DENR revives 2 marine sanctuaries in Glan,Sarangani,LGUs take over Mgt. fr.POs-MCalungsod-LocsinDENR

In an effort to promote sustainability, the  Department of Environment and Natural  Resources (DENR) has recently  revived the marine sanctuaries located in two barangays of the Municipality of Glan in Sarangani Province. In line with this, the management of the marine sanctuary  in Sitio Cabug in Barangay Kapatan and in Barangay Glan Padidu was assumed by their respective barangay governments. The decision was reached after the DENR held consultation meetings with the two People's Organizations (POs) which managed the fish sanctuaries, and the concerned Barangay Councils. Originally, the management of the two protected areas were delegated to the two people's organizations (POs), namely the Cabug Fisherfolks Farmers Cooperative in Sitio Cabug, Barangay Kapatan and the Muslim-Christian Marginalized Fisherfolks Organization in Barangay Glan Padidu, both of Glan, Sarangani.  Both POs were partners of  the DENR - Southern Mindanao Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project in 2002,  wherein they were able to rehabilitate four hectares and 10.23 has. of  mangrove forest, respectively.    Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer Rhawel M. Pamplona recently bared the primary reason on the change in management. "The assumption of the barangay in the management of the protected areas was prompted by the threats on the sustainability of the sanctuaries as reported by the Chairman of one of the POs," CENRO Pamplona said. The PO had expressed their doubts on the sustainability of the project due to the intrusion of spear fishers who were using compressed air and are armed with high powered firearms," Pamplona added. To resolve the problem, the Barangay Council committed to provide guards (Bantay Dagat)  for  the marine sanctuaries. For its part, the DENR  provided billboards for information and guidance of the community and residents of nearby areas  to keep them away from the marine sanctuary. Through DENR's strong partnership with the PNP Maritime Group, the Philippine Coast Guard, the LGU, and the community, the installation of billboards was made possible. An actual demarcation of the area and installation of buoys  were also done to set the limits of the sanctuary. The two marine sanctuaries were designated by the Glan Municipal Council through a  municipal ordinance (No. 2000-04 dated December 5, 2000) together with two other areas in Barangays Pangyan and Batulaki.  Fishing within the area is strictly prohibited to allow marine life to grow and multiply undisturbed. Traditional methods of fishing  such as hook and line, bamboo traps and gill nets, are allowed outside the sanctuary. (GApura-Lomuntad/FDRoblesJr./MCalungsod-Locsin/DENR XII)