Funded by the ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, the ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ recently conducted a comprehensive ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ต๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ 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 ๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐จ๐ป๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป, ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐, ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐ข๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ข๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป (๐๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐ข), 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, ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ (๐ ๐ฃ๐) ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐, thus including the three vital coastal habitats: mangroves, seagrass, and coral reefs, while also exceeding a minimum size threshold of 20 hectares.The ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ท๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป, 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
