Lapu-Lapu Times: Environment

EMAILS FROM MACTAN, LONDON AND CALIFORNIA REGARDING THE SANCTUARIES

2006-12-06T12:41:00.000+08:00

Congratulations Doc, May this be the start of fire you've lit for the conservation of our marine resources.

Hi Doc,
Great news that there are now two sanctuaries established! Our poster is being printed and I should receive it tomorrow for presentation on Saturday at the conference. I'll send you the full text and let you know how things go.
Best wishes
Simon

this is great news! congrats :)

THE SHANGRILA MARINE SANCTUARY

2006-12-03T08:22:00.000+08:00

All in the same breath, Shangrila Marine Sanctuary (SMS) was declared along with Dakit-Dakit Marine Sanctuary via a 1-2 legislative action at the Lapu-Lapu City Sangguniang Panlunsod (City Council) session last Wednesday, December 1, 2006.

The SMS stewardship group members are: Shangri-la's Mactan Island Resort and Spa (represented by Mr. Timothy Wright), Scotty's Sports Action Network and Dive Centre (Mr. Scott Livingston), and Amores Charities Inc. (Doc Amores).

After full buoy delineation of the area, the sanctuary will be closed to the public for approximately 6 months, allowing for some recovery from the unregulated day-to-day human-activities stresses.

SMS promises to be one busy attraction in Mactan, considering the popularity of Shangri-la among the international tropical-tourists and the activity of Scotty's Dive Centre.

[Further posts on SMS are forthcoming as the rehabilitation processes continue - Mactanman]

THE DAKIT-DAKIT MARINE SANCTUARY

2006-12-02T06:55:00.000+08:00

The Dakit-Dakit Marine Sanctuary (DDMS) holds the distinction of being the very first on record to be declared under Lapu-Lapu City's Community-Based Marine Sanctuary Stewardship Program (CBMSSP). It and Shangrila Marine Sanctuary set the processes and protocols under which all the coming dozen or so sanctuaries will be established.

CBMSSP could be the first of its kind in the world. I am awaiting for responses from the poster presentation regarding the program at this year's Reef Conservation Convention in London this month. The poster, titled "Engagement of the Private Sector Under a New Legislative Framework for the Protection of the Coral Reefs of Mactan Island, Philippines", is co-authored by Draper, Amores, et al.

The DDMS stewardship group is composed of ScubaStar Dive Services (represented by Mr. Eslao Ompad), ScubaStar Underwater Photo Services (Mr. Dino Ompad), and Amores Charities, Inc (Doc Amores). Eslao and Dino are my long-time dive buddies here in Mactan Island. A few years back, I have both of them interested in underwater photography. After pooling our resources together, we now have the most extensive collection of underwater photographs in and around Mactan.

We found unique properties in the reefs of Dakit-Dakit Island right off Buyong Beach where ScubaStar Dive Services is located - after a few years of diving around and away from Mactan through many dive safaris! The place is replete with photography subjects through the full range of camera lens angle - macro, close-up, normal-angle and wide-angle. In addition, we have Mactan's first akelp (artificial kelp) "forest" which promises to be a unique macro photography site.

DDMS will be closed to the public for approximately 6 months, allowing for the habitat to recover from human-activities stress. (For more on the human-activities stress issue, follow the Dakit-Dakit posts).

...oo0oo...

112906 - THE BIRTH OF 2 SANCTUARIES - A LAPU-LAPU RED-LETTER DAY

2006-11-30T04:20:00.000+08:00

November 29, 2006 (112906) - At today's session, the two sanctuaries (marine protected area, MPA), Dakit-Dakit Marine Sanctuary and Shangrila Marine Sanctuary, passed the intense scrutiny of the Sangguniang Panlunsod (City Council) via a 1-2 legislative action. Action #1 is an ordinance creating the two sanctuaries and action #2 is a resolution authorizing the Hon. City Mayor Arturo O. Radaza to enter into an agreement with the sanctuary groups.

This is all possible following passage of City Ordinance No. 238-2005, the Community-Based Marine Sanctuary Stewardship Program (CBMSSP), in July/August of last year.

CBMSSP allows for Barangay (the village local government unit) and/or private interest groups to band together and apply for a stewardship agreement with the city to create and maintain MPA's within the municipal waters.

The Dakit-Dakit Marine Sanctuary and the Shangri-la Marine Sanctuary are the test projects for CBMSSP. Up to twelve (12) others are close behind, awaiting the "birth processes" of the two. We expect that within 12 months, most of Mactan and Olango coastlines and parts of the vast Caubian Reef of the Danajon Bank will be a series of interconnecting MPA's.

POSTSCRIPT:

Passage of these ordinances-resolutions would not have been possible without the intense and passionate lobbying efforts of the following:

Mr. Ted Ybanez - Lapu-Lapu City Administrator
Atty. James Abadia - City Attorney's Office
Mr. Lando Duero - Secretary of the Hon. Mayor Arturo O. Radaza
Mr. Andy Berame - Operations Director of Lapu-Lapu City Coastal Law Enforcement Task Force (Task Force Neptune)
Mr. Pepe Berido - Chairman of CFARMC (City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council)

We express our wholehearted gratitude to Hon. Councilor Ed Cuizon, the primary sponsor of these historical pieces of legislation, and to Hon. Councilor Cornelio Pajang, MD for expertly running these through the legislative processes.

[In the next posts: The Dakit-Dakit Marine Sanctuary and The Shangrila Marine Sanctuary]

...oo0oo...

OIL SLICK EMERGENCY

2006-09-27T00:08:00.000+08:00

This morning, I received an urgent message from the Green Team of Shangri-la's Mactan Island Hotel and Resort that an oil slick is sighted at the north opening of Gilutongan Channel.

I passed the message on to the higher ups of Task Force Neptune and Mr. Andy Berame, Operations Officer of the task force was dispatched post haste by City Administrator Teddy Ybanez. Andy's report: an oil slick more than 100 meters wide and a few 100 meters long sitting right on the Tingo side of Gilutongan Channel entrance.

This finding was forwarded to the Cebu Coast Guard Station. Later in the day, Philippine Coast Guard Auxilliary 202nd Squadron interceded.

Call this a test - I for one, wanted to see what the response capability of the community is to this type of emergency. Here it is:

When the report was forwarded to the Coast Guard Station around 10 AM, they were stomped because they are "not familiar with the place". Finally, word came through from the Coast Guard Auxilliary that CG is going to "monitor the situation". Asked if CG has oil spill containment capabilities, the answer: " No, but Petron and Shell have, but CG first have to verify the spill before calling the oil companies."
Soon as I came out of surgery at the clinic, I made a series of calls and eventually asked Scotty's Dive Center to send a speed boat out to check the slick since it was nearing ebb tide. Scotty's had a team out in no time.
Considering that the tide shifts to ebb at 1:10 PM and expected to flush down the channel, an emergency meeting was convened by Task Force Neptune around noon time.
The Mayor's office immediately released PHP30,000 earmarked for purchase of bamboo poles for use as surface booms if needed.
TF Neptune went to survey the area, and while waiting for the LLC sea ambulance at the Punta Engano pier, the three coast guard personnel chanced upon us 3 HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL CALL...with no boat of their own! (I wondered how they were going to check the spill if we were not there).

As it turned out, there was but a small trace of oil sheen a few hundered meters down current (probably the rain, waves and wind broke the slick up, or the northeasterly blew the slick out to Camotes Sea). If this was anywhere near the magnitude of Guimaras, the precious tourism coast of Mactan where lies Coral Point Resort, Cebu Hilton, Shangri-la, Vistamar, Portofino, Tambuli, Costabella, the island hopping and scuba diving businesses of Buyong Beach, Maribago Bluewaters, Plantation Bay, Pacific Cebu Resort, etc. - all would have been wiped out.

Lessons learned:

At its current state, don't count on the Coast Guard to handle MARPOL emergencies.
Alert Task Force Neptune immediately.
Alert the private sector immediately.
Consider closing Gilutongan Channel to shipping traffic - there's plenty of room and depth in Olango Channel on the other side of Olango Island. Presently, the community cannot handle a major oil spill inside Gilutongan Channel effectively.

The oil spill up close. 9/26/06 (Photos by Andy Berame, Task Force Neptune)

AN EMAIL FROM THE USA

2006-09-26T00:32:00.000+08:00

Thanks for the pictures.

It is refreshing to see how people responded to call for help in cleaning and reinvigorating the shoreline."Citizenship" is still in everyone's heart it just need to come out.

Now if these effortscould be duplicated to the rest of the province and the country;ecology/tourism/economy would predictably be the byproduct.

Kudos to you all!!!!

LAPU-LAPU'S INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP DAY - THE PICTURES

2006-09-23T03:59:00.000+08:00

City Administrator, Teddy Ybanez overall-supervising on the surface (top), on the water (middle), underwater (bottom)

Few of the fleet of government and private sector boats

Group pictures at the surface interval/lunch

Underwater bagmen

A COMMENT ON LAPU-LAPU'S COASTAL ECOLOGY WEEK FROM BONAIRE, GEORGIA, USA

2006-09-21T17:04:00.000+08:00

Anonymous said...
Your are doing great. I remember free diving Mactan in 1965 when everything was prime and very few knew anything about how great it was.

