Story & photos by Manuel T. Cayon | Mindanao Bureau Chief
CORON, Palawan—Nineteen Filipino youths from across the Philippines were awarded grants to implement individual marine-conservation projects in their localities.
The winners were selected by a panel from marine-conservation groups such as the Save Philippine Seas, the Ecofish Project of the US Agency for International Development, the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines and Lighthouse Studio. Winning projects were based on feasibility, impact and innovation, the US Embassy communiqué said.
One winning proposal from Mindanao is Garbage to Garden Project by Elle Genon, which would be a seminar and training about proper-waste management and vermicomposting for residents of Barangay Baybay in Lanao del Norte
A winning project proposal from Luzon is KaliKLASRUM by Jude Cuntapay and MM Maglasang. This would be “an education project designed to involve children from the urban setting in environmental issues and conservation.”
In the Visayas, the project Scarus by Katya Bonilla and Alenah Dy would involve boat-painting and coding activity for the fishermen of Barangay Gines in Miag-ao, Iloilo
The selection and awarding were done at the culminating Sea and Earth Advocates (SEA) Camp on June 14 in this resort and conservation island of Palawan.
The SEA Camp is a project of Save Philippine Seas and the US Embassy “that aims to empower young Filipinos to play bigger roles in marine conservation.”
“The booster grant winners were selected from the 30 culminating SEA Camp participants from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao who got initial grants during the regional SEA Camps. The Luzon SEA Camp was held in Calatagan, Batangas, from April 15 to 21; the Visayas SEA Camp in Siaton, Negros Oriental, from April 27 to May 3; and the Mindanao SEA Camp in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, from May 9 to 15,” the embassy statement said.