Integrated Coastal Management of Medellin, Cebu

The coastal communities of the municipality of Medellin, Cebu is the next to conduct the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) activity organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (DENR-TSPS). The ICM activity is widely recognized since it has an important function in the decision-making process for the welfare of the municipal waters facing the Tañon Strait.

The ICM activity is designed to provide coastal communities in the Municipality of Medellin with information on the recent data related to the demarcated zones, biophysical survey results, mainstream river profiles within TSPS, and the integration of ICM into the municipality's Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP).

The activity was spearheaded by Mayor of Medellin thru the Municipal Environment and Natural Resource Officer, Regan Jimenez. He is looking forward to this activity and reminded the LGUs to take the learnings and insights to heart so that it will become a word of mouth, and for the LGUs to be able to share this knowledge to their respective colleagues. MENRO Jimenez also emphasized that whatever rules, regulations, and knowledge that the activity will convey shall be cascaded to the LGUs.

After the welcoming remarks of MENRO Regan Jimenez, the Assistant Protected Area Superintendent (APASu) of Northwest Cebu, Marciano Grijaldo specified the objectives of the ICM, which included integrating coastal management into the municipality's CLUP and orienting the technical working group to the new regulations approved by the DENR with support from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD).

The activity then proceeded by the presentations of essential data needed by the municipality’s CLUP. Joselito Francis Alcaria, the Coastal Enforcement Officer of TSPS then presented the recent data gathered by the office for the marine resources of the municipality. Engineer Jay Benueza, the Municipal Planning Development Coordinator (MPDC) of the municipality then presented their drafted comprehensive land use plan. Dexter Bonjoc, the Data Management Officer/Geographic Information System Operator of TSPS, presented the river profiles within the municipality of Balamban.

After the presentations, an open forum was utilized to answer the questions raised by the stakeholders and to clarify the intentions of the activity. The presenters thoroughly answered their queries and provided additional information on the possible technical assistance that the TSPS - Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) can provide. 

The activity then concluded with knowledge and information being imparted to the stakeholders and the office fulfilled its duty to provide the necessary data and other technical assistance that the municipality may need in their CLUP.

MENRO Jimenez then concluded the activity. He thanked the DENR-TSPS for the technical assistance they provide for the CLUP, and the LGUs of Medellin for actively participating in the activity. He is hopeful  that through this activity, the coastal resources of the municipality’s water will have efficient management. 

“Hopefully, with the discussions that has been finished will be useful for us unya ato pod gamiton sa pagahibaw sa atong mga constituente kung unsa gyuy pinakaimportante; na atong atimanon, atong protektahan atong kadagatan, atong kabaybayonan… it will eventually give opportunities sa atong gagmay na mananagat na mosaka sad ilahang panginabuhian [kung] ato gyud matuman kung unsay angay na buhaton para sa pag preserve, conserve, protect sa atong kalikupan labi na sa kabaybayonan ug sa kadagatan. Daghang salamat ug maayong adlaw!” - the words of MENRO Jimenez as he concluded the Integrated Coastal Management Activity.