Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary The new diver’s paradise

Scenic Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary in Cordova, Cebu, some 600 kilometers south of Manila, is fast becoming a top favorite diving destination.

Divers are cashing by renting their snorkel equipment to tourists and frolickers who want to venture the sea underneath.

The visitors would not be disappointed as they would be greeted by schools of fish in the area.

The local government of Cordova conducts a bi-annual reef check activity at the Gilutongan sanctuary, in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), University of San Carlos Marine Biology Section and non-government organizations. The results of a recent reef monitoring effort showed an upsurge in the number of species of reef fish observed in the area from 13 to 26 species.

That was not the situation five years ago. At that time there were only three reef species inside the sanctuary and no more than five species in the surrounding area. Other than the over a hundred parrotfish seen then, there were only a few fish species to talk about until a steady rise in its numbers had been noted.

The sanctuary, set up in 1991, was poorly managed then. In 1998, the DENR’s Coastal Resource Management Project (CRMP) was set to re-establish the area with the funding assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Technical assistance was provided as well as the formulation of a three-year Marine Sanctuary Management Plan.

A couple of years after, the fee system was established, ushering in much desired earnings for the sanctuary. By the end of 2001, it had made a profit of more or less a million pesos.

Proceeds from users’ fees starting at R50 for every diver are shared by the municipality and the barangay. Using its 70 percent share, the Municipality of Cordova set off to build a R400,000 guardhouse at the sanctuary site.

The municipal government has as well made use of the funds to finance the reefcheck, the wage of a project director, supplies and equipment, repairs of the guardhouse and the two coastal law enforcement patrol boats, in addition to information, education and communication activities.

The barangay, on the other hand, allotted from its 30 percent share in the revenue funds for the setting up of alternative livelihood for the immediate community and the purchase of medicines, to pay for the honoraria of law enforcers and monitoring personnel, and for the conduct of information, education and communication program.

Without a doubt, efforts to earnestly put into practice environment-friendly activities in the area produced positive results, and in so doing, earning the nod and support of the DENR.