Robbie
Bonaire, GA

AN EMAIL FROM CHARLESTON, WV (USA) RE LAPU-LAPU'S INTERNATIONAL COASTAL ECOLOGY WEEK

2006-09-20T07:27:00.000+08:00

Great job.Keep it up.

LAPU-LAPU'S INTERNATIONAL COASTAL ECOLOGY WEEK: THE INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP DAY

2006-09-19T18:49:00.000+08:00

The International Coastal Clean-up Day closed Lapu-Lapu's First International Coastal Ecology Week with a big SPLASH.

With the equally huge event of shoreline clean-up was the underwater clean-up organized by the City of Lapu-Lapu and spearheaded by OceanCare Advocates, Inc and the LLC Divers.

At any one given moment of the underwater clean-up there were more than 130 divers - a grand site of those many divers, each one carrying a garbage sack.

A big THANK YOU to:

ScubaStar Dive Services...Boyla's Dive Center...Blue Marlin Dive Center...202nd Squadron (PCGA)...505 Rescue (PAF)...Coral Point Dive Center...Plantation Bay Resort...Shangri-la's Mactan Island Hotel...Keppel Divers...ERUF/Joswel...Scotty's Dive Center...Mayor's Office...Crispina Aquatics...Pacific Cebu Resort...Task Force Neptune (Lapu-Lapu City)...Apex Dive Services...Cebu Jaycees...Angel Marine Dive Services

Before the start of the activity, Mr. Dewey Monsanto said the morning prayers. As always, whenever Dewey prays, it works - 130 divers down (twice) and not a single untoward incident. The organizers say: "Praise the Lord!"

2 COMMENTS ON: INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP DAY - INTERNATIONAL COASTAL ECOLOGY WEEK

2006-09-18T19:36:00.000+08:00

Anonymous said...
It is so nice to see people who are doing extra effort to make a difference. I commend all those who made last week's activity a big success! Your activities really interest me esp. nowadays that rarely we encounter people who would give importance to our seas. That was a wake-up call for all LLC residents to be more caring to our seas and its resources. These are our blessings that we should take care of. I hope more activities will be coming up! More power to the organizers!

Anonymous said...
The seas have long been taken for granted. To give it a little bit more care - physically or even just a caring thought each day can make a big difference.

LAPU-LAPU'S INTERNATIONAL COASTAL ECOLOGY WEEK: "THE STATE OF MACTAN'S COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS" - LECTURE AND OPEN FORUM

2006-09-17T21:08:00.000+08:00

Up to Friday, the 15th, perhaps the biggest event to date was the Lecture and Open Forum on "The State of Mactan's Coastal Ecosystems". The lecture was delivered by Doc Amores (Mactanman) and the Forum participants were Hon. Mario Y. Amores, Sangguniang Panlunsod Chairman on the Committee of Environment and Committee on Fisheries, and LLC Divers member; Mr. Ted Ybanez, City Administrator, Task Force Neptune Chairman and LLC Divers member; Mr. Andy Berame, Task Force Neptune and LLC Divers; and Doc Amores. The participants were mainly high school students from STEC, St. Alphonsus Catholic School, and Asian Learning Center, and their accompanying teachers and select administrators.

Doc Amores laid down the facts, tracing the history of Mactan's coastal ecosystems from the abundance of the 1940's to the present crisis-level state - emphasizing the Chinese character for "crisis". (The chinese character is two-part. The first part says "danger" the second, "opportunity").

The students and teachers were rallied to the opportunities presented to the present and future generations to rehabilitate and maintain the coastal ecosystems.

Perhaps the biggest gain from the program was the stimulus imparted on the youth to know and stand for their rights especially in regards to the environment.

After the forum, the DepEd-Lapu-Lapu Director of Science Education came to me and requested for a partnership with DepEd in coastal ecology education programs. OceanCare Advocates Inc and LLC Divers says "Sure will!"

[I would like to thank the City of Lapu-Lapu for allowing us to hold the lecture/forum in the air-conditioned comfort of the newly renovated Lapu-Lapu City Session Hall - Mactanman].

LAPU-LAPU'S INTERNATIONAL COASTAL ECOLOGY WEEK: THE UNDERWATER PHOTO EXHIBIT

2006-09-17T20:10:00.000+08:00

Appropriately dubbed "Underwater Scenes In and Around Mactan", the underwater photo exhibit ran from Monday, 11th to Friday, 15th at the lobby of Lapu-Lapu City Hall. There was a short opening and "ribbon" (LLC Divers used a confiscated fishing net as "ribbon") cutting ceremony.

As the opening day wore on, the exhibit drew a steadily thickening crowd. From the initial crowd of city hall employees and people doing business with the city on the first day, the exhibit drew a steady stream of people who came to the city hall days just to view the exhibits by word of mouth.

Clamors from all sectors of society, especially the educational sector, for more exhibits and other pictorial programs came one after the other. Arrangements will have to be made in the future for these.

The biggest event was an impromptu forum on Thursday the 14th when more than seventy-five students from the City Colleges came. DVD's and movies regarding coastal ecology were shown. Then the open forum! We answered questions as varied as Einstein's theory of relativity to the gobie-prawn symbiosis.

People are now wishing for more of these!

INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEAN-UP DAY - INTERNATIONAL COASTAL ECOLOGY WEEK

2006-09-13T12:20:00.000+08:00

This Saturday, September 16th, the world will again celebrate International Coastal Clean-up Day. Due to the different time zones, at any given moment of the 24 hours, some group will be cleaning up the coasts somewhere. The movement was started by scuba diving enthusiasts in the Gulf Coast, USA 21 years ago. Over the years, the activity spread world wide.

Spearheaded by the dive industry here in Mactan, the Lapu-Lapu City participation started many years ago. In the last few years, this was picked up by the city government through Sangguniang Panlunsod resolution sponsored by Hon. Mario Y. Amores, MD, Chairman of the Environment Committee and Fisheries Committee.

This year, sparked by the enthusiasm of the new LLC Divers, the celebration is stretched to one week, with all sorts of activities scheduled for the whole week:

Guesting of Hon. Mario Y. Amores, MD and Dr. Alfonso Y. Amores on Maayong Buntag, Kapamilya (Visayas area morning news/talk show) on Monday, September 11 at 6:30 AM
"Underwater Scenes in and Around Mactan". A 5-day underwater photography exhibit showcasing the work/art of LLC Divers members and guests. It runs from September 11, Monday to September 15, Friday at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall lobby.
"Underwater SAR". A discussion round-table between LLC Divers, ERUF, PCGA-202nd and PAF-505 with the goal of formalizing underwater SAR here in Lapu-Lapu and Metro Cebu, Thursday, September 14.
"The Status of Coastal Ecosystems of Mactan and Surrounding Islands". A multisectoral forum on Friday, September 15 at the Lapu-Lapu City Session Hall.
International Coastal Clean-up Day. This will be participated in by the public and private sectors. Underwater clean-up is under the auspices of Lapu-Lapu City government, LLC Divers and OceanCare Adovcates, Inc.

I think we in Lapu-Lapu City have started the International Coastal Ecology Week...just as the group in the Gulf Coast started International Coastal Clean-up day 21 years ago.

A COMMENT RE: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY - ALL IN ONE DIVE

2006-09-06T19:54:00.000+08:00

Anonymous said...
Wala gyud koy sipyat nga mo basa sa imong mga article, kay pina-agi ani, ako gyud nahibaw-an ang mga panghitabo diri sa lapu-lapu ug sa uban pang mga lugar nga dili nato mabasa sa mga newspapers or makita sa TV stations. MORE POWER!!! and GOD BLESS

STINGRAY KILLS STEVE IRWIN

2006-09-05T21:10:00.000+08:00

I could hardly believe my ears when I heard that Steve Irwin - he, the crocodile hunter who frolics in and out of the jaws of giant crocodiles; he, who ducks cobra strikes - was killed by a strike of a sting ray.

A STING RAY?! I used to wrestle these animals in Grand Cayman - and so do about 3000 people a day at Sting Ray City. This Grand Cayman dive attraction started many many years ago. Twenty (20) years...and millions of US$ later, not a single person has been reported hurt. Here are some pictures I took on my last dive there.

Top photo. This graceful animal, about 1.5 meters from wingtip to wingtip, will approach you as soon as you enter the water (really just looking for its squid, the feed that we take with us on the dive). The worst hurt it could give you is a serious hickey if you let it.

Second from top photo. The animal is so playful that it will hug you in a tight embrace. You see my hand pushing the animal away so I can put it on minimum focusing range of 1 foot of my Nikonos 15mm lens.

Two bottom photos. The "barb" of animal has never been reported to hurt anyone after millions of dive encounters!

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY - IN ONE DIVE

2006-09-05T20:44:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, I was honored by Dr. Largo, Chairman of Biology Department, USC to be one of the 16 participants of a special workshop held by NOAA-CRW (National Oceanographic and Athmospheric Administration - Coral Reef Watch). Three scientists from NOAA came all the way from the USA and Australia (Dr. William Skirving, Dr. Scott Heron and Ms. Tyler Christensen) to teach our group on the NOAA Remote Sensing (Satellite) of Coral Reefs technology.

Today, as per request of Dr. Largo, Lapu-Lapu City hosted a dive outing for the NOAA scientists. I thought it would be appropriate to show the group a typical coral reef situation here in Mactan. It so happened that Dr. Largo was interested to find out what the Hadsan Area of Maribago-Agus looks like 6 years after his last study on algal blooms in the area.

