Selinog
Fisherfolk Engage in Income-Generating Activities
Vivien S. Cabanban
Project Management Officer/Graduate Student
Mr.
Elicerio Abellon Sycip Farm workers harvesting salt (above, left).
Selinog stops over and observes a salt processing machine (above).
At Selinog Island, locals buil their first salt beds (left). |
Increasing fisherfolk incomes
through non-fishing activities is part of the SUAKCREM-Pew Project on Selinog
Island, where a marine reserve is protected and managed by the organized community.
Two of these activities are salt making and mat weaving.
Joan Bacang, Liz Sumingit, and Vivien Cabanban organized the “Lakbay Aral”
or Educational Tour to the Sycip Salt Farm in Manjuyod, Negros Oriental on
April 2, 2001, with the support of Ms. Elda Gimena of Dapitan City Agriculture
Office. The tour was participated by seven members of Selinog Island Dapitan
Fisherfolk Association (SIDFA) headed by its President, Mr. Elicerio Abellon
and by the Selinog Barangay Captain Julieta Cuaresma. As a result of this
educational tour, Selinog community has set up seven pilot salt beds which
produces salt on an average of 2 kilos a day. The salt is sold to the community
at 50% cheaper than the existing market price.
Training on mat weaving and designing was conducted on April 30 – May 4, 2001.
Selinog Island Dapitan Women’s Association (SIDWA) through the help of the
Pew/SUAKCREM community organizers and Dapitan Local Government invited a trainer
from Basei, Leyte. Thirty six women were enthusiastic about the training and
were proud of the mats, bags, slippers and fans that they were able to produce
during the five-day training. As a result, SIDWA will be exhibiting their
products during the trade fair sponsored by the Department of Tourism on June
1-6, 2001 at Dapitan City.
| |
After
a 5-day weaving training, Selinog Island Women's Association (SIDWA)
proudly presents their colorful finished products. The products consist
of mats, bags, slippers and hand fans.
|
But how
do we gauge the success of these alternative livelihood projects? It is gauged
not only by how much money they are now or will be reaping from these endeavors
but are gauged also by (a) how well the community (Fishermen, Women and Youth
Organizations) organized themselves and put their concerted efforts in making
this projects possible and by (b) how sincere the community is willing to
exhaust all possible alternative sources of income to lessen the pressure
on their fishery resources.
The empowerment of the community is the result of the
implementation of the Community-Based Coastal Resources Management Model set
up by the PEW Fellows, Dr. Angel C. Alcala and Dr. Garry R. Russ. The model
involves the participation of three major key players, Local Community, Local
Government, and Academe/NGO in the management and protection of marine resources
at Selinog Island, off Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte province.
Press Release
Dr. A.C. Alcala, University Research Professor and Director,
Silliman University-Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental Management,
Silliman University and Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation, 1999 has been invited
by Mr. Patrick O’Leary, Regional Coordinator, Marine and Coastal Community
Network N.T., Darwin N.T. 0801, Australia on 22-28 July 2001 to deliver lectures
in a course on coastal resource management that is intended for aboriginal
organizations in Australia, East Timor and Papua New Guinea. Alcala was invited
to share with these organizations his 26 years of research and practical community
experience on the establishment of marine reserves managed by local communities
and local government units. His lectures will be built around these four topics:
Community organizing, education, and capacity-building; Marine reserves and
alternative sources of income; Marine reserves and fishing; and Marine reserves
and tourism. 
