Magdesisyon na kamo!

          Last Saturday was our first big community event for the establishment of a new marine protected area (MPA) in the waters shared between two of our coastal barangays. I mentioned last time that this project will be one of the two projects I’ll be working on for the next 6 months (and more likely, entire year). For those of you who have never heard of MPAs, they are tools used commonly not just in the Philippines but all over the world to promote the sustainable use of coastal resources. In an MPA, by prohibiting fishing and other human activities in that area, you allow fish to grow and reproduce, grow and reproduce, etc. Eventually, once the population starts to regenerate, fish will move outside of the MPA. This phenomenon, known as the spillover effect, works towards slowing down the rapid decline in the amount of fish available. Because this process takes time, building support from the local community is vital to its success.

That’s why our first fisherfolks assembly, with over 100 fisherfolk from both Barangays Tando and Lucmayan, was so importance to the project. Without their support, the MPA will not work. This was was our first opportunity to present to them the idea of this project, to gauge their reaction, and to decide whether the project could move forward.

We held the meeting at the Tando Elementary School, which is directly in front of where the MPA site. I’ll try to walk you through the day through the pictures shown below…

We arrived to Tando at about 10AM with me, my counterpart Riro, who works in my office with me, and two personnel from the provincial government. Here I am with one of them, Rose Jane. Yes, she’s a tiny as she appears in the picture.

Here's Riro, with signs that we had made at the office and gave to our community counterparts last week. For me, seeing these signs was a big deal. This was my first time to see not only what fisherfolks thought of this project but also if the people in the community we have been working with are as dedicated to the project as Riro and I. It is often for Peace Corps volunteers (at least here in the Philippines) to feel that they are the ones doing everything for their projects. This feeling is particularly frustrating when we are here doing projects that are supposed to be benefiting others. Seeing how the whole day went on Saturday definitely made me feel confident that my community partners are working hard and doing their part.

Riro and Rose Jane posing on the boat that took us out to deploy the temporary buoy markers. At the event we gave the fisherfolk the chance to decide the size of the no fishing zone (hence the name of the event: “Magdesisyon na Kamo”  meaning “You decide”). Our recommendation was to have a no-fishing-zone of 10 hectares. While presenting to the Tando Barangay Council a couple weeks ago, they recommended  that we deploy temporary markers so the fisherfolks could see with their own eyes how big the area was going to be. So here we are! 

Using the GPS to find the MPA boundaries, which had been determined based off two biophysical assessments of the area. GPS coordinates were found using Google Maps then plugged into the GPS, which guided us to the proper locations. It was the first time for any of us to do this type of exercise. It was definitely a challenge, but it got much easier with each marker.

Fermin, the barangay captain of Tando, using the bamboo stick to help navigate our boat to the proper GPS locations. Once we got close, the motor only made it harder to get closer, so it was all up to Cap Fermin.

First flag dropped! The ease at which our local partners could make these markers was really impressive. I have found the fisherfolks (and all Filipinos, really) to be extremely handy. That’s something a city kid can really appreciate.

Welcome to the Tan-Luc MPA site! It’s impossible to see it in this picture, but all 4 flags were deployed in what will eventually be replaced by permanent markers once the boundary points are finalized.

Once the flags were deployed, it was time for lunch at Cap Fermin’s house. Here’s a traditional Filipino fisherfolk meal: grilled fish, sauza (soy sauce with hot peppers, onions, and calamansi), and of course, rice.

Joebert, the MFARMC (fisherfolk council) representative from Tando, who along with the MFRAMC rep from Lucmayan, is my number 1 community partner for this project. Joebert insisted on taking this picture of my eating with my hands. Kamote lang! He said he wanted me to tell everyone back at home “what they’re doing to me here in the Philippines.”

More of our crew. From L to R: our driver Minggoy, Riro, Rose Jane, me, Neil from the prov. government, and Cap Fermin.

