The fun run was organized by the Subic Bay Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council (SBIFARMC), which