THE GOOD: A tribute to the hardiness of the corals - healthy colonies of hard corals were noted from the ledge on down to at least 20 meters depth.

THE BAD: At about the depth of 3 meters on up to the shore, the whole area is blanketed by algal bloom of the platina family - one of the indicators of the presence of human waste pollutants. This was confirmed by Dr. Largo, himself the world's authority on algal blooms.

THE UGLY: We ran across the "Discover Scuba" site of the Korean underwater tourists. Right around the area (and beyond) of their pull-along ropes strung over the precious corals are colonies upon colonies of hard corals piled one on top of the other in various stages of death.

This was genuinely one of the most embarrassing moments of my life...I am thoroughly embarrassed for the whole community of Lapu-Lapu City for allowing this wanton destruction, witnessed first hand by no less than the scientists of the NOAA - Coral Reef Watch, and by Dr. Danilo Largo.

PEOPLE, WAKE-UP!! These are generations old animals killed senselessly!

A formal report is being readied by Andy Berame of Task Force Neptune. Preliminary discussions are being held with the Lapu-Lapu City authorities.

[The Lapu-Lapu City hosts were: LLC Divers, The Mayor's Office, ScubaStar Dive Services, and Amores Charities, Inc. Thank you to the city boat ambulance crew, Andy and Tope, management of ScubaStar Dive Services, and Dino]

COASTLINE DISASTERS

2006-08-14T18:34:00.000+08:00

The front page of SunsStar-Cebu on August 10, 2006 depicted pictures of coastline residents trying to salvage their belongings from the destruction of big waves and high winds.

I submitted the following for "Speak Out", however the editors at SunStar-Cebu did not see it fit for publication. (Welcome to the magic of blogging!):

COASTAL AND RIVERSIDE SQUATTERS

By Alfonso Y. Amores, MD - OceanCare Advocates, Inc.

I feel the pain of the people depicted on your front-page pictures today (August 10, 2006)…as I do whenever squatter settlements are ravaged by man-made calamities such as the recent fire in Mambaling.

In these times of crises, we should recall the Chinese character for “crisis”. It does depict disaster and equally important, opportunity.

We, the community in general should take this opportunity to point out that the illegal coastal and riverside settlements are causing untold and unquantified damage to the ecology of Mactan and surrounding islands. There are more than 13 rivers and creeks emptying directly into the Mactan Channel, each and everyone of them teeming with thousands of squatters on the river banks. These and the coastal colonies do not segregate their garbage into “malata” and “dili malata”, compost the “malata’s” and deposit the “dili malata’s” in the bins provided along the streets. No, along with the biological and kitchen wastes, these are dumped directly into the water underneath. Tons everyday!

When the rains come, these and all of the water wastes of Cebu City (remember, there is no water treatment facility in the city) are flushed into the estuaries. Then the tidewaters pick it up and deposit the garbage mass into Mactan Channel. A significant portion of these is then carried by the ebb tide towards the north end of Mactan Island, and then flushed down the Gilutongan Channel.

The health implications are: a) heavy metal poisoning (arsenic, cyanide, lead, etc.), and b) biological pollution (we now have positive coliform counts along the Gilutongan Channel coastlines, our so-called tourism coasts).

The ecological implication is death of the coral animal and destruction of the reefs from algal blooms and crown-of-thorns infestation that flourish in the midst of human-wastes pollution.

The financial implication is loss of Mactan/Olango’s dive industry - hundreds of millions of pesos per anum - due to destruction of the reefs (dive attractions) and the intolerable occurrences of piles of garbage drifting by when one comes out of a scuba dive.

So, what to do? Whatever it is that our benevolent hearts wish to do, don’t let anyone put up houses on the coasts and riverbanks. Section 51 of the Water Code of the Philippines says: “…no structures can be built 3 meters from the highest tide mark or from the riverbanks…” The law is the law is the law. Bisan dapat malo-oy ta, kun labag sa bala-od, labag sa bala-od. When we make exceptions, everyone else will ask for it, and pretty soon we will end up in virtual anarchy (which we are now close to).

MEN-AT-WORK: PUTTING UP EDDIE CO'S AKELPS

2006-08-06T08:12:00.000+08:00

Last August 1st of this year, Eddie Co, new LLC Divers member donated 10 AKelps. ScubaStar Dive Services, Amores Charities Inc. and LLC Divers went at it on two long working dives.

Surface set-up: Doc, Stanley, Tope

Bottom set-up: Andy

Close-up of Eddie Co tag

Doc pumping up the "air cells"

Doc and Tope on a long deco

[All photos are courtesy of Jaime Lapac of Paradise Gobies Dive Services, new LLC Divers member]

GILUTONGAN CHANNEL: BIG WONDERS OF THE SMALL WORLD

2006-07-29T23:07:00.000+08:00

Recently, Eslao, Dino and I went on a macro photography dive in an undisclosed location not far from ScubaStar's base at Buyong Beach.

Here is a glimpse at the world of cm-size pygmy seahorses and coral polyps:

MEN-AT-WORK: BUOY-MARKING THE PAJI ZONES

2006-07-29T18:42:00.000+08:00

In our continuing efforts to tidy up Mactan's tourism coastline, the Paji Zones have been established, by ordinance sponsored by Hon. Mario Y. Amores, MD, Chairman of the SP Committee on the Environment...and new LLC Diver!

The following pictorial is from our first buoy-marking project for the Paji Zones held on July 27, 2006:

The surface crew fixing the buoy-tie down assembly

Men-at-work: How many LLC divers does it take to fix a buoy down? Clockwise from top: Stanley, Andy, Dewey, Alan, Dino and Doc

The group gingerly avoiding a table top coral

Surface interval: Pepe, Doc Mar, Dewey and Andy

Master Divemaster for LLC Divers, Dino, checking out the last buoy for the day

Pepe giving his A-Okay (but, technically, a sign for "ascend")

After the last City of Lapu-Lapu buoy of the day

[All pictures are courtesy of Jaime Lapac, new LLC Divers member, courtesy of Paradise Gobies Dive Center, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City]

EMAILS FROM UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS, DEPT. OF BIOLOGY

2006-07-27T21:40:00.000+08:00

[Danny is Danilo B. Largo, PhD. Doc Danny is Chairman, Department of Biology, University of San Carlos - known for its Marine Sciences Section]

(July 25, 2006)
Dear Al,

Thank you for sharing these with me. I have been following algal bloom events in Mactan in two locations (Bgy Buaya near the airport and Hadsan BeachResort) since the late 1990's. These blooms are symptoms of eutrophied waters when untreated wastes water enters the sea. I'm afraid it's just a matter of time when our remaining corals will have their last breath due to suffocation by these algae (Ulva spp. and cyanobacteria). What we can do is abate this nutrient pollution which will not only be costly but also needs political will of our local government and the cooperation of the witting or unwitting"polluters". I hope to sit down with you soon on how I can help you on this problem.

Your idea of the artificial kelp is commendable. If I remember right a similar one called artifical seagrass units (ASU), has been made about two decades ago by Dr. Mike Fortes of UP-MSI for the same purpose, but yours is unique as it utilizes floaters simulating the gas bladders of kelp. I hope to see your "kelp beds"one of these days as I am interested on the scientific value of your set up...

Cheers,
Danny

(July 27, 2006)
Dear Al,

...My Phycology/Marine Biology students (6 of them) is interested to see your Akelp. I suggested to them that we make a study on succession of marine organisms attached to it on a regular basis (weekly if possible), make an analysis and present it as a scientific study...

Danny

THE OCEANCARE/LLC DIVERS AKelp PROJECT

2006-07-24T13:20:00.000+08:00

On one of our (Eslao Ompad, Dino Ompad and Doc) underwater photography trips around the Visayas, we came across a macro photography site in an undisclosed location in Bohol - a truly ingenious idea of one Japanese expat (name withheld pending his permission)!

This is a clump of vertical underwater small-animal habitats made of pieces of rope anchored in the sea bottom and stood up by a series of air-pumped empty plastic drinking water bottles (recycling!) using Archimedes and Boyle's.

Hence the name AKelp ("Articificial Kelp"), henceforth a new word in the world of underwater ecology, coined by Ompad, Ompad and Amores.

OceanCare and LLC Divers started the Dakit-Dakit AKelp Project on June 10, 2006. There are now 10 "plants" ranging in heights of 8 meters to an accidental 24 meters.

We do not expect to feed the population of Mactan Island with this project, but we are hoping to provide the number one macro photography destination in the Philippines - minutes from the Cebu-Mactan Internatinal Airport!

A close tab on the project's longitudinal development is being done for future publication in a scientific journal, and presentation in different conferences and fora.

A natural kelp forest. Doc had the occasion a few years ago to dive the kelp forest of Catalina Island off California (see separate post), a truly memorable diving experience.

LLC divers "pumping up" an AKelp stalk

Freshly installed AKelp (left) alongside a couple of 1-week old's

At 1 week, algae are starting to accumulate on the surfaces

At 2 weeks, the first animal life forms - barnacles

At 4 weeks, a temporary resident - jellyfish feeding on the mass of plankton drifting by

Penthouse residents - view of the topmost of the highest AKelp

Jomar Ybanez, SWAT member of LLC divers on a symbollic watchdog pose as if to say: "You feel lucky, punk? Go ahead, touch my AKelp".

