Diving protectors of the sea

CEBU, Philippines – The Knight-Stewards of the Sea, familiarly known as the Sea Knights among its members, is a faith-inspired scuba diving group that aims for ecological conservation as inspired from the Christian faith that reminds us that we are merely stewards, and not owners, of this earth.

Tito Soquiño of Order of St. Augustine, Fr. Charlie Orobio of Order of Augustinian Recollects & Fr. Murphy Sarsonas of the Archdiocese of Cebu are the priests/divers who will search for new dive sights as an alternative career for fishermen practicing destructive fishing methods to bring guests feeding the eco-tourism industry and who will come up with ways to protect the Danajon Bank Double Barrier Reef and its marine life located between Cebu, Bohol and Leyte Provinces.

The Augustinian community in the Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu-Philippines through its Sub-commission for Justice and Peace is organizing an NGO as the implementing arm of its social development projects with the objective of sustainable development in the islands starting with those of Bilangbilangan, Hingotanan, and Malingin in the municipality of Bien Unido in Bohol which are inside the double barrier reef. 

The activity called Du-aw Sto. Niño will bring the pilgrim image of the Sto. Niño from the Basilica in Cebu City to these three islands, initially, on May 25-27. The holy images will be accompanied by the Basilica delegation and Fr. Tito Soquiño, OSA, Chairman of this Augustinian Sub-commission, moving all these activities to happen just like Fray Andres de Urdaneta did when he landed in Cebu and spread the faith from island to island. The new challenge of these times is to re-evangelize the islands ecologically as the “new frontier”. 

The three-day caravan is the project of The Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu-Philippines through its Sub-Commission for Justice & Peace, Basilica Minore del Sto.Niño in cooperation with the Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest (FISH) Project of the United States Agency for International Development and the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, together with the Municipality of Bien Unido, Bohol, the parish of Sto.Niño (Bien Unido) of the Diocese of Talibon, the Knight-Stewards of the Sea & Langkawi Discovery Spa, Mandaue City, Cebu. 

Let us see God’s glory in the 2000th birth anniversary of St. Paul, the apostle; the 5th centenary of Fray Urdaneta’s birth; and the 25th anniversary of the Province of Sto. Niño de Cebu and be moved to celebrate Fray Urdaneta as an acclaimed soldier,  navigator, and explorer who taught us about Him from island to island.