and local government
units in promoting effective law
enforcement and sustainable fisheries;
Whereas, the protected area is governed
by a protected area management board led
by the DENR with provincial, municipal and
barangay LGUs as members.
Whereas, there is an urgent need
to consolidate the efforts of national
government agencies, non-government
organizations, people’s organizations, the
academe, and private citizens involved in
the TSPS to share information and data,
refine the general management plan
and implement existing laws to protect
and conserve our natural resources
and environment, if we are to arrest
the continuing degradation the TSPS’s
environment and natural resources;
Therefore, after having conducted the
First Tañon Strait Protected Seascape
Stakeholders Summit, the parties herein
hereby commit to:
Illegal fishing ... Continued from page 13
Oceana Philippines came up with several
recommendations, which include: the
DENR and the Protected Area Office should
coordinate with the LGUs, BFAR, civil society
organizations including academic institutions
to determine the status of fisheries in
Tañon Strait; conduct a fish catch monitoring
to determine the Strait’s carrying capacity,
which should be the basis for a fisheries management
plan for the Strait; and inventory
payaos and craft policies on their regulation,
control and use.
Other recommendations are: a publicly
accessible master list of all commercial fishing
vessels (CFVs) transiting in Tañon Strait;
the Tañon Strait protected area management
board or PAMB and LGUs should require
transiting CFVs to install VMM and register
with them; all the 42 city and municipal LGUs
in Tañon Strait should harmonize their respective
city and municipal fishing ordinances
banning CFVs in their respective municipal
waters; and DENR, BFAR, the Department of
Justice and LGUs should allocate funds for
law enforcement, the protection of Tañon
Strait being clearly a shared responsibility.
For Department of Environment and Natural Resources –
Protected Area Management Board (DENR-PAMB)
• To coordinate with LGUs the approval process of SAPA to
avoid construction of illegal structures without SAPA
• To address enforcement challenges, to delineate function or
mandate between PAMB and LGUs
• To simplify the approval process of SAPA; All application for
TSPS must be reviewed and commented by SMUs
• Together with academic institutions, provide proper
management zoning based on scientific studies for protection of
migratory species on the General Management Plan
• To define the roles of the SMU and the stakeholders, create a
model so uniformity can be achieved in each unit
• To provide funds for annual resource ecological monitoring
and evaluation
• To conduct massive IEC campaign and dialogue with
stakeholders especially on marine debris and pollution
• To strengthen support to stakeholders
• For the PASu in particular, define the roles of the SMU and the
stakeholders, create a model so uniformity can be achieved in
each unit
• Through the SMU, make a comprehensive guideline on
financial disbursement and funding
• PAMB to create CRM monitoring team to assist LGU
monitoring team (joint monitoring)
• To create PAMB Adjudication Board and composite law
enforcement team
• To provide paid law enforcers and incentives/reward system
for protection and rehabilitation of mangrove forest and MPAs
• To deputize wardens for law enforcement
• To assist LGUs in the implementation of solid waste
management law (RA 9003)
• To delineate the boundaries between municipal water and
Tanon Strait
• To formulate policies and guidelines as to the composition and
structure
• To allocate/include budget for SMU operation in tandem with
the concerned offices of provincial government through MOA
signing
• For SMUs to be consulted on new application for business
permit within TSPS
• To control private owners on extension of lots/ refilling
(reclamation)
• To provide financial assistance for Bantay Dagat (patrol boat)
• To act on clearances for construction of beach resorts
• To amend NIPAS, consolidate existing environmental codes
for TSPS
• To TSPS guidelines in granting the livelihood to these
fisherfolk
• To formulate an Operations Manual
For Local Government Units (LGUs)
• In order to achieve PA objectives. Provide support for MPA and MPA
Networks funding for law enforcement (equipment, logistics, patrol
boat, training/seminar, permanent guardhouse, biophysical monitoring
survey training)
• To create partnerships with other NGOs/private sector to mobilize
resources for mangrove conservation
• To enact ordinance adopting national law on solid waste
management (Republic Act 9003)
• To ensure proper coordination, regular consultations or information
dissemination
• Determine non-negotiable activities to be adopted across municipal
plans (no reclamation)
• To properly monitor oil spills
• To stop illegal fishing activities
• To revisit municipal ordinance regarding legal and illegal fishing
• To enact unified basic fishery ordinance in every municipality
• To identify management policies about the issue
• To implement the existing laws effectively
• To provide for budget in relation to fisheries management in the
annual financial plan
• To coordinate with local law enforcement in the apprehension of
violators
• To institute an incentive scheme for bantay dagat personnel
• To craft guidelines on patrolling and apprehension tailor fitted to the
needs of the locality
• To provide for the training and deputation of protected are rangers
• To set realistic qualifications for bantay dagat personnel
• To consolidate existing environment codes relevant to TSPS
• For the SMUs to review and comment applications to TSPS
• To have a livelihood programs and provide guidelines for the grants
thereof
For Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)
• To conduct massive IEC on fisheries
• To encourage active dialogue with stakeholders
• To strengthen support to stakeholders
• To come up with baseline data/profiling on overfishing
• To support LGUs and PA wardens to stop commercial fishing
activities in Tañon Strait
• To assist the DENR in capacity building of rangers
• To provide equipment useful to policing the marine environment
For Department of Justice (DOJ)
• To prosecute timely the violators after apprehension of PA wardens
For DILG and the Ombudsman
• To investigate complaints regarding politicians intervening in the
enforcement of the law
• To monitor and prevent delays in coordination due to bureaucratic
red tapes
• To prosecute dereliction of duty and abuse of authority by public
officers.
