MikeLigalig.com

by Ric V Obedencio

Here’s good news for tourism and environment. The province of Bohol still remains the cleanest seascape in this part of the country, said an environmentalist and artist AG Saño, who actively participated in the 2nd Bohol Dolphin Festival 2012 at the CPG Sport complex.

Mr. Saño, who initiated the wall dolphin/blue whale painting by various participants including children of the concrete wall nearby the swimming pool of the complex, explained that protection of dolphins is indeed necessary because they serve as thermometer of the ocean.

Dolphins cannot be found nor do they frequent Manila Bay where he used to visit then but now becoming murky and polluted. Unlike, here in Bohol, he said, he still seeing clearly see sea bottom clean. The presence or frequenting of Dolphins in Bohol seas signify clean environment. And the Bohol folk must take pride with this and urged them to continue doing so.

BFAR provincial officer Crescensio Pahamutang and Dr. Alessandro Ponzo also confirmed that of the 28 species known of dolphins and whales in the country and even in the southeast Asia, 18 are found in Bohol seas. This proves that Bohol seas are still the best and cleanest in this part of the planet. It means that people still care for their seas surrounding the islands, Ponzo said.

Meanwhile, marine biologists and environmentalists warned that solid wastes considered as non-biodegradable such as plastics floating or lying at the sea when eaten by cetaceans are killing the dolphins slowly.

Crescencio Pahamutang, provincial officer of the Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Dr. Alessandro Ponzo of the Physalus, a non-government organization serving for protection of the dolphins operating in Bohol, confirmed this possibility. But more still have to be done, they said. It is a sad fact that dolphins and other cetaceans found their way in the cook’s chopping block for food, said Pahamutang. He is urging people to avoid throwing plastics garbage and other solid wastes to the sea must be the order of the day.

Both said that plastics or cellophanes look like jelly fish floating at the sea. They (jelly fishes) are the food for the dolphins. Dolphins are fond of small fishes and squids, aside from jelly fish, they said. Dolphins mistook these plastic as jelly fish so they ate them not knowing that they cannot be digested that make them (dolphin) sick and stranded ashore and eventually die.

The 2nd Bohol Dolphin festival yesterday (May 31, 2012) that drew hundreds of participants, including the children, and partook in different activities like film-showing and learning from makeshift Dolphins school held at Pres. Carlos P. Garcia Sports complex here.

Provincial administrator Alfonso Damalerio II, who represented the governor, echoed the call for action and efforts for protection and conservation of the marine mammals because they are the source of livelihood and for tourism purposes. Also, board member Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez represented Cong. Rene Relampagos to the festival.

The festival, which started with a paradein the morning last Thursday starting from Plaza Rizal and traversed about a kilometre to the sports complex where the different programs and activities were held, is also in consonance with the celebration of the Month of the Ocean this May. Activities included booths/exhibits and dolphin school dealing on dolphin hearing and communication; photo-identification; dophin diet; arts and crafts; dolphin obstacle race; how big is the dolphin; and wall/mural painting participated in by children, adults young and old alike at the wall nearby the swimming pool of the complex. Movies of dolphins related stories, particularly. “A Fall From Freedom” and dolphin rescue simulation and safety education by BRUMM.

It is organized by the provincial government of Bohol following the go-signal of Gov. Edgar Chatto, who is known to be an environmentalist. “We strongly support for the advocacy for protection of our marine mammals,” said Gov. Edgar Chatto even as he congratulated the organizers for the festival’s success.

BFAR, Bohol’s Community Environment and Natural Resources offices (CENRO) based here and in Talibon town of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO), Bohol Rescue Unit for Marine Mammals (BRUMM), and other non-government organizations and Physalus, LaMaVe, Bohol Marine Triangle Pang-DAuis-BaclaYON, Youth for Danajon Double Barrier Reef Conservation pitched support in the launching of the program festival. (RVO)

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