Funded by the 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, the 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 recently conducted a comprehensive 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗦𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗴𝗮𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 from August 22-24, 2023, in Badian, Cebu, Philippines. Led by the CCEF technical team, the primary objective of this endeavor was to gather essential data to support the redesign and expansion of the current Bugas Marine Protected Area. This initiative received unwavering support from key stakeholders, including the 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗴𝗮𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗻, 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗕𝗨𝗙𝗙𝗔𝗟𝗢𝗢), the community group responsible for managing the marine protected area. The envisioned redesign and expansion of the MPA aim to encompass larger municipal water areas, fostering enhanced biodiversity conservation.
Notably, 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 (𝗠𝗣𝗔) 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, thus including the three vital coastal habitats: mangroves, seagrass, and coral reefs, while also exceeding a minimum size threshold of 20 hectares.The 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗦𝗘𝗘 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, aims to address the critical need for championing marine conservation among Local Chief Executives (LCEs) in partnership with Local Government Units (LGUs). It involves capacity building for LCEs and planners, improving Marine Protected Area (MPA) management in LGUs like Argao and Badian, and implementing a communication strategy leveraging social media to engage a wider audience and promote conservation efforts, all while seeking diversified funding sources for sustainability.
#ccef #sustainablecoasts #SeeConservation #unicoconservationfoundation
By: Justine Jace R. Baisac, Communications and Development Associate