This Tañon Declaration is hereby adopted this 12th day of February, 2015, in the City of Cebu.
Oceana, DENR conduct workshops on TSPS mgmt plan
Oceana Philippines has partnered with the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) in conducting workshops to refine the
General Management Plan (GMP) that will serve
as a road map to policies and activities allowed to
be conducted in Tanon Strait Protected Seascape
(TSPS).
“The latest was a log framing workshop in
Dumaguete, on August 7, 2015, where participants
have identified strategies and programs to
be incorporated in the TSPS GMP,” said lawyer
Roger Joseph Guzman of the Oceana legal and
policy team.
The topics discussed included profiling of TSPS
derived from primary and secondary data, GIS and
map presentation and proposals for the GMP.
The workshop was attended by participants
— led by protected area superintendent (PASu)
Concordio Remoroza and former PASu Viernov
Grefalde — from DENR 7, TSPS PASu and PAO,
BFAR 7, RARE and PEJC. It was hosted by Oceana
through Atty. Rose Liza Eisma Osorio of Philippine
Earth Justice Center (PEJC).
The group also discussed major issues and
challenges identified at the TSPS Summit last
February and past GMP TWG meetings.
The five main issues identified were: research,
monitoring and database management; law
enforcement; sustainable financing; information
education communication campaigns; and
habitat and resource management.
The log framing workshop was the second
meeting of the TWG. The first was held on
July 16, 2015, in Cebu City, sponsored by
DENR 7.
In that meeting, Osorio noted the need
for a five-year implementation plan, and a
monitoring and evaluation framework in the
draft GMP, citing as benchmarks other PA
management plans of Tubbataha Reef Natural
Park, Apo Reef National Park and Bantayan
Island Wilderness Area.
The crafting of the TSPS GMP started
in October 3, 2012, led by former PASu
Grefalde. The process continued until a series
of workshops this year, after the first-ever
PAMB general assembly and TSPS Stakeholders’
Summit held in February 2015.
When finalized, the TSPS GMP will be
submitted to DENR 7 Regional Director
Isabelo Montejo, who will then endorse it for
approval by DENR Secretary Ramon Paje.
Once approved, the GMP will be implemented
and enforced by the DENR through
the Protected Area Management Board
(PAMB), in partnership with the respective
site management units, LGUs, and concerned
agencies, including the DA-BFAR.
15

ABOUT US
Oceana was established in 2001 by a
group of leading foundations — The
Pew Charitable Trusts, Oak Foundation,
Marisla Foundation (formerly Homeland
Foundation), and the Rockefeller Brothers
Fund.
In 1999, these foundations commissioned
a study and discovered that less
than one-half percent of all resources spent
by environmental non-profit groups in the
United States went to ocean advocacy — an
appalling statistic. No organization was
working exclusively to protect and restore
the oceans on a global scale.
To fill the gap, our founders created
Oceana: an international organization
focused solely on oceans, dedicated to
achieving measurable change by conducting
specific, science-based campaigns with
fixed deadlines and articulated goals.
