Coron, Palawan — Key partners in coastal and marine conservation in Coron signed an agreement today to cooperate in the development, establishment and maintenance of marine protected area (MPA) guardhouses in strategic locations in Coron.
Partners present were Coron municipal mayor Ajerico Barracoso, barangay officers of barangays Lajala, Marcilla and Bulalacao, indigenous peoples tribal chiefs of the communities, as well as community people's organisations Samahang Mangingisda at Magsasaka ng Barangay Lajala, Samahang Mangingisda ng Barangay Bulalacao and Marcilla Seaweeds Growers' Association.
The parties have an existing conservation agreement implementing a comprehensive marine biodiversity conservation and coastal resource management program in select sites in the municipality of Coron, which involves massive grassroots-based social interventions alongside science-based conservation actions.
The MPA guardhouses are part of enforcement-strengthening under the program’s Social Mobilisation leg and MPA management improvement, for use by the community’s bantay dagat volunteers who are primarily fisher folks by profession.
