Badian, Cebu, Oct. 5, 2023 – In a notable step towards the preservation of the Bugas Marine Protected Area (MPA), a ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป was recently conducted, aimed at delivering status updates and thorough findings derived from the prior biophysical assessment of the area.
t was revealed that the ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ’๐ ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ%, ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป due to multiple factors, but primarily attributed to the ๐๐ถ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป. This problem is exacerbated by the loss of upland forest, beach forest, and mangrove communities in the certain region. ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ผ๐ป๐น๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐น๐ผ๐ป๐ด-๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ด๐ถ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ณ๐. Moreover, the current marine protected area is also contending with the ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐-๐น๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฟ๐๐ป-๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ, which directly impacts the MPA within the vicinity of the tributary.
Considering these challenges, the team has proposed a comprehensive strategy to bolster the effectiveness of the marine protected area. This plan includes not only ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐น๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด its boundaries to steer clear of siltation paths but also ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ท๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐. Importantly, this expansion would encompass the surrounding area where a healthier ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ฌ% ๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ผ๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ, offering a glimmer of hope for the recovery and preservation of the marine ecosystem.
The consultation was a pivotal opportunity to garner valuable insights, input and approval from the key stakeholders. These stakeholders included the Peopleโs Organization in Barangay Bugas, the Badian Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council, and government agencies such as the Municipal Agriculture Office, Taรฑon Strait Protected Seascape, and the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office.
The team is preparing to present these recommendations on the upcoming barangay session. Simultaneously, the team is also exploring further steps to augment this effort that includes an extensive Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) Campaign within the community, aimed at raising awareness and providing comprehensive education about the advantages of marine protected areas.
With these initiatives in motion, the Bugas MPA preservation initiative is making substantial progress and well-positioned to create a lasting impact. This is made possible through the collaborative commitment of all stakeholders involved.
#ccef #unicoconservationfoundation #SeeConservation
By: Justine Jace R. Baisac, Communications and Development Associate