LLC DIVERS ADVANCE TO WORKING DIVES

2006-06-10T17:21:00.000+08:00

In support of the upcoming Dakit-Dakit Sanctuary, the LLC divers were introduced to deep and working dives. The group was taken down to 32 meters, working on a Dakit-Dakit Sanctuary project. Proper supervision was provided by Divemasters/Instructors Dino Ompad, Doc Amores and Opie (of the LLC Nerve Center). At surface interval, a lecture was given by Doc Amores on the science of deep dives, concentrating mainly on air consumptions and pressure/volume relationships. Additionally a didactic, followed by practical lesson on the use of dive computer was held. Everyone did fine!

LLC Divers wish to thank Dino and Eslao Ompad of Scubastar Dive Services who provided their necessary equipment and services for free for the last 2 weekends in a row.

A pictorial follows (all photos by Dino Ompad of Scubastar Underwater Photography Services):

MORE UNDERWATER PICS OF LLC DIVERS': GETTING WET PART II

2006-05-29T16:16:00.000+08:00

LLC DIVERS: GETTING WET PART II

2006-05-29T15:46:00.000+08:00

On May 27, 2006, LLC Divers continued on its Divers' Continuing Education Program with a trip to the Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary for dive #1 and the Talima Sanctuary for dive #2.

The dive was sponsored by Scuba World through Mr. John Melendres, General Manager for Visayas Region. (I wish to acknowledge the efficient and courteous service of the Scuba World personnel at their main shop at Punta Engano, Mactan Island).

As an added bonus, Mr. Timoteo "Tuti" Menguito, gave the group an informal and informative talk on the history of GMS during the lunch/surface interval.

Thank you, John!
Thank you, Tuti!

A pictorial of LLC Divers' frolicking inside GMS and TALIMA Sanctury

LAPU-LAPU COASTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE (CLETaF) SWORN IN

2006-05-21T16:52:00.000+08:00

May 19, 2006 marks another landmark day for the rehabilitation of the Mactan/Olango coasts. Through executive order, the Hon. Arturo O. Radaza, mayor of Lapu-Lapu City formed CLETaF (Coastal Law Enforcement Task Force) via the recommendation of OceanCare Advocates Inc. swore in the members of the Task Force. Head of the Task Force is no other than Hon. Teddy Ybanez, City Administrator.

The members include:

National governmental agencies such as the Philippine Coast Guard, PNP-Marig, Philippine Navy, PNP-Lapu-Lapu, DENR, Philippine Air Force, etc.
LGU: City Mayor, City Administrator, Sangguniang Panlunsod Chairman on Environment and Aquatic Resources and Fisheries Committee, City Attorney, LLC Divers, etc
NGO: Mactan Island Lawyers' League, OceanCare Advocates

CLETaf will be convened soon for its inaugural conference wherein Dr. Amores will present the comprehensive findings of the Summit on Coastal Resource Management: Coastal Law Enforcement held at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall in 2004.

Based on the proceedings of the summit, CLETaF is looking at years and years of projects/operations.

LLC DIVERS: GETTING WET

2006-04-25T12:59:00.000+08:00

In the interest of spreading out our new divers into the Lapu-Lapu City Municipal underWaters, Oceancare Advocates Inc, Amores Charities Inc, and the Lapu-Lapu City government embarked on the LLC training and reef check dives for our new divers.

Dive #1 was held at Talima Marine Sanctuary on April 22, 2006. The dive was sponsored by Scotty's Dive Centre (headquarters and shop located at the Shangri-la Mactan Island Hotel and Resort).

Thank you, Scotty's!!

A PICTORIAL

(All photos are courtesy of Nonon Jubela)

PHILIPPINES: ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP 3 DIVE SITES

2006-04-23T10:12:00.000+08:00

At the recently concluded Marine Diving Fair's Dive and Travel Awards for 2006 held in Japan, the Philippines was ranked #3 among the world's best dive destinations.

Good News/Bad News. The good news is that only Maldives and Palau outranked the Philippines, besting Thailand, Hawaii, South Pacific and Caribbean. Granted that the survey was held in a Japan show, perhaps involving people who do not know Caribbean, Florida Keys, Bahamas and Bermuda, nevertheless a good news indeed!

The bad news - people were talking about Tubattaha, Malapascua, Balicasag, Anilao, Apo Island and Puerto Gallera. No Mactan-Olango (see related post)!

Mactan was king of the scuba diving world in the 1960's and 70's. Scuba diving in the Philippines and Asia started here. Then followed 40 years of total neglect, destroying the diving attractions to barely a tiny fraction in the "impressive" scale.

Mactan is the only place in the world where dive sites are minutes from the hotels and dive centers, and the hotels are minutes from the international airport. Furthermore, the dive sites are unique combinations of flat reefs and walls.

Amores Charities Inc, OceanCare Advocates Inc, and the Lapu-Lapu City government are in the forefront of a growing movement in Lapu-Lapu City towards rehabilitating our dive sites..and the image of Mactan in the diving world.

We are looking to the future for very exciting developments.

BEYOND DAKIT-DAKIT, PAJI REMOVAL FINAL PHASE

2006-04-20T21:31:00.000+08:00

Last week, we instituted the final phase of paji removal program. The last 3 platforms were removed...this time utilizing the newly certified LLC Divers.

At the end of the day, the best comment (from the boatmen): "Pila na ka tuig, karon pa mi kakita nga ingon ani kalimpyo ang baybayon" ("This is the cleanest we've seen the coast line in years").

ENVIRONMENTAL ALERT #1: A PICTORIAL OF THE ENGANO GREEN ALGAL BLOOM

2006-04-10T09:33:00.000+08:00

With permission from Mr. Timothy Wright, General Manager of Shangri-la's Mactan Island Resort and Spa, Simon Draper of Coral Cay Conservation, Ltd submitted these photos of the Punta Engano green algal bloom, taken on March 29, 2006.

Punta Engano Reef (above): site of algal bloom noted by Draper. More than 1 km of reef was blanketed by green algae (see pictures below).

Massive blanketing of Punta Engano reef with green algae (ulva lactuca) at the depth of 12 meters

A colony of soft corals (gorgonian, sea fan) partially covered by green algae..deep in the ledge!

ENVIRONMENTAL ALERT #1: GREEN ALGAL BLOOM BLANKETING PARTS OF MACTAN REEF

2006-04-05T12:04:00.000+08:00

James Comley and Simon Draper, scientists at Coral Cay Conservation, a London-based Foundation, reported that on a dive last week, the Punta Engano reefs were blanketed with green algae.

To the uninitiated, a green algal bloom is associated with pollution from human sources, both biological human wastes and household wastes. The nitrates and phosphates from these wastes serve as pavlum for green algae.

The significance is that the physical barrier to sunlight will kill the zooxanthellae, microscopic plants inside the coral animal. In turn, the corals will expel these dead microscopic plants resulting in the familiar "coral bleaching". Corals without the symbiotic zooxanthellae are dead corals since the coral animal will be deprived of oxygen from the photosynthetic process of the zooxanthellae organisms.

ProACtive, a non-governmental environmental advocacy alliance has addressed the problem of Mactan's coastal garbage in a one-week exhibit at Ayala Center - Cebu (see previous post).

Last Sunday, a few days after Comley and Draper's report, Scott Livingston and I dived the Marigondon reefs, a few kilometers from the Punta Engano reefs and noticed an alarming bloom of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Top photo: a gorgonian (colony of soft corals) barely showing through a blanket of cyano-b, and bottom photo: branching coral (a colony of hard corals) in the same predicament. These corals will be dead in weeks.

The problem has been reported to Hon. Mario Amores, Chairman of the Sangguniang Panlunsod (City Council) Environment Committee. He, in turn, has discussed this with Hon. Arturo O. Radaza, Mayor of Lapu-Lapu City.

Hopefully, this problem will be elevated to the Regional Development Council of Central Visayas.

2 COMMENTS ON THE WHALES STORY

2006-03-31T18:32:00.000+08:00

Yeb Sano said...
Whales and dolphins, or Cetaceans, are typically considered as indicators of the health of an ecosystem. Being apex species (top of the food chain), their presence means good news. We hope that these pods would continue to find refuge in the waters of Lapu-Lapu. We hope even more that everyone in the community work together to ensure that the cetaceans would have reason to make Gilutongan Channel their regular thoroughfare.
11:59 PM

Simon Draper said...
I saw these whales from Scotty's boat - my knowledge of whales is minimal but later after much discussion those who know more said they were false killer whales....?
5:47 PM

2 PODS OF PILOT WHALES AT THE GILUTONGAN CHANNEL

2006-03-28T16:52:00.000+08:00

Scott Livingston reports that 2 pods of pilot whales, numbering about 200 mammals, were sighted around Scotty's Dive Centre at Shangri-la yesterday. Scott said that he had seen a few pass through over the years but not hang around the area the whole afternoon, and this many - the first sighting of this kind in the last 30 years. He thinks that it may have something to do with breeding.

As of 4:30 this afternoon, Lapu-Lapu CFARMC and the Lapu-Lapu Communications Nerve Center have issued an all-points-bulletin to "watch out for whales wandering into bays and bunsods - they are to be released unharmed".

