LIBERTAD, Antique – This town bagged second runner-up honors in the national search for Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) 2020.
Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary William Dar announced the winners recently, said Mary Jean Te.
MMK recognizes outstanding initiatives and contributions of coastal municipalities/cities to sustainable fisheries development. These could be initiatives against illegal fishing, ecosystem approach in managing seas, establishing marine protected areas or fisheries-managed areas, coastal cleanup, mangrove propagation and/or rehabilitation, etc.
Libertad got a prize of P10 million worth of livelihood projects from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
The grand winner was Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon. It was awarded P30 million.
First runner-up was Hinunangan, Southern Leyte. Its prize was P18 million.
Te said Libertad became the official entry of Region 6 to the search for winning the regional level competition of MMK.
Thirteen regions submitted entries to the national search, and these were further narrowed down to just five – Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon (Region 5); Libertad, Antique (Region 6); Hinunangan, Southern Leyte (Region 8); Mahinog, Camiguin (Region 10); and Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte (Region 13).
The five finalists were evaluated by the National Technical Search Committee made up of BFAR, Department of Agriculture, Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine Coast Guard, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources, among others./PN
