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Tañon Strait is a natural heritage that divides the islands of Cebu and Negros. Its pristine aquamarine waters accommodate a variety of marine life including the 14 species of marine mammals that feeds, breeds, and rests in its bountiful waters. Undeniably, this body of water is the best asset for the coastal communities surrounding the Tañon Strait because it not only supplies the coastal communities with fresh seafood products but it also gives the community a variety of pristine scenery that attracts tourists from all over the world.
Despite its natural abundance and the livelihood it provides, Tañon Strait is under constant threat of habitat destruction brought by several human-induced activities. President Fidel V. Ramos recognized the importance of Tañon Strait as a biodiversity hotspot and also for the people of the Philippines; thus, he proclaimed the Tañon Strait as a protected seascape in 1998.
The proclamation of Tañon Strait Protected Seascape garnered different reactions. Mayor Valente Yap of Bindoy, Negros Occidental, even said "I was met with a strong opposition by the people because to them, it means losing their fishing grounds". The lack of understanding and information of the coastal communities made it difficult for them to understand why Tañon Strait was designated as a protected seascape.
Despite its natural abundance and the livelihood it provides, Tañon Strait is under constant threat of habitat destruction brought by several human-induced activities.
This is where Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns become significant. The goal of IEC campaigns is to make knowledge and information accessible to the people of Tañon via engaging activities, workshops, and educational materials that explicitly highlights how the preservation and conservation of Tañon is beneficial to both humans and the marine environment.
COASTAL CLEAN-UP DRIVES
The beauty of coastal clean-up drives lies in the fact that it calls and gathers people to take responsibility and action for their unwise management of wastes. It brings people closer to the reality of improper waste management and how it terribly affects the environment. In the hopes of enlightenment, coastal clean-up drives remain one of the go to activities of IEC campaigns.
MANGROVE TREE PLANTING
The advertised importance of mangrove forest ecosystems is evident during natural disasters like typhoons since it blocks the devastating storm surges to reach the coastal communities; however, this is only one of the benefits that it can provide. Further significance of mangrove forest lies in its ability to provide a safe space for nesting and breeding of fish and shellfish, and control agricultural and industrial runoffs by absorbing the toxins preventing it from infiltrating the ocean waters. The role of IEC campaign is to promote these benefits to locals in order for them to appreciate the advantage of having mangrove forest ecosystems in their area as well as to let the locals be engaged in the protection and conservation of mangroves.
REGULAR RADIO AIR-TIME
The radio, as a medium, can reach a large audience and doing regular air-time shows means that the information being dispersed on air can be retained by the listeners of the platform. This is the main reason why regular radio air-time shows are vital material for IEC campaigns since, it is also taken into account that radio is the most common source of information in the coastal communities.
Information is also available in the TSPS Website and other social media platforms like Facebook and Youtube.
ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS
Anniversary and other social events are where the IEC Campaign can showcase the importance of conservation and protection of Tañon Strait. The mind-boggling part of the anniversary and events are the interaction and sharing of thoughts between the locals and experts. Experts can impart their knowledge for proper protection and conservation while the locals have the knowledge of the everyday state of the sea. Through exchanging of ideas, experts can thoroughly guide the local communities to become the keeper of the seas.
The protection and conservation of Tañon Strait Protected Seascape cannot be done alone by the DENR-TSPS. To effectively conserve the beauty and abundance of Tañon Strait, the unification of the ideals of the local coastal communities should be realized. Without proper information and education of the communities, the objective of protecting the Tañon Strait is an impossible task.
IEC Campaigns are the combative force of DENR-TSPS to fulfill the knowledge gap of the coastal communities. Informed coastal communities make communication efficient therefore creating possible partnerships in between transforming local communities as stewards that nurtures and protects the Tañon Strait.
"We now have active participation and collaboration, meaning it is no longer DENR's sole concern because honestly, we cannot do it alone."
Am Prospero S. Lendio, POSu IV/Deputy PASu, TSPS