Some pod members with Punta Engano Point in the background (photo taken 3/27/06, courtesy of Scotty's Dive Centre)

One of Scotty's dive boats in the middle of a pod (photo taken 3/27/06, courtesy of Scotty's Dive Centre)

AN EMAIL FROM DR. LYNN AMORES-RUTKOFF OF CALIFORNIA

2006-03-26T14:39:00.000+08:00

Hey Dad...That is really cool that you are getting the city hall people involved. it behooves them to have personal experience with one of mactan/Cebu's most lucrative industries - tourism and diving. I'm hoping they will develop a personal interest in protecting the waters and reefs which will ultimately protect their citizens and the economy. (I couldn't figure out how to put that on your page)...Do you think all those toxins are why I get such bad allergies when I dive in the past few years???

AN EMAIL FROM MILO OF SYDNEY

2006-03-24T18:06:00.000+08:00

[Milo Dimataga is President of SACS Batch '56, incoming SACS Alumni Golden Jubilarians. He lives in Sydney, Australia - Mactanman]

Very laudable gesture by Mayor Boy Radaza! Congratulations! This would produce many Oponganon certified divers in the future! Regards, Milo

MAYOR RADAZA SHOULDERS C-CARD EXPENSES

2006-03-22T12:04:00.000+08:00

The SCUBA certification program is now 100% free for all the current trainees. City Administrator Teddy Ybanez has just notified me that Hon. Mayor Arturo O. Radaza approved the $23 PADI C-card for everyone.

Thank you, Mayor!

A COMMENT FROM YEB SANO

2006-03-21T12:13:00.000+08:00

[Yeb Sano is with World Wildlife Fund - Philippines]

yeb said...

Congratulations on your recommendations addressing the paji platform issue. It reflects the appreciation of the balance needed between tourism and environmental conservation. Good luck in your future endeavors. I'd love to be part of it.

AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. SCOTT LIVINGSTON

2006-03-20T19:15:00.000+08:00

March 20, 2006

Mr. Scott Livingston
Owner and Proprietor
Scotty's Dive Centre
Shangri-la's Mactan Island Hotel and Resort

Dear Scott:

Greetings!

The SCUBA training group of Mr. Teddy Ybanez (see post below), our very own City Administrator is well on its way to becoming true ocean advocates.

Thank you for this yet another big donation towards OceanCare's coastal advocacy. The Lapu-Lapu City community is forever indebted to Scotty's for this.

And, thank you for giving our group the privilege of being trained under Mr. Bernil Gastardo and his assisting instructors Natalia and Elvin Vestil.

Yours truly,

Alfonso Y. Amores, MD
President and Chairman of the Board
OceanCare Advocates, Inc.

LAPU-LAPU CITY'S NEW SCUBA CONVERTS FROM CITY HALL - COURTESY OF SCOTTY'S DIVE CENTRE

2006-03-20T18:47:00.000+08:00

OceanCare Advocates Inc (OCAI) has long pushed its members underwater to better appreciate what it is that we have been fighting for. Front and center in this activity is Scotty's Dive Centre, headquartered at Shangri-la's Mactan Island Hotel and Resort.

In 2004, Scotty's certified for Open Water Diver (OW) our City Agriculturist, Mr. Dewey Monsanto and CFARMC Chairman Mr. Pepe Berido along with OCAI members Edwin Leung, Pros Amores and Elmer Kara-an - all for free! This has worked well in advancing the causes of OCAI, to the ultimate benefit of the Lapu-Lapu City community.

An even bigger undertaking was started last week. Eleven SCUBA trainees started on their certification training program with Scotty's. This is headed by no less than Mr. Teodulo Ybanez, our very own City Administrator. Representing the City Attorney's Office, City Office of Planning and Development, City Engineer, PNP-SWAT, City Nerve Center and CFARMC are: Allan Pedrigal, Joseph Stanley Baguio, Roldan Pepito, James Abadia, Jomar Ybanez, Jonathan Penida, Edmon Melendrez, Jovilyn Galla, Ruby Grace Doble and Andy Berame. This group is the very core of the task force working on the paji problems over the last few weeks.

The SCUBA certification of this group from City Hall will no doubt kick our coastal advocacy efforts into higher gear.

Scott Levingston, owner of Scotty's Dive Centre has put his crack instructor Mr. Bernil Gastardo in charge of this important group. Assisting Bernil are instructors Elvin and Natalia.

OCEANCARE'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PAJI ORDINANCE (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

2006-03-18T17:23:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, the tourism coast (east coast) of Mactan Island was surveyed by the team of Doc Amores (OceanCare), Hon. Teddy Ybanez (City Administrator), and Mr. Pepe Berido (CFARMC Chairman) in aid of the coming Sanggunian Panlungsod (City Council) legislation regarding pajis. The following is the OceanCare report:

Paji is the local term used for the floating platform used by various tourism outfits as a base for their watersports activities, i.e. water surface activities such as “jet skis” and banana boat rides, and underwater activities such as “Discover Scuba”.

While beneficial to the tourism industry, it has caused heretofore unknown problems such as gathering of corals to use as picture-taking props, and coral contacts of “Discover Scuba” clients as they “swim” around the reefs by pulling along the ropes strung over the coral reef under the paji. Some pajis are placed indiscriminately so as to block the traditional waterways of the passenger boats and tourist boats in and out of the Mactan coasts.

OceanCare recognizes the importance of pajis in the tourism industry. To obviate the above problems, OceanCare recommends:

Zoning the Mactan and Olango coastlines. A “Paji Zone” is a defined area where pajis are allowed.
Establishing prohibitions to protect the coral ecology and to conform with the provisions of Republic Act 8550

PAJI ZONES

Two basic criteria are considered in establishing the zones: a) wide distance between the ledge (“kantil”) and the shoreline, and b) minimal conflict with the traditional boat traffic in and out of the Mactan coasts.

The following are the zones: (specific surface landmarks and coordinates were provided for boundary purposes)

Engano zone: for the watersports centers around the Bo-ot area – such as those in and around Cebu Hilton.
Maribago zone: for those in and around the Buyong Beach centers, Tambuli, Shangri-la and Vistamar
Agus zone: for those in and around the Buyong Beach centers, Kontiki and Hadsan
Marigondon zone: for those in and around Plantation Bay and Pacific Cebu Resort.

PROHIBITIONS

Pajis are allowed only inside the defined Paji Zones.
Pajis must not be closer than 100 meters to each other.
Gathering of corals such as for photography prop is prohibited.
Laying of ropes and any other structures over the reefs is prohibited.
Coral contact of any form such as: contact with fins, parts of dive gears, etc, is prohibited

PAJI (WATERSPORTS PLATFORM) TAKE-DOWNS: BEYOND DAKIT-DAKIT

2006-03-18T16:53:00.000+08:00

After the Dakit-Dakit paji platform take down (see previous blog), letters were sent out to the operators of the remaining pajis. As all of them are noted to be in violation of various provisions of RA 8550, they were given the option to dismantle their pajis, "..or the city will do removal operations". After the prescribed time period, not a single one obliged.

Yesterday (March 17, another memorable day in the community's effort to regain control of it's coastal environment), another paji take-down operation was performed by the same team. The oldest structure, locally known as the Manta Ray paji, perhaps the innovator of the concept, was finally taken down (OceanCare's 3-year effort finally came to fruition).

The underwater demolition team consisted of Mr. Pepe Berido - Chairman of Lapu-Lapu CFARMC, Doc Amores - President and Chairman of Board of OceanCare Advocates Inc, and an OceanCare volunteer (name withheld).

Due to logistical limitations, only two pajis were taken down. Follow-up operations are planned in the near future.

MILO'S NEWSCLIPS, PETER ("JAWS") BENCHLEY AND THE TINGO SHARKS

2006-02-14T13:02:00.000+08:00

[With this post, I welcome my new 'kumadre', Ms. Jane Rutkoff, of Trenton, NJ, USA to Lapu-Lapu Times - Mactanman]

Among the news clips Milo sent me is this horrific story of a SCUBA fisherman who was attacked by a great white shark (and survived!). Stories like this give sharks a bad name.

Just to make it clear, this is one of less than a handfull of SCUBA divers attacked by any shark...in the whole history of SCUBA diving. And the reason is because the sport is uniquely tropical. Predatory sharks, especially the great white, live in temperate regions. So, shark attacks occur almost exclusively in Southern Australia, South Africa ("around the curve") and northern California.

The shark-phobia frenzy exploded in the 70's when Peter Benchley's book "Jaws" was made into a blockbuster movie by Steven Spielberg. Through Spielberg's genius, the movie struck fear and hate for sharks worldwide, causing a shark-killing spree that continues to this day. The annual scorecard in the Man vs Shark battle is 11 million dead sharks, 11 dead persons (SCUBA diver, extremely rare). One day, Peter Benchley was hit by a bolt of lightning and underwent a biblical conversion. He became a shark advocate and went around the world evangelizing shark conservation. Peter Benchley died last Sunday at the age of 65 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a slowly fatal lung disease.

Peter Benchley never came as far as Mactan Island. So, we are on our own to save the Thresher Sharks of Tingo (see Tingo Thresher Sharks).

MILO'S NEWSCLIPS: SYDNEY HARBOUR VS MACTAN CHANNEL

2006-02-08T12:45:00.000+08:00

This is Sydney's Daily Telegraph headline of January 24, 2006. As of that date, the lucrative commercial prawn fishing in the harbour area was banned for the first time in Sydney's history following findings of dangerously high levels of dioxin in prawns and breams. The studies were done starting in December 2005. Likewise, anglers (see above picture) are advised to catch-and-release. The Milo-handwritten note says: "Dear Boy...Due to pollution, I hope our waters would not come to this".