After lunch, it was time to get to work. Here is the Tando Elementary School where the event was held. The school is very pretty on the outside: after a horrendous oil spill off the southern coast of Guimaras back in 2006, the biggest one in the country’s history, Petron pumped money into the local communities, including building this school. The Petron buildings are the ones with the blue roofs, if it isn’t obvious. Unfortunately, they sort of cut and run. The school still doesn’t have consistent electricity or running water. It is a “mixed grade” school, meaning there are two grades for every one classroom, with one teacher, and not nearly enough textbooks for everyone.

What is may lack in material possessions, it makes up for in other ways. This is the beautiful view of the mangrove area behind the school. But of course, what really counts is the resilient spirit of the students and the teachers at the school.

Fisherfolks arrived at the school, and we piled into one of the classroom. Many people had to watch from outside.

Everyone standing for the opening prayer. All types of meetings and events here in the Philippines begin with a prayer.

Cap Fermin gives the welcoming remarks. You may notice the words written across the classroom wall: “poverty is not a hindrance to success.” This expression is very representative  of the Filipino attitude towards poverty. They are extremely open about talking about the poverty in their country and in their community. As an outsider, this talk made me uncomfortable at first, but now I'm so used to be told “oh you’re so lucky to be from America” and “our country is so poor; we hope that our country is one day like yours.” But for me, when at times the situation seems so bleak and hopeless, even when implementing a project like this one, keeping in mind that “poverty is not a hindrance to success” helps even me.

After Riro discussed what an MPA is and what are some of its benefits, we played a segment of a film, in Tagolog, about a fisherfolk community in another part of the country establishing an MPA and improving their situation. The people were very engaged. Here, MFARMC rep from Lucmayan, Sir Tony, is explaining why we have selected this area for our MPA. In case you're wondering, it is because this site was identified by both barangays during last March’s community meetings as a good place for an MPA to address their biggest problems such as illegal fishing and low fish catch. Plus, this area was selected by the University of the Philippines as one of the areas most suitable for a MPA in a comprehensive study done about 10 years ago that covered of all of Guimaras’ municipal waters.

Next was Joebert explaining the roles of the LGU and of the community members in the implementation of the project. Here is explaining the grant that Riro and I were able to secure through USAID. The grant, about US$1500 or 110,00 pesos, will fund most of the project. Of course, I was very excited to get these funds approved, but I definitely have my qualms with it as well. So much money is already pumped into the "developing world" that goes to waste, I never thought I'd be applying for a grant. But as I'm here, on the ground, I definitely think the cost is worthwhile. The project is being co-managed by our community counterparts and if we do it properly, this MPA can last a very long time and benefit a lot of people.

After Joebert, I discussed the assessments that had been done and gave the recommendation for the size of the MPA. Although my conversational Illongo has been steadily improving, giving a presentation to a room full of fisherfolks is another story. Nonetheless, with the help of Riro and Rose Jane sitting in the front, and my slides which were in Illongo, I was able to pull through it. Plus I got lots of laughs as I made my way through my part in their local language. Few, if any, of these people have ever seen a foreigner trying to speak their native dialect.

After my spiel, we went outside to look at the size of the MPA. The flags were visible from the shoreline.

Riro and Rose Jane explaining to one fisher some of the rules of the MPA.

After returning to the room, there was a long discussion with lots of questions being asked to all the speakers. Emma, the barangay captain of Lucmayan, ended up stepping up big time and declaring that she thinks the MPA should be expanded. Eventually, the entire group agreed to support whatever final recommendation was made. Here they are with their thumbs (or in most cases, just hands) waving in the air to show their approval for the plan. I couldn't really keep up with most of the questions and answers, but this part I definitely understood.

Now it’s time to get home. For those in Lucmayan, this is the cheapest and fastest way home.

While the rest of us rode on the back of the municipal dump truck. Our other common vehicle these days, the municipal ambulance, was already in use. On the dump truck, we're always in for a bumpy ride, but as you can see, it's very accommodating.

In the end, the event was a huge success. I was very proud of all the speakers, who each demonstrated a true understanding and passion for the project. Equally importantly, the fisherfolk community was extremely supportive as well. Of course there's plenty of work to be done, but we've just crossed a huge hurdle. Now I look forward to going full steam ahead to implement the Tan-Luc Marine Protected Area!