Development plans launched in Yolanda-hit areas

CEBU, Philippines - Less than two weeks away from the third anniversary of super typhoon Yolanda, the Cebu provincial government launched its first integrated development plan for livelihood, tourism, business, marine protection and disaster resiliency program in Bantayan Island, northern Cebu.

Bantayan Island was among the hardest hit by Yolanda in 2013, along with other northern areas.  

 Sitio Mambakayaw Dako, a fishing community which is an hour boat ride from Bantayan town and is closer to Negros Island, was chosen as the project's pilot area.

 The plan is called "Mambakayaw Dako Integrated Development Plan," which covers farm, disaster, contingency, and land use plans. 

The holistic plan will cost the government up to P3 million and is expected to be finished within six months or in April. The amount will be sourced from different agencies, depending on the nature of the project.

 The first phase of the plan is community profiling and consultation and the establishment of an anti-illegal fishing outpost in the sitio, which sits between Tañon Strait and the Visayan Sea.

 A ribbon cutting ceremony for the new outpost was held yesterday, led by Governor Hilario Davide III, Board Members Sun Shimura and Christopher Baricuatro and local officials.

 Baltazar Tribunalo Jr, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the plan is based on the risk assessment on illegal fishing, climate change, disaster, among others, from the residents, disaster, agricultural and planning offices, and local officials.

 "With the integrated development plan, we are looking at community-based sustainable tourism program in Sitio Mambakayaw diin tan-awon ang pagpanguma, tigpangisda, paglimpyo ug pagkahiusa sa mga lumolupyo," he said.

 "We are doing this because we feel that we still need to fill the gap in terms of recovery interventions after the Yolanda destruction in 2013. This is part of the third year commemoration," he added.

 He said the outpost would soon be equipped with radar and other high-tech equipment to monitor the entry of commercial vessels, entry of contrabands, as well as entry of group of bandit.

 Bantayan Mayor Art Despi said the outpost, with an area of 200-square meters, will help protect Bantayan's marine habitat.

Lyndon Ruiz, head of the provincial anti-illegal fishing task force, said dynamite fishing is rampant in the waters off Sitio Mambakayaw.

"We found out that 70 percent of the residents are engaging into illegal fishing activities," he said. The sitio has at least 70 housholds.

The outpost, he said, will serve as a deterrent against the threats to marine resources.

"I hope with this project, we will reduce illegal activities in consequential level. So that in four year time this province will be declared as illegal fishing-free province," he said.

 In a separate development, at least 71 farmers graduated from the province's farmer-scientists training program (FSTP)-Phase 1. The program focuses on the corn-based production system for sustainable agricultural development.

The farmers from Barangays Okoy, Balidbid and Marikan in Sta. Fe town underwent training to develop their technical and scientific capabilities to grow corn and other crops using appropriate methods.

 Davide, in his speech, congratulated the farmers for their dedication and patience to finish the program.

 The Capitol aims to train all farmers in the 51 local government units of Cebu under the FSTP training program as mandated by Executive Order 710. (FREEMAN)