GUIUAN, Eastern Samar — Nine years after the deadly storm surge triggered by Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (international name: Haiyan) flattened communities in Eastern Visayas, residents of a village in Guiuan town still feel anxious.

It is because the seawall in Barangay Bungtod that was destroyed by Yolanda in November 2013 remained far from fixed, exposing coastal communities to hazards.

“Yolanda’s winds were so strong and I could hear the waves crashing against the seawall since my house is just near the shore,” recalled Oscar Gaje, barangay captain of Bungtod.

Federico Paglinawan Jr., also a resident of Bungtod, said they saw more destruction when Typhoon Ursula (international name: Phanfone) struck Eastern Visayas in 2019 because the coastal defense remained damaged.

“Ursula brought us more water than wind so the houses near the shore were almost submerged,” he said.

In a bid to protect residents from waves and storms, coastal communities like Bungtod are engaging in mangrove restoration.

Successful restoration
Mangrove patches in Bungtod protected residents when Yolanda pummeled many parts of Visayas. Most of the mangroves near the shore, however, did not survive the onslaught. So community members have been planting and rehabilitating mangroves.

Mangroves in areas severely damaged by the super typhoon are now recovering. Gaje said that almost half of those living along the shore are growing seedlings, thanks to the different activities organized by the environment and natural resources office in Guiuan and non-governmental organizations such as SIKAT Inc.

“We help whenever there are activities conducted. It’s nice if we receive incentives after like the post-Yolanda cash for work, but without it we’ll still help because it’s for our community,” said Bernardino Tanqui-on, a father and resident of Bungtod.

Mangrove forests guard coastlines all over the world by minimizing losses of life and damage to properties. Mangrove forests cover roughly between 33 million and 49 million acres of the planet and are one of the world’s most productive ecosystems, the World Wildlife Fund said.

These coastal ecosystems prevent coastal erosion, improve water quality, and act as breeding ground of coastal species.

They also play a vital role in the climate fight. These trees can store carbon dioxide for hundreds— sometimes even thousands—of years, making them among the most carbon-rich habitats on Earth.

According to the Protected Area Management Office of the Guiuan Marine Resource Protected Landscape and Seascape, 104.39 hectares of recovered areas with planted seedlings have been mapped out as of 2020.

Mistakes in planting
On the other hand, residents of Barangay Sulangan, another barangay in Guiuan, are encountering problems with mangrove planting.

Angela Amos shared they had various mangrove planting activities post-Yolanda but the seedlings did not survive when planted close to the shore.

“Because they did not survive, we eventually stopped planting and just let them reproduce naturally,” Amos said.

Dr. Jurgenne Primavera, a marine scientist and mangrove expert, said the efforts were unsuccessful because “wrong species [are] planted in the wrong sites.”

“Planting at the seafront will not give us the mangrove area we need for environmental sustainability. For one, it has notoriously high mortality rates because the lower intertidal to subtidal location is not ecologically favorable,” Primavera explained.

Because of the lack of mangrove patches, the only source of protection of residents in the area is a seawall.

Barrier
Sulangan’s seawall stretches from the seafront area of the famous San Antonio De Padua Parish Church to the corner street of the households living close to the shoreline.

The residents are less anxious when cyclones are approaching Guiuan because of the seawall. However, it becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes during rainy days due to trapped water and waste.

While seawalls lessen the damage of typhoons to homes and properties, residents of Sulangan still want their mangrove forests to thrive.

“Mangroves are home for fish and other sea creatures so we are still helping our community officials and our Bantay Dagat in protecting them,” Amos said, noting that residents monitor illegal activities and comply with policies such as the ban on mangrove cutting.

Residents of Baras, a neighboring barangay of Sulangan, do not conduct massive mangrove planting activities like Bungtod. But they disagree with the idea of building a seawall in their shoreline.

“It’s still up for discussion between the council and the residents. But yes, the fisherfolk already stated their dislike for seawall construction,” said Jim Abrajano, a barangay official.
Fishing is the main livelihood of Baras residents. Fishermen put their boats behind thick mangrove trees along their shoreline whenever there are typhoons in hopes that they will be protected by the mangroves’ roots and branches.

