URBAN FARMER

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[av_heading heading=’ Tourism opportunities through coral restoration’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
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THE ISLAND of Camiguin in Mindanao is known for its sweet lanzones. But there are other things that could make this island province become more popular as a tourist destination.

Camiguin offers different attractions like hot and cold springs, waterfalls, the sunken cemetery, centuries-old churches, volcanoes, the yearly “Lanzones Festival,” and potential dive sites.

Among the dive sites that has a bright prospect is located off Barangay Cabuan in Guinsiliban, Camiguin.

Seeing the potential, the Cabuan Community Village Coastal Tour Association (CCVCTA) collaborated with the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), Sangkalikasan Producers Cooperative, and the provincial government of Camiguin to address coral degradation on the island through the government’s roll-out of the Coral Reef Restoration (asexual) Program.

The CCVCTA is an organization registered with the Department of Labor and Employment.

Its main objective is to monitor and strengthen the protection and conservation of coastal and marine resources in the barangay.

It embodies the people of Cabuan’s strong connection with the sea, spirit of volunteerism, desire to adopt progress that is environmentally sound, and reclaim their identity as a people of the sea, hence, its desire to adopt the Coral Reef Restoration (asexual) Program.

Started in 2014, the Coral Reef Restoration Program rolled out coral transplantation technology using asexually reproduced corals to improve productivity of coral resources for sustainable fisheries.

The provinces of Camiguin, Bohol, Pangasinan, Sarangani, Bataan, Zambales, Palawan, Zamboanga del Norte, and Ilocos Norte were chosen as restoration sites.

The sites were selected based on their suitability for restoration, availability of sufficient amount of coral fragments for transplanting, and their location within the marine protected area.

Dislodged live coral fragments or “corals of opportunity” (COPs) are gathered and attached to coral nursery units (CNUs) so that they can quickly recover and regenerate.

Each CNU can hold 500 COPs per batch and can be used several times a year.

Ingenious as it is, the technology now uses Pioneer EpoxyClay Aqua, nails, and cable ties.

The DOST-PCAARRD, through its Technology Transfer and Promotion Division, has partnered with private and public agencies in the areas of environmental protection and technology commercialization.

In one of the agreements, Pioneer Adhesive Foundation, Inc., producer of the EpoxyClay Aqua, undertakes to explore and sponsor the coral rehabilitation in other sites through the adoption of the PCAARRD coral asexual reproduction technology.

Adopting the theme Technology Transmission to Community Transformation, the event highlighted the outcomes or impacts of technology transfer initiatives in transforming communities.

This has helped in improving not only the coral reefs but also the marine ecosystem as evidenced by the increase in fish density and marine biodiversity.

Aside from what have been restored, the program has also institutionalized certain mechanism towards a sustainable underwater tourism.

For one, it has initiated the Eco Dive Tourism Education and Briefing, DOST-PCAARRD’s coral propagation main tool.

It also provided the divers with the opportunity to experience coral restoration as an added feature of the dive./PN
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