The Ocean Law Project — also initiated
by The Pew Charitable Trusts — was
absorbed into Oceana in 2001 as Oceana’s
legal arm. In 2002, Oceana merged with
American Oceans Campaign, founded by
actor and environmentalist Ted Danson,
to more effectively address our common
mission of protecting and restoring the
world’s oceans.
Since its founding, Oceana has won more
than 100 victories and protected more than
one million square miles of ocean. Find out
more about how Oceana is helping to save
the oceans victory by victory, at http://
oceana.org/victories.
Further, Bloomberg Philanthropies
launched the Vibrant Oceans Initiative, a
$53-million initiative to boost fish populations
in the Philippines, Brazil and Chile
by reforming both industrial and local
fishing, and help them sustainably manage
their fisheries, enhance food security and
strengthen local fishing communities.
The Vibrant Oceans Initiative — a partnership
among Oceana, RARE, and Encourage
Capital — has the potential to be scaled
to other parts of the world, and change the
way coastal communities and the fishing
industry operate. By encouraging more
responsible fishing globally, we can protect
our oceans and a vital source of food and
income for future generations. Find out
more about Vibrant Oceans Initiative at
http://www.bloomberg.org/program/environment/vibrant-oceans/
Why the Philippines?
The Philippines is the center of marine
biodiversity. Home to richly diverse ecosystems,
the waters of the Philippines have the
highest level of nearshore diversity in the
world.
There are more species of coral in 20
hectares of the Central Visayas of the Philippines
than the entire Caribbean. From manta
rays to mangroves, straits, bays and coves, and
more than 7,100 islands, this archipelago nation
has it all.
These marine waters also support highly productive
fisheries, providing livelihoods and food
for millions of people. The Philippines ranks in
the top 15 fishing nations worldwide, producing
an annual catch of more than 2 million metric
tons, valued more than $3 billion in 2009. Fish is
served at every meal, representing 56 percent of
animal protein intake and 12 percent of all food.
Unfortunately, 75 percent of the fishing
grounds in the Philippines are currently overfished.
Even though total catches at the national
level have not yet crashed, signs suggest these
catches have been maintained by overfishing
new species and new areas over time. Fishers
now bring home fewer large fish, and reef fish
have declined between 70 and 90 percent, leading
to major losses to coastal economies.
Illegal fishing also remains a problem despite
recent improvement in fisheries enforcement.
Commercial fishers continue to enter municipal
waters and foreign fleets continue to poach
high-value species. Destructive fishing — like
the capture of young fish before they can grow
to adulthood— is a significant threat to the
health of fish populations and the livelihoods of
fishermen.
Because so many people rely on fish for food,
and because there are so many poor people
directly dependent on fisheries, the Philippines
provide a critical opportunity for work to improve
fisheries.
The country’s highly productive fisheries, if
managed properly, can be harnessed to feed the
growing Philippine population and secure the
livelihoods of many.
Therefore, achieving food and economic
security for the Filipino people means that
marine conservation, habitat protection and
sustainable fisheries must be the collective goals
of both national and local authorities and local
communities.
What will Oceana do in the Philippines?
In the Philippines, Oceana supports the
government in its goal to promote national
policies that protect the Philippines’ vast marine
resources.
We use the law to ensure that fish and fishers
receive the protections they deserve.
We offer technical expertise to aid the government
in its goal of establishing sustainable
catch limits, reducing discards and protecting
spawning habitat.
We carry out scientific expeditions to educate
the public about the importance of healthy
oceans and the role they play in the economy of
the Philippines by providing food and jobs.
Ultimately, our goal is to work to ensure that
the Philippines achieve sustainable fisheries and
healthy oceans for the benefit of all Filipinos.
This newsletter is published by
Oceana Philippines,
P.O. Box 255, UP Post Office
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City 1101.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
oceana.philippines
Twitter: @oceana_ph
Editorial Adviser
Atty. Gloria Estenzo Ramos
Vice President, Oceana Philippines
E-mail: gramos@oceana.org
Editor
Noel O. Reyes
Editorial Assistant
Christine Dar Sicada
Design & Layout
Philip Alpajora
Oceana Philippines Officers
Atty. Edward Lorenzo
Legal and Policy Director
Yasmin Arquiza
Communications Director
Daniel Ocampo
Campaigns Director
Jimely Flores
Senior Marine Scientist
Oceana is the largest international
organization focused solely on ocean
conservation, with offices in North,
South and Central America, Europe and
Asia and more than 600,000 followers all
over the world. For further information,
please visit www.oceana.org.