They expect the seawall will affect their lives and livelihood if it is constructed.
“We still have a lot of mangroves but I think a seawall ould also be a big help. However, if the majority of the people here won’t opt for it then that would also be okay with me. It’s their livelihood that’s on the line so it should not be taken lightly,” Remedios Gapate, a resident of Baras, said.

Coastal greenbelts better
Primavera, the chief mangrove scientific advisor of the Zoological Society of London and co-chair of the IUCN mangrove specialist group, said she is personally not for seawalls.
“What we need are coastal greenbelts,” she said.

“Guiuan specifically needs more beach forests because it has very steep shorelines, that’s why if the wrong species are planted they don’t survive,” Primavera added.

Primavera and Oceana Philippines earlier called for legislation that would create coastal greenbelt zones composed of mangroves and beach forest areas to protect coastal communities from the severe impacts of climate change.

In a report released this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said that while seawalls effectively reduce impacts to people and assets in the short-term, these defenses “can also result in lock-ins and increase exposure to climate risks in the long-term unless they are integrated into a long-term adaptive plan.

This story was supported by Climate Tracker Asia and Oxfam Pilipinas

By APRILLE ANN YODICO

QUINAPONDAN, Eastern Samar — Sachets and plastic wastes entangled in mangrove roots were the very first intruders that Christopher Quiza, a Bantay Dagat of Quinapondan fish sanctuaries, had to face at the start of his day.

Just as the sun’s rays lit the sea, Quiza’s bag was filled with trash he collected while rowing around the mangrove forest.

It is his job to ensure that the Panaloytoyon and Mantampok Fish Sanctuaries—breeding grounds of coastal and marine species—are free from wastes and illegal fishing activities.
Members of Bantay Dagat are sea guardians who patrol coastal and marine ecosystems to detect illegal fishing practices and enforce fishery laws and ordinances. In Quinapondan, there are six sea patrollers.

Fish sanctuaries
Panaloytoyon Island was declared a fish sanctuary in 1994. In 1995, Guiuan Development Foundation Inc. (GFDI) established Mantampok Island, which was later maintained and managed by the local government unit (LGU).

In 2017, the Panaloytoyon and Mantampok sanctuaries were declared as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) through a municipal ordinance. Quinapondan Vice Mayor Leo Jaspher Candido said the move was based on the principle of sustainability and only intended to regulate—not prohibit—the fishing activities around the sanctuaries.

According to a recent study published in One Earth Journal, MPAs contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation by sequestering carbon dioxide, protecting coastal communities and biodiversity, and enhancing fishers’ catch and income.

These are important as Eastern Visayas is frequently battered by strong cyclones and is exposed to other climate shocks.

“If we don’t have a healthy ecosystem, where can nearby communities directly source their food?” said Jonh Rey Gacura, a research assistant at GDFI.

From sea to land
Before sunrise, Orly Tabungar already emptied his bucket after watering eggplants and squash on his newly-tilled farm—a different scene from what he used to do.
His boats and fishing nets are now hung up and left to dry, hoping to soon meet the blowing waves from Quinapondan’s east coast.

The decline in fish catch forced Tabungar to shift his focus to farming and parallel activities supporting both fishers and farmers. He is currently the chairman of the board of a cooperative called Island of Samar and Leyte Cooperative (ISLACO).

Tabungar, who also leads the Sto Nino Fisherfolk Association, has witnessed conflicts between members who are now part of the Bantay Dagat and those who continue catching fish for a living because of heightened implementation of the local fishery ordinance.
“The fish sanctuary covers a big portion of where we used to fish, which now leaves us with a smaller area already,” Tabungar said.

Bantay Dagat vs fishers
Quiza recounted when they encountered a group of intruders who tried to fish around the boundaries of Panaloytoyon Fish Sanctuary. As their first action, they called the intruders out and explained that fishing in the fish sanctuary is prohibited.

“We just calm ourselves and try to recognize these people,” he said, adding there were cases filed against individuals who still pushed through with their illegal activities despite warnings.

Their role as active watchdog resulted in threats and curses from, and silent clashes with the fishers who they used to meet around the waters of Quinapondan. There was also an instance when he was invited to a fistfight by a fisherman he previously called out, but Quiza disregarded it.

The tension began after Bantay Dagat members were deployed to more areas, making their presence more visible.

