Maynilad awards 21 water, environment champions

MAYNILAD Water Services Inc.

(Maynilad) honored 21 water and environment champions at the World Water Day Philippines Awards (WWD.PH Awards) 2023 held in Pasay City last March 22.

Recipients of Maynilad’s “Water Warrior Award for Advocacy Leadership” were Caloocan City Vice Mayor Karina Teh, ABSCBN journalist Alvin Elchico, Quezon City Climate Change Education Department, and the Million Trees Foundation, Maynilad said in a news release.

They were recognized for actively raising awareness on water sustainability and environmental responsibility in their respective professions and initiatives.

The WWD.PH Awards was in partnership with the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

NWRB’s “Water Wise Award” went to Cebu Technology University, Holcim Philippines Inc. and West Cebu Industrial Park Developers Inc. for their exemplary water management practices consistent with the agency’s regulatory mandate and advocacy.

The “Huwarang Lingkod Tubig Award” recipients of Local Water Utilities Administration were Baguio Water District in Luzon, Silay Water District in the Visayas and General Santos City Water District in Mindanao for being model water districts in water conservation and environmental initiatives.

Meanwhile, the National Irrigation Administration named as “Most Outstanding Irrigators’ Associations” the Makabilog Maynabo Tambo Irrigators Association, San Agustin San Luis Irrigators Association Inc. and Bayawan United Farmers Irrigators Association.

Efforts in Laguna de Bay rehabilitation

Fortunately, Calatagan, which is situated in the Verde Island Passage, is far from Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, and is not affected by the recent oil spill, which many sectors, including foreign experts, are trying to contain in order to prevent further damage to coastal and marine ecosystems.

Kinuyug festival

PALACIO confided that he came up with the idea of promoting ecotourism, starting with having a festival—the Kinuyug Festival.

The local government launched its first Kinuyug Festival in 2016, from December 13 to 16, in time with the founding anniversary of Calatagan. It has since become part of the annual celebration in the municipality.

Why name the festival Kinuyug? The mayor replied laughing: “Why not? It’s in celebration of kuyug. It is more appealing.”

While popularizing Calatagan’s famous fish, the mayor said they are also popularizing the near-white sand beaches of Calatagan.

First-class beach resorts are all over Calatagan, making it an ideal weekend getaway from the stressful life in Metropolitan Manila.

“While promoting dried kuyug, we are also promoting our beaches,” the mayor said.

Healthy coastal, marine ecosystem

CALATAGAN boasts of having a healthy coastal and marine ecosystem. It has vast reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves and crystal clear, literally, clean waters.

The mayor said the municipality is the only place in Batangas with beautiful reefs.

“That is the character of Calatagan. Other towns don’t have reefs. We have beautiful reefs,” he proudly said. Calatagan also keeps its seagrass protected from destructive fishing practices. Blast and cyanide fishing have been “neutralized” by an army of volunteers who have realized the economic potential of ecotourism.

Floating cottages

TAKE it from couple Rodel and Agnes Cardona, owners of the 3s Seniorito’s and R2D Floating Cottages. Rodel used to be a heavy-equipment operator, including pay loader.

Interviewed on March 1, the couple told the B usiness M irror in Filipino that Calatagan’s thriving ecotourism is beneficial to the residents.

Rodel said he now prefers to be a Bantay Dagat (Sea Patrol) and floating-cottage operator than a heavy equipment operator.

“I like this job better. We are having our second floating cottage constructed and we are optimistic this summer will be better,” Rodel said.

His wife Agnes noted that they have realized that having a healthy coastal and marine ecosystem is beneficial to the community.

“That is why we are helping protect our waters. Because our fish will go away if the water is not clean,” Agnes said.

Owners of floating cottages do not work every Wednesday. They dedicate the day to coastal cleanup activities in support of the LGU’s protection and conservation efforts of its coastal and marine environment.

Calatagan LGU counted 700 dulyregistered floating cottages all over the municipality, docked in 13 different locations that cater to tourists, who prefer the beautiful beaches over other coastal areas in Batangas.

Ecosystem function

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim told the B usiness M irror via Messenger on March 10 that rabbitfish play an important role in the ecosystem.

“They feed on algae, so they control algal growth that could invade coral ecosystems,” Lim said.

“Thus, they help coral ecosystems better recover from coral bleaching as they prevent algae from colonizing and killing affected corals,” she added.

Cultured fish, too

A RESEARCH team at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the Philippines, led by Dr. Westly Rosario, successfully cultured two of the most commercially interesting candidates, the goldlined spinefoot, or golden rabbitfish (Siganus guttatus), and the vermiculated spinefoot, or maze rabbitfish (Siganus vermiculatus).

