PCG to spearhead Nat'l Maritime Week celeb in C. Visayas
By Amorganda A. Saludar
CEBU CITY, Sept 18 (PIA) -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) – Central Visayas is the lead agency in spearheading the 2012 National Maritime Week Celebration on September 24-30 under the theme "One Hundred Years After Titanic."
This year's National Maritime Week celebration is focused on promoting unity among martime stakeholders from both government agencies and the private sector including shipping firms and academe as well as giving emphasis and value to the seafarers.
PCG–CV Deputy Commander Capt. Anelito Gabisan said that being the lead government agency in this year’s celebration here in the region, they will present all the resources they have in the underlined activities just to ensure a successful commemoration of the annual observance.
“Being the task agency to lead the celebration we will use whatever resources we have and make plans with a mission and we will be adopting a military attitude, especially on discipline," Gabisan said.
Central Visayas Coastguard’s mission includes organizing, preparing and undertaking necessary activities in order to ensure a successful observance of Maritime week.
In two coordinative meetings with other government agencies and maritime stakeholders conducted at Cebu Coast Guard Headquarter, PCG 7 along with other martime stakeholders were able to draw and come up several activities
To kick off the opening of the weeklong celebration, there will be simultaneous blowing of horns to be participated by vessels in the Area Of Responsibility (AOR) in Cebu, Tagbilaran and Dumaguete.
A mass will follow, then a press conference with the maritime agency and other stakeholders and concerned government agencies.
Other activities set for the celebration will be a scubasurero and coastal clean-up activity to be conducted in the AOR of the three Coast Guard stations in the region through Operation Control (OPCON) units in coordination with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
A leadership training and team building workshop will also be conducted to be participated by the maritime agency and stakeholders, review and training centers and other maritime institutions.
Also mounted for the celebration are a bloodletting activity and fun run to be participated by the PCG-CV, PCG Auxiliary-CV, maritime schools, shipping company and maritime agencies.
In this connection PCG here in the region is also requesting the cooperation of the water cluster, maritime stakeholders, maritime schools, and maritime government agencies to display a tarpaulin to mkae the public aware of the Maritime Week celebration. The tarpaulins should be placed in their respective areas or in any places visible to the public. (FCR/AYS-PIA7 CEBU)
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DENR-7 initiates coastal cleanup in Liloan
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, Sept. 18 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) organized a coastal cleanup on September 15 along the 6.5-kilometer stretch in Liloan, Cebu as part of the activities of the national coastal cleanup month with the theme: "Our place, our planet, our responsibility."
Over 400 participants, included the employees and officials of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), Bureau of Customs (BoC), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) participated in the cleanup.
Students from the University of San Carlos-North Campus, and Cebu Technological University-Main Campus (CTU-MC) also joined in the event. Members of Coastal Enforcement Alliance of Region 7 including Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard and Maritime Police, local police officers of Liloan, Compostela and Danao also did their part in picking up garbage and waste at the coastlines.
DENR 7 regional executive director Dr. Isabelo Montejo said, “our country is highly regarded in the world for the richness of its coastal and marine resources and it calls for sustainable protection and management for the future generations.”
The Philippines was declared as the epicenter of marine biodiversity with the richest concentration of marine life on the entire planet.
This is based on a 10-year multi-disciplinary study for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) entitled: "The Center of the Center of Marine Shorefish Biodiversity: The Philippine Islands" by Dr. Kent Carpenter and Dr. Victor Springer in 2006,
The study identified the country as home to an astonishingly vast marine life, refuting previous studies indicating that Indonesia holds the highest fish diversity.
Meanwhile, around 30 kilos of garbage mostly plastics and other litters were collected on that coastal cleanup day.
Montejo urged communities to maintain cleanliness in the shores, underwater and waterways of Cebu while promoting the importance of a clean and healthy environment in the region.
“The DENR, through this activity, also wants to increase public awareness on the impacts or hazards brought about by throwing garbage especially plastics and other non-biodegradable materials on shores, rivers and canals,” he added.(mbcn/HFG/PIA-7 & DENR-7)