Felix John Bianes, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer, said that although there are areas where fishing activities are prohibited, fishers can still access a large portion of the town’s municipal waters.

The local environment office conducted a series of information and education campaigns to inform fisherfolk organizations about the ordinance even prior to its implementation. But Bianes said the office has so far engaged with only two communities.

“It is important for them to understand the importance of fish sanctuaries and the consequences when it is destroyed,” Gacura said.

Just transition
Tabungar said that most of the fishers are having difficulty coping with dwindling fish catch and the implementation of regulation. He urged the local government to support small fishers while fish sanctuaries are being established.

In a bid to address the issues raised by some fisherfolk, the LGU, with the support of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, provided them with fishing boats, nets, and gear.

But for GDFI, the local government should consider introducing mariculture, or the farming of marine organisms for food and other products.

Gacura said the provision of fishing gear as an “ayuda” to fishers does not make sense as “we are increasing pressure in a situation where fish stocks are already depleted.”

According to Vice Mayor Candido, the government has introduced bangus culture to a few fishers in Brgy. Sto Nino. The introduction of alternative livelihood sources such as mud crab culture and seaweed farming is also part of their administration’s flagship program.
Ways forward.

Candido acknowledged the issues raised by both the fishermen and the members of Bantay Dagat, and said the government is open to discuss the stakeholders’ concerns on the implementation of the ordinance.

This, according to Quiza, is a smart move to help both parties address their concerns and join forces in protecting marine sanctuaries and ensuring food security.

As the Quinapondan government moves forward with their plans to secure the welfare of their people and marine ecosystem, Candido said they are looking forward to harnessing the available data and science to guide their decision-making processes.

Tabungar expressed his support to the LGU’s plans and noted that “all information dissemination should be done at every barangay to ensure that all are informed of their decisions.”

“I wish to have more catch to sustain the daily needs of every family of fishers,” Tabungar said.

The move also made Quiza, the sea patroller, hopeful that he would start his day with then-intruders as their partners in protecting sanctuaries in their town.

This story was supported by Climate Tracker Asia and Oxfam Pilipinas

Coinciding 9th year of onslaught of ‘Yolanda’

TACLOBAN CITY– A Marian image who inspired hope in the aftermath of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ was crowned Tuesday (Nov.8), coinciding with the ninth-year commemoration of the monster tragedy.

The episcopal coronation of the Our Lady of Hope of Palo was held at the Palo Cathedral, Leyte, presided by Archbishop John Du and attended by priests and local officials led by Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla, Palo Mayor Remedios ‘Matin’ Petilla, and Rep. Jude Acidre of Tingog party-list.

The image, made of wood retrieved from the debris of the cathedral which sustained much damage due to Yolanda, was made by ecclesiastical artist Willy Layug with the crowns of the Our Lady of Hope and Her Child Jesus handcrafted by Noli Manalang.

During his visit to Tacloban City and Palo on January 17, 2015, Pope Francis blessed the seven-foot Marian image now enshrined at the cathedral.

Du said that he decided to commission to make the Marian image back in 2014 based on several accounts during the onslaught of Yolanda saying Mother Mary had saved and rescued them from the storm surges.

Archbishop Du said that the coronation of the Our Lady of Hope of Palo nine years after Yolanda’s onslaught was an indication that the survivors have moved on from the tragic disaster.

“As we have nine days novena for the dead; we were all mourning for the past nine years. In the same way, Our Lady was mourning with us,” he said in his homily.

“But now after nine years, our time of mourning has come to an end. There is a festive character to our celebration,” Du added.

Prior to the episcopal coronation, the Our of Lady of Hope of Palo with the Child Jesus has no adornment.

The Marian image is dressed in a Filipino attire symbolizes that She is ‘with us,’ Du said.
The crowns symbolize hope while the flowers depicts of new day; the anchor is for stability amidst the storms of life while the pearls, fruits of the sea, shows the Lady has triumphed over the waves of the storm.

Meantime, the olive branches means a sign of new life with the aquamarine stones to depict the element of water and the sea while the moissanite diamonds, silver, and gold point on the regal stature of Our Lady of Hope of Palo.

The feast day of Our Lady of Hope of Palo falls every Nov.8.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)