“Rabbitfish are grazers, akin to the antelope of the African savannah. As opposed to eating the equivalent of predatory ‘lions’ like lapu-lapu, maya-maya or talakitok, culturing and eating marine herbivores like rabbitfish, which are situated quite low in the food chain, can help achieve food security in developing archipelagic countries like the Philippines,” Yan said.

“The grow-out and marketing of Philippine-raised samaral can provide best alternatives and livelihood options for our coastal communities,” he added.

“It might just be the next big seafood hit,” Yan said

All-time favorite

MARIANNE P. SANIANO Science and Conservation campaign manager at Oceana, told the B usiness M irror via Messenger on March 8 that rabbitfish can grow as as long as 40 centimeters (cm).

The UN FAO said males are smaller than females, with standard lengths of 11 cm to 14 cm for males, and 13 cm to 21 cm for females. The maximum sizes range from 20 cm to 45 cm standard length.

Because they are an all-time favorite, the price of a kilo of dried danggit ranges from P700 to P1,500, Saniano said.

“In the Philippines, juveniles of danggit are dried and become part of breakfast menu enjoyed with sinamak [spiced vinegar],” she said.

According to Saniano, they are found in seagrass areas, which hosts a variety of marine organisms.

“However, these areas are under threat because of various human activities like coastal development, dump-and-fill projects, dredging, etc. Destruction of its habitat means the danggit will lose its home and source of food, endangering its population,” she said.

Fast-growing, prolific fish were recognized through the “Kampeon ng Lawa Awards” of the Laguna Lake Development Authority.

JIMELY FLORES , science and policy consultant at the Environment Defense Fund, said rabbitfishes are fast growing and prolific.

“They significantly depend on seagrass beds, which are important habitats to successfully complete the fish life cycle. They can be cultured and hatchery-reared, thus, they are not endangered. But we are harvesting them faster than they can reproduce,” Flores told the B usiness M irror through Messenger on March 9.

According to Flores, there are many methods to ensure sustainable harvesting of fish, such as kuyug or danggit.

“Depending on the stakeholders, some are a combination of temporospatial closure, size limits, gear restriction and limits—in input and output control, which is total allowable catch,” she said.

She said whatever measure is put in place, it should always be science-based.

“[The stakeholders] must also agree to methods of control with accountability and higher compliance. There must be clear indicators and must be transparent,” she said.

The awards were given to the local government of Teresa, Rizal; the University of the Philippines Training Center for Applied Geodesy and Photogrammetry; and the Department of Science and TechnologyAdvanced Science and Technology Institute.

The DENR-Environmental Management Bureau’s “Water Leadership Award” went to Adem Inovejas of Project Blue PH for his initiative to design innovative boats made entirely out of recycled and sustainable materials.

Completing the roster of honorees were Metro Pacific Water’s “Kampeon ng Kalikasan” awardee Cagayan de Oro City Water District; Aboitiz InfraCapital’s

In his message during with this year’s World Water Day theme, “Accelerating change through partnerships and cooperation.”

He thanked the WWD award recipients and acknowledged their role in promoting environmental causes. The WWD.PH Awards served as the culminating event of the country’s weeklong celebration of World Water Day. Since 2015, the WWD.PH Awards has recognized a total of 114 individuals, institutions and programs that have contributed to achieving water and waterenvironment sustainability in the country.

FUJISAWA, Japan—A busy company owner for the early part of his life, Seiichi Sano began anew at 80 by climbing Mt. Fuji. Apparently not challenged enough by Japan’s highest peak, he almost immediately took up surfing.

Sano turns 90 later this year, and after being recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest male to surf, he’s ready for other tests.

“Maybe I’ll try bouldering,” he said, suggesting he might do it first in a gym. “Outside it might be a bit dangerous.”

He ruled out bungee-jumping.

“Too scary,” he said.

Or maybe he’ll just stick with what he knows.

“I think it would be interesting to try to surf until I’m 100,” Sano said. “I think I take better care of myself when I have goals like this. Even now, I take better care of myself than I did before.”

Sano lives about 20 minutes from Yokohama and gets out most weekends on the black-sand beach near Enoshima, the small island that hosted sailing for the recent

US hurdler Demus finally gets her gold

LAUSANNE, Switzerland— American runner Lashinda Demus officially became an Olympic champion on Thursday, at the age of 40 and more than a decade after the 2012 London Games.

Demus was formally reallocated the gold medal in the 400-meter hurdles by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because of the disqualification of Natalya Antyukh in fallout from the Russian doping scandal.