In October of last year I posted this Mactan's coastal garbage. No action, no comments! I am calling on the University of San Carlos and/or University of the Philippines (Hey, there's a good use of our tax money!) - anyone - to make a study.

From Cansanga River to the north and Mananga to the south, there are more than 13 rivers and creeks emptying directly into Mactan Channel. People dump their hazardous waste directly or indirectly into these - disposable batteries, paint products, petroleum products, electroplating wastes, furniture processing wastes, etc. What's causing all these rampant metabollic diseases such as diabetes and goiter, miscarriages, birth defects and cancers around here??

DAKIT-DAKIT STORY POSTCRIPT: EMAIL FROM AUSTRALIA

2006-02-04T08:56:00.000+08:00

Dear Boy,
Long live the Dakit-dakit reef! Thanks to you and our concerned City Officials! Congratulations for a job well done! Milo Dimatag

PEPE BERIDO, BACK AT THE HELM AT CFARMC

2006-02-01T15:19:00.000+08:00

Lost in the flurry of articles regarding Dakit-Dakit is this very important development here in Lapu-Lapu City: Mr. Pepe Berido was reinstated as Chairman of the Lapu-Lapu City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (CFARMC).

CFARMC is the government institution composed of representatives from the public and private sectors, primarily tasked for formulating the plans for coastal rehabilitation and management, among other things. As per specific provision of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, CFARMC was created through the efforts of Hon. Mario Amores MD, Chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on the Environment, and the Committee on Fisheries with Mr. Pepe Berido as the inagaural chairman. After a one-year break, Pepe is back.

This signals a very active year for the OceanCare-CFARMC partnership.

2 EMAILS (1/31/2006)

2006-01-31T14:16:00.000+08:00

AN EMAIL FROM AUSTRALIA:

Hi Doc,

Our whole family here are delighted to see action by the Lapu-lapu government, you and the other concerned oponganons, specially ... and the demolition crew.

Hunt, seek and destroy all of those illegal platforms. More power to you all.

Cheers,
Norvin

AN EMAIL FROM A NORWEGIAN EXPAT:

Hi again Doc!

VERY VERY good Doc, - this is good news! If you need my help in this work I will be more than willing, just txt me and I'll be there! Congrats, - keep up the good work!

Regards
-kjell Eriksen-
Rescue Diver and nature lover

AN EMAIL FROM JGO

2006-01-30T09:37:00.000+08:00

Congrats Doc, your endeavor in this area surely paid off however long it took for the government officials to act...

DAKIT-DAKIT LIVES! - A PICTORIAL

2006-01-28T19:43:00.000+08:00

The subject-platform at Dakit-Dakit right before demolition

Pepe Berido, CFARMC Chairman, and volunteer Algin Amores cutting away at the tie-down

...with Mr. Dewey Monsanto, City Agriculturist, supervising

The underwater demolition crew

More platforms for future demolition proceedings

DAKIT-DAKIT LIVES!

2006-01-27T19:43:00.000+08:00

Today, Friday, January 27, 2006 marks a special day for everyone involved in the fight to regain control of our municipal waters here in Lapu-Lapu City.

On orders from Hon. Arturo O. Radaza, Mayor of Lapu-Lapu City, the platform for watersports activities in Dakit-Dakit was dismantled. Upon investigation by the Mayor's office, the dive agency operating the platform did not have any business permit in effect, and of course, do not have a permit to put up the platform.

Emphasizing the sincerity of the government, the dismantling operation did not leave anything to chance. Present on the Birhen Sa Regla (BSR) boat of the city were the City Administrator, City Attorney, City Planning and Development Chairman, City Treasurer, the Mayor's secretary, and operatives from the SWAT Team, Lapu-Lapu.

Doing the underwater work were Mr. Dewey Monsanto, City Agriculturist; Mr. Pepe Berido, Chairman of CFARMC; and Doc Amores and Algin Amores, private volunteers acting on a special authorization by the mayor.

The take-down operation went without a hitch. The platform was then towed and stored in Barangay Agus, anchored next to it's Bantay Dagat Station.

The sight of the city boat (BSR) idly towing the platform serves as a "shot across the bow" for the several platforms operating in the Maribago area. A Punta Engano-to-Suba Basbas survey was made. A total of 8 remaining platforms were noted. Plans for dismantling these in another operation are in the works.

AN EMAIL FROM DINO REGARDING DAKIT-DAKIT

2006-01-20T16:15:00.000+08:00

Hi Doc,

I want to share these pictures from DAKIT-DAKIT to let them know that this is one of our best photography station in HILUTUNGAN CHANNEL.
So please take a look. Lawmakers, it's your turn!

Thank you so much.

Dino

Dino Ompad is one of the best up-and-coming underwater photographers in Mactan Island - certainly one of the best photography-dive guides. He operates out of Scubastar Dive Services in Buyong, Maribago.

WAYS TO KILL THE PRECIOUS CORAL

2006-01-20T16:00:00.000+08:00

You lousy louts! Who did this?
I know this is not Filipino. What language is this?

Photo was submitted by John Melendres

DAKIT-DAKIT STORY CONTINUES - AN EMAIL FROM MILO DIMATAGA OF AUSTRALIA

2006-01-13T12:37:00.000+08:00

Dear Boy,

I am one of the concerned Oponganons who would like to help preserve our sea treasurers, such as the "dakit-dakit" reef. The beautiful pictues that you sent us encouraged me to make these comments. Four decades ago, I and mycousins, Ruding Ramos, Susing de la Serna, Frank Antigua and close friends, Naro and Var Querubin, used to dive in Marigondon and Maribago waters. Those were gloious days for the divers, because our foreshores then were abundant with fish and corals! The beaches then were so beautiful, wide and white! This was before PJ Kenner, the airport contractor raided the sands of ourbeaches. This was an error of judgment by our local government then. Then the beauiful corals were destroyed by too much commercialism! And the fish greatly depleted by dynamite fishing and illegal trawling!! Where were the authorities then who were supposed to protect and preserve our sea treasures? You and I know why. I do hope that the present authorities, local, regional or national, would make it right this time. They should not play politics or profit to preserve our heritage by the sea. They should realize by now that our beaches, corals, fish and clean sea are the only things that attracts tourists. I am now forwarding to selected friends and to all oponganons abroad whom I have email addresses your Lapu-lapu Times so that they will know whats going on there. I really admire what you and your family are doing for our city and I wish that I could help you in any way. More power to you and the Lapu-lapu Times! Sincerely, Milo

[Thank you, Milo. Much appreciated - Mactanman]

DAKIT-DAKIT STORY CONTINUES - NO ACTION YET FROM THE CITY GOVERNMENT AFTER MORE THAN 3 WEEKS

2006-01-10T11:47:00.000+08:00

It has been more than 3 weeks since I reported the Dakit-Dakit problem to the Office of the City Mayor and the Office of the City Vice-Mayor.

It was on the "Other Business" section of the Sangguniang Panlunsod (SP) agenda last week but was not taken up, and instead referred to the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (CFARMC). At the CFARMC meeting this week, the subject was not taken up.

Rumor has it that there is a leadership change in CFARMC in the near horizon. I will anxiously wait for this.

In the meantime, here is Dakit-Dakit's interpretation of "A Rainbow". Enjoy this, this may just be one of the last pictures of the beautiful Dakit-Dakit life.

(Above figure) Participants: sea star, sponges, gorgonian and other soft corals

MORE COMMENTS FROM KJELL REGARDING SMOKING IN MAJESTIC

2006-01-09T12:51:00.000+08:00

Hi Doc!
Thank you!
I am a smoker, but I stopped smoking inside my own house in 1991 coz Iappreciate the clean air. Here smoking are allowed almost everywhere, - in Norway it's the opposite,and the eating restaurants make more money than before. The loosers are thenightclubs, - where smoking is still allowed...........
-kjell-

A COMMENT FROM A NORWEGIAN ABOUT SMOKING IN MAJESTIC

2006-01-09T09:09:00.000+08:00

You can't win it before you have the owner on your side, - it's all a question about his understanding. When he understands you he will put up a sign "Smoking not allowed" on the doors and he will have a few angry customers for a while. After that his sales will increase coz they actually have CLEAN air there!I apprectaite that...I'm a foreigner...I'm a smoker...We have tried it, - years ago in Norway, - it works...

[Kjell is an expat friend from Norway. He resides here in Mactan, a jack of all trades. Try Dive Geeks at Mactan Island - Mactanman]

SMOKING INSIDE MAJESTIC RESTAURANT AT THE MARINA MALL, LAPU-LAPU CITY

2006-01-08T21:32:00.000+08:00

Yesterday evening, I went inside the Majestic Restaurant at the Marina Mall in Lapu-Lapu City, one of my favorite dine-out places looking forward to a pleasant dinner with my family. Soon as I entered, the smell of nicotine greeted me, and I saw a person smoking in one of the tables. I politely asked the waitress if they have a no-smoking room. She said that the other side of the room is the “no smoking room”. I said: “What if somebody comes in and take the table next to us, and smoke?” She said that there is nothing that we can do because we cannot control these foreigners. I demanded to talk to the manager who promptly told me that they are exempted from the law because they have an exhaust fan.

