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To celebrate Oceans Month of the Philippines (May) and World Environment Day
(5 June), an Ecological Youth Camp -
Kilos Kabataan Para sa Karagatan was conducted at
the Mindanao State University-TCTO Parade Ground on 5 - 6 June
2004. The 2-day Ecological Youth Camp, which was participated by 29 boys and girls from of
Grade 6 to second year high school level from the different barangays and
schools in Bongao and even from Zamboanga City, aimed to
provide children the opportunity to appreciate and understand the
mangrove, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems and their living and
non-living components, raise awareness among the youth of the threats that
affect these ecosystems and to generate some positive behavior or actions
what the participants as youth of Bongao can do about these. Since
protection of the environment is the concern of everyone regardless of
ethic grouping and religious affiliation, in the spirit of integration,
the camp had a good mix of Christian, Tausug, Sama and Badjao
participants.
At the end of the EcoCamp,
the participants constituted themselves
into a Kilusan ng Kabatan para sa Karagatan
and pledged to reduce, reuse, and recycle
waste materials like plastics, wrappers, and soft drink cans; not to throw
wastes into the sea but dispose these properly; conserve water and
participate as youth volunteer in IEC activities, coastal clean-up and
other conservation activities of NGOs and government agencies. This was
witnessed not only by various sector representatives but also by the
campers' parents.
This was spearheaded by the office of the PENRO-DENR, DAF-ARMM and MSU-TCTO Center
for Oceanographic Studies, in collaboration with Kabang Kalikasan ng
Pilipinas or WWF-Philippines, FISH Project Tawi-Tawi, Tawi-Tawi Divers
Club, the Office of the Municipal Mayor of Bongao, and the Society for the
Conservation of Philippine Wetlands.
Reported by Mr. Mon Romero |
