DENR 6 To Partner With Youth in Ocean Month

Iloilo- The DENR Region 6 through its Conservation and Development Division-Coastal Resource and Foreshore Management Section (CDD-CRFMS) have slated activities for the month-long celebration of the Month of the Ocean, specifically involving the youth.

Pursuant to Proclamation No. 57 issued by then President Joseph Ejercito Estrada, the month of May annually is declared as Month of the Ocean (MOO). The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) under the Department of Agriculture (DA) are tasked to spearhead its observance.

This year, the Department adopts the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Ocean Decade Challenge 4 “Develop a sustainable and equitable blue Economy” as the MOO theme.

On the 6^th of May, the MOO Opening Activity including a Coastal and Marine Trivia Game will be held at the DENR 6 Courtyard to be participated by region-based personnel and officials. The afternoon of that same day will pave for the highlight of the celebration, the Ocean and Seas Forum at Fort San Pedro National High School, Sto. Rosario St., Port Area, Iloilo City. Selected officers, members, and faculty advisers  of the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O) are expected to attend the activity which aims to capacitate school youth in protecting our waters, as well as to inculcate the importance of seas and oceans to the economy.

“The youth play an integral part in safeguarding our oceans and seas, including all marine organisms that inhabit them. They possess the skills and knowledge to effectively relay vital information especially in the digital space. We need to enhance these potentials. We need to partner up with the young ones to fulfill our vision of a clean and safe environment for all,” said CDD-CFRMS Chief Mary Ann Baldove.

In addition, the CDD-CFRMS together with the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in Guimaras will facilitate a Youth EcoCamp at the town of Nueva Valencia. The activity will be on May 8-11, 2024, and will be joined by students from John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU).

“As we celebrate the Month of the Ocean this May, let us all join hands in promoting the protection of our blue waters. As an archipelagic country, we must lead the way in  efforts to conserve our coastal and marine resources. We must also acknowledge the great contributions they bring to our economy as a nation. All these and more must be highlighted not only this May, but in all the days ahead. I call on everyone, not just the youth, to join us in this quest,” Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran said.

The DENR 6 urges everyone to actively participate in the different activities lined up for the MOO celebration in their respective localities across the region./DENR 6