Implementation of Adopt a Marine Protected Area in Oro seen

THE 19th City Council during its regular session Monday presided over by Vice Mayor Raineir Joaquin V. Uy enacted an ordinance authorizing Mayor Oscar S. Moreno to enter into and sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine

National Police Maritime Group (PNP-MG), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 10 (BFAR-10), Department of Natural Resources 10 (DENR-10) and local governments of Barangays Bayabas, Bonbon, Gusa, Cugman and Puerto.

The MOA covers the implementation of the project: Adopt a Marine Protected Area (AMPA), in order to actively support the efforts of local government units and national government agencies in protecting the duly established MPAs in the country and encourage or inspire all the stakeholders to work together towards the goal of protecting the marine species.

The success of the AMPA project will partially depend on the meaningful collaboration of the PNP-MG with maritime stakeholders, public and private sectors, particularly the BFAR and identified NGOs but more importantly on the informed and guided actions of the PNP-MG thru Regional Maritime Unit 10 personnel in the field, The Gavel learned.

Under the MOU, the PNP-Maritime Group shall support the implementation of the project in Barangays Bayabas, Bonbon, Gusa, Cugman and Puerto.

It shall also implement coastal clean-up, mangrove planting, underwater clean-up drive and other environmental protection programs of the PNP, assist in the conduct of information dissemination campaign on the proper management and protection of the adopted MPAs, among others.

Meanwhile, the city shall take the lead role in the implementation of the project, call on its concerned departments to assist the PNP-MG RMU 10 in the conduct of activity in relation to the project, and provide manpower and technical support to the program whenever necessary.

It shall likewise provide necessary training/seminar on environmental laws and ordinances for AMPA guards and partner agencies, schedule training, workshops and conferences on MPA management and protection, among others.

For its part, the BFAR shall support the capacity-building efforts of the PNP MG RMU 10 and other maritime stakeholders, be a part of the monitoring team for the protection of the MPA to be organized by the city and/or PNP Maritime Group, among others.

The DENR-10 shall collaborate with RMU 10 in building broader stakeholders support for the project through Sustainable Coral Reef Ecosystem Management Program MPA strengthening networking and social mobilization and development, assist the RMU 10

in linking with the respective Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) to the barangay and the city, among others.

Finally, the barangay local government units (BLGUs) shall identify and endorse names of trainees from the fisherfolk sector to the City Agriculture Office-Fisheries Division, cooperate with the other parties in the implementation of the project and appropriate laws, rules and regulations regarding marine protected areas as provided in the enabling ordinances and provide necessary resources in the implementation of the project.

The legislation was reviewed and endorsed by the committees on fisheries and aquatic resources and on laws and rules chaired respectively by Councilors Zaldy O. Ocon and Ian Mark Q. Nacaya.