So I settled for a promise that if somebody comes in, sits beside us and lights a cigarette, they will move him/her to the opposite side of the room – their “smoking section”.

You people, who try to fool me, listen to this. The Clean Air Act of 1999 (Republic Act 8749), enacted by the 11th Congress of the Republic of the Philippines and signed into law on June 23, 1999, states:

Section 24: Pollution From Smoking Smoking inside a public building or an enclosed public place, including vehicles and other means of transport, or in any enclosed area outside of one's private residence, private place of work or any duly designated smoking area is hereby prohibited under this Act.

Section 47: Fines and Penalties for Violations of Other Provisions in the Act.For violations of all other provisions provided in this Act and of the rules and regulations thereof, a fine of not less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000) but not more than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) or six (6) months to six (6) years imprisonment or both shall be imposed. If the offender is a juridical person, the presidents, manager, directors, trustees, the pollution control officer or the officials directly in charge of the operations shall suffer the penalty herein provided.

Furthermore, The Tobacco Regulations Act of 2003 (Republic Act No. 9211) restates this ban on smoking in enclosed public places such as restaurants.

I hope that the City Health Department of the City of Lapu-Lapu will look into this.

KOREANS AND DAKIT-DAKIT - A COMMENT FROM TINA_P

2006-01-01T19:19:00.000+08:00

Hi Doc!Re: Koreans and Dakit-Dakit...For a lot of us, we really don't get to realize how much we are losing when we don't know what we have. Your features have been enriching, amusing, challenging and educational. Funny how we much we lack in terms of environmental awareness among other issues which are as important. We need to act before its too late. We have condoned too much evil already (from people who we consider our own and otherwise). May we find a way to help people like you who care so much as to act and do the right thing. More power to you! Happy New Year!

DAKIT-DAKIT STORY CONTINUES: A COMMENT

2005-12-31T13:54:00.000+08:00

A comment from James of Anderson, South Carolina, USA:

Love the pictures. I dove the reef off of the keys in Sept. Not the same as yours.

[ James is talking about the Florida Keys which I used to dive all the time. Indeed, the biodiversity of the invertebrate and vertebrate life is not comparable. You must understand that the Keys reefs are merely 20,000 years old. Ours is millions of years old. But sadly folks, we have managed to destroy up to 90% of these reefs in a fleeting span of 1 lifetime! Wake-up! - Mactanman]

DAKIT-DAKIT STORY CONTINUES

2005-12-28T14:29:00.000+08:00

I sent print copies of my post on the story of the Dakit-Dakit reefs to the Office of the Mayor, and to the Office of the Vice-Mayor more than a week ago. So far, I have not heard anything from both offices.

Whilst waiting, I will show some more pictures of the beautiful (and rare) animals of Dakit-Dakit. Enjoy these - they may just be the last pictures of these animals.

Photos courtesy of Scubastar Dive Services.

HOLIDAY SEASON 2005

2005-12-24T17:48:00.000+08:00

Lapu-Lapu Times wishes you
Happy Holidays!

HAMMERHEAD SHARKS OF CABILAO, A LESSON FOR THE THRESHER SHARKS OF TINGO

2005-12-20T23:44:00.000+08:00

[This post is adapted from an article of the same title published in THE NAVIGATOR (Vol. I, No. 4), official publication of Rotary Club of Central Mactan - MactanMan]

For thousands, and perhaps millions of years, hammerhead sharks were endemic residents of the depths off Cabilao Island in Loon, Bohol Province. They were one of the favorite dive attractions in the Philippines up until the late 80’s. Untold amounts of US dollars came to circulate in the local/regional economy because of the sharks.

In the late 80’s, shark fishermen from reportedly Alaska, Mambaling were caught in a tropical storm on their way to Palawan, and have to shelter in Cabilao. Knowing of the existence of the hammerhead sharks, they stayed and fished the hammerheads, mainly for their fins to satisfy our demands for shark fin soup. The catch rapidly dropped from the initial of more than a hundred per day to nothing in less than 3 weeks!

When I went on a dive safari in the mid 90’s, I stopped for a one-tank dive in Cabilao. Not a single shark was in sight. These days, when one wants to dive and see sharks (and
believe me, we divers do), he/she has to travel all the way to Tugas Reef, 45 minutes on a boat ride from Malapascua Island in Northern Cebu. Or so we thought.

All this while, we hear of rumors that a resort or two have been taking divers to Tingo for shark dives at US$100 a head. In early November of 2003, I explored the area to depths of 60 meters and saw the sharks starting at the sand bar at 42 meters deep. Truly magnificent animals! The adults are 3 to 5 meters long, half of the length being its long signature tail fin, giving it its name. (Thresher sharks are named after the shape of their long tail fin that resembles the familiar thresher that the grim reaper carries).

As we pulled our anchor up, a private “pump” boat took our place. Three divers went down, three huge spear guns followed. Two weeks after that, I heard reports that one of the sharks was swimming around with a spear stuck through its head. I presume the ancient animal died shortly thereafter.

After this experience, I, in my capacity as Chairman of the Board of OceanCare Advocates Inc., tried to push in declaring this area a sanctuary. It's been two years and I’m still waiting.

We dived the area two days ago. Eslao and Dino Ompad and I were blessed by the beautiful sight of but one thresher shark (see photo below).

KOREANS: BEGINNING OF THE END FOR DAKIT-DAKIT

2005-12-19T09:36:00.000+08:00

Okay, I will let my secret out. These beautiful pictures of relatively rare animals in Gilutongan Channel were taken in the Dakit-Dakit reef, the most unlikely place for such a biodiverse ecosystem. Dakit-Dakit reef is smack in the middle of the entrance to Buyong Beach. Consider these: 1) majority of dive and island-hopping tourism boats come out of Buyong Beach in Maribago, 2) the small Buyong Beach area is cramped with parked boats, katig-to-katig at the end of the day, 3) a fleet of water sports vehicles, from PWC’s (personal water crafts, locally known as jet skis) to speed boats towing banana boats speed through the area regularly, and 4) commercial Hookah (crude compressor supplied air) divers pass through the area almost everyday. Yet, to this day it survives, a testament to nature’s tenacity.

Well, this one just might do the reef in. A new platform, typical of Korean surface base for their watersports activities, was put up right over the reef area, blocking the entrance to Buyong Beach. I did a survey dive of the area yesterday. I noticed these ominous observations (see pictures below):

The twin-drum sinker was carelessly dropped on the reef, smashing portions of it.

The anchoring rope has plenty of slack and this excessive length of rope will likely drag against the reefs when the platform drifts around in the tide.

Precious living corals, anemones, barrel sponges and other invertebrates were removed from nearby and piled in front of a holding bar for picture-taking foreground prop purposes.

Republic Act 8550 (Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998) is the law of the land when it comes to all things pertaining to the municipal waters. By my own reckoning I noted:

SECTION 5. Use of Philippine Waters – The use and exploitation of the fishery and aquatic resources in Philippine waters shall be reserved exclusively to Filipinos: Provided, however, That research and survey activities may be allowed under strict regulations, for purely research, scientific, technological and educational purposes that would also benefit Filipino citizens.

SECTION 12. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). – All government agencies as well as private corporations, firms and entities who intend to undertake activities or projects which will affect the quality of the environment shall be required to prepare a detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) prior to undertaking such development activity. The preparation of the EIS shall form an integral part of the entire planning process pursuant to the provisions of Presidential Decree No. 1586 as well as its implementing rules and regulations.

SECTION. 13. Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC). - All Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) shall be submitted to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for review and evaluation. No persons, natural or juridical, shall undertake any development project without first securing an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Secretary of the DENR.

SECTION. 91. Ban on Coral Exploitation and Exportation. - It shall be unlawful for any person or corporation to gather, possess, sell or export ordinary precious and semi-precious corals, whether raw or in processed form, except for scientific or research purposes. Violations of this provision shall be punished by imprisonment from six (6) months to two (2) years and a fine from Two thousand pesos (P2,000.00) to Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00), or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court, and forfeiture of the subject corals, including the vessel and its proper disposition.

SECTION. 103. Other Violations. - The following fisheries activities shall also be considered as a violation of this Code: ...d. Obstruction to Navigation or Flow and Ebb of Tide in any Stream, River, Lake or Bay.- It shall be unlawful for any person who causes obstruction to navigation or flow of ebb of tide.

Multiply this to the number of floating platforms up and down the tourism coast of Mactan Island and you can see why this practice should be cause for concern. OceanCare Advocates Inc tried to stop these 2 years ago but failed dismally.

Borrowing from a cliché that pertains to a particular anatomical part…people, you can kiss your reefs goodbye!

FIGURES: 1) Sinkers smashed on the reefs; 2) Long anchoring rope expected to sweep against the reef as the platform drifts with the tide; 3) Corals piled up in front of a hold-on bar, used as foreground prop for picture-taking; 4) Close up of table top coral (age unknown, maybe older than you and I) harvested and mounted on the coral prop, likely to die in time

AN EMAIL FROM AUSTRALIA RE: KOREANS

2005-12-16T12:07:00.000+08:00

Hi Doc,

Yes I agree with you regarding the Koreans in Cebu, most specially the hupo-hupo kind. I have a close friend who owns and drives a V-hire there, catering for hotel guests, said that most of them (Filipino operators) are complaining (to deaf ears of the authorities) about how rude the(Korean guides) are. My friend said that they even victimise other well-meaning Korean tourists by charging exorbitant fees. Aside from taking away from the local operators the opportunities to make a living, they made a bad impression about Cebu to the tourists that they have conned.

So, aside from the local dinamiteros, we also have now these foreign louts destroying whatever is left on the seabed on Mactan and adjacent islands, to worry about.

Concerned citizens like you should be magnified otherwise you just become another "voice in the wilderness". So, be strong and know that I am listening (reading your blog), so with I reckon many Oponganons abroad, who likes down-to-earth assessments on whats going on in and around Opon.

(Name withheld upon request - MactanMan)

AN EMAIL FROM JOHN MELENDRES

2005-12-15T16:33:00.000+08:00

Hi doc,

Finally im vindicated.. yippee... can you find a way to send this to gus go? Or have this circulated more than the internet? I came out sa cebu daily news and gus go issued a statement denying the practice... lets go k_ _ _k _ _ _ _ _ *#@!!! Im with you all the way..

john

KOREANS: THE FINAL SOLUTION

2005-12-14T17:23:00.000+08:00

I discovered digital underwater photography a few months back. In no time, I have oodles of excellent underwater pictures stored in my computer disc. I have a particular file titled: Gemini File. This is named after the proposed Gemini Marine Park, encompassing both sides of the Gilutongan Channel up to the Cordova boundary.

So, these are pictures taken in the Gilutongan Channel. Whenever I show these pictures in different occasions, it always gives an initial impression of how beautiful and healthy the Mactan reefs are. Until, I show the 25 kilometers of reefs at both sides of the channel and the picture area of less than 1000 meters in 3 different tiny patches.

That’s how badly damaged our reefs are, by some estimates, up to 90%.

So, what caused the damage, you ask?

Dynamite fishing – we have been blasting our reefs since during the WW II days. It goes on to this day.

Cyanide fishing (Kos-Kos) – we have been squirting cyanide into our reefs since the early 60’s. The two main culprits are the aquarium industry and the live-fish restaurants.

Coral harvesting – contrary to very specific legal provisions, coral continues to be harvested for infrastructure (sea walls and levees) and for the ornamental trade. I’ve seen our coral decorations sold in as far away as the Bahamas and Bermuda.

Boat damage – groundings (sangad), bamboo push poles (tukon), and anchor are the big three.

Silting – the corals of the western coast of Mactan Island is totally gone, killed mainly by silt coming from the denuded mountains of Cebu, by way of the more than 12 rivers and creeks emptying directly into the Mactan Channel.

Land-based pollution – tons of garbage ends up daily in the Mactan Channel coming from the thousands of squatters living on the banks of the rivers and creeks of Talisay, Cebu City, Mandaue and Consolacion. Because of the tidal exchanges of Camotes and Bohol Seas, some of these end up in the Gilutongan Channel.

And then, the Koreans come. A few years ago, after some unfortunate incidents here in Cebu, Japan, as a matter of national policy, issued an advisory against coming to the Philippines. As a group-tourism sector, Japanese tourist dried up (many still come here, comfortable with their personal relationships with different dive shops, operators, etc.). The Koreans filled the vacuum.

I can only explain it this way: we as young kids pride ourselves in getting high marks in “Good Manners and Right Conduct” in school. Many people think that in Korea, they do “Bad Manners and Wrong Conduct”. The common complaint is that the concept of r-e-s-p-e-c-t is foreign to them.

And, this holds true for their respect for the environment. Somehow, we are incapable of stopping these ecologically damaging practices:

Putting up of floating platforms in our municipal waters (contrary to IES and ECC provisions of RA 8550) as a base for their water sports activities. Further on RA 8550, some Korean outfits gather corals from the depths and move them under the platforms for use as underwater picture-taking props.

Some outfits lay ropes over the reefs for underwater crawling guides for their Discover-Scuba clients (locally known as Taiken, named after the Japanese Discover-Scuba divers of the good old days).

The Department of Tourism is gushing with pride regarding the flood of Korean tourists nowadays. Think again!

PHILIPPINES #4 MOST POLLUTED AIR

2005-12-09T19:46:00.000+08:00

Last week, both print and electronic media reported that the Philippines ranks 4th in the most polluted air in the world.

Oh, that!? That does not scare us at all. We are Filipinos - tough as nails. Heck, around here in Mactan, these do not even scare us:

There is no disposal system for heavy metal poisons (the DENR should take charge on this just as EPA does in the US). Used batteries are dumped along with the ordinary garbage. Undoubtedly, tons end up in the Mactan Channel - especially in the furniture, electroplating, and other industries dumping directly into the rivers-tributaries of the Mactan Channel. There is not even a gross estimate as to how much arsenic, lead, cyanide, etc are dumped into the channel. And, these are non bio-degradable either! The medical community has barely scratched the surface on the problem of heavy metal poisoning. God knows how much of the cancers, miscarriages and birth defects, diabetes, goiters, etc. are caused by these.
We have been squirting cyanide (locally known as kos-kos) into our reefs since the early 60's (see related article: SOY AND THYROID DISEASE). Specifically, the culprits are the gathering of ornamental fish for the aquarium trade, and gathering of juvenile and adult fishes for the live-fish restaurants. In the circle-of-life at sea, cyanide enters the ecosystem through the coral polyp (the coral animal), thence on to the progressively bigger invertebrates and vertebrates. Again, there is not even a gross estimate as to the level of cyanide in the different steps of the food chain.

Number 4 most polluted air in the world! Who? Me? Worry?

CAOHAGAN MARINE SANCTUARY - MEN AT WORK

2005-10-27T03:45:00.000+08:00

The construction of the Caohagan Marine Sanctuary is a joint project between OceanCare Advocates, Inc., ScubaStar Dive Services, Amores Charities Inc, the Lapu-Lapu City Government represented by the Office of the City Agriculturist and the CFARMC. The project was started six months ago following a request for assistance from Barangay Caohagan, represented by the Honorable Chairman Heregio Abayan and Caohagan's kind benefactor, Mr. K. Sakiyama. Phase I (planning and GPS mapping) was completed 6 months ago. Phase II had a rough start as we got caught in the tail end of a wao-wao (8-day depression weather), and the group managed to put up a single buoy.

Yesterday the weather gods favored us with the "ideal weather". Four (4) oceanward buoys and one shoreward corner buoy were installed. The delineating shoreward roped floating buoys were then installed quickly by the local volunteers. Quite a bit of work done in one day, fueled by a sumptuous lunch provided by the barangay and Mr. Sakiyama - grilled jackfish, sauteed cattlefish, and grilled mantis shrimps (hanlilitik). One more day of another six oceanward buoys and Phase II is pretty much done. Caohagan Marine Sanctuary will be the biggest one in the area, stretching approximately 3 kilometers along the barangay coast line.

[Figures: top - Eslao and Dino Ompad setting up the sinker/roap anchors; and bottom - Mr. Dewey Monsanto, the City Agriculturist and Mr. Diony Baring, CFARMC Chairman finishing one anchor off. (Photos are provided by Doc Amores of Amores Charities, Inc)]

MACTAN'S COASTAL GARBAGE

2005-10-07T13:45:00.000+08:00

A few weeks ago, PROACTIVE (PROgressive Alliance for Coastal initiaTIVEs), put up a one-week exhibit at the Ayala Center here in Cebu. The exhibit was about the problem of coastal garbage in and around Mactan Island. Our study traced this to the thousands of people living illegally on the banks of more than 13 rivers and creeks emptying into the Mactan Channel, as well as other groups dwelling on the coasts of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay and Consolacion. The ebb-tidal exchange carries this around Mactan Island to the opposite side, into the Gilutongan Channel. This channel is the main exchange conduit between the Camotes Sea up north and Bohol Sea in the south. Depending upon the prevailing wind, some of the garbage gets washed ashore on the eastern coast of Mactan, embarrassingly on the beach of 5-Star hotels (Habagat); some on the western coast of Olango, on the beaches of Talima, Santa Rosa and San Vicente (Amihan).
Forget about the health implications of this (biological pollution, heavy metal poisoning, etc.). We, scuba divers, have seen these piles of garbage drift by. UNTOLD NUMBER OF SCUBA TOURISTS WITH THEIR UNTOLD AMOUNT OF PESOS HAVE BEEN TURNED AWAY.
PROACTIVE can only ask these questions:

What are the LGU's doing about this? Since this involves multiple LGU's, should the Regional Development Council address this?
What happened to the Easement Provision of the Water Code of the Philippines wherein it specifically states that, "...It is illegal to construct any structures 3 meters from the highest tide mark or 3 meters from the river banks".
What happened to the LGU's Solid Waste Disposal and Anti-littering ordinances?

LAUNCHING OF LAPU-LAPU TIMES

2005-10-03T12:42:00.000+08:00

Greetings, everyone!
For a modern crowded city of more than 265,000 souls, Lapu-Lapu's lack of a newspaper truly stands out. Other than the usual LOOSE gossip, nobody really knows what the actual day-to-day pulse of the city is. True, we have a section dedicated in one or two regional Cebu newspapers, but the items are inadequate and mostly deal with killings, drugs, robbery and rape.
We in Lapu-Lapu City ought to know more! So, let's try this venue.
Everybody is invited to send comments ("news", opinion, etc.) on this blog, ON ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT PERTAINS TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN LAPU-LAPU. I will gladly publish them subject to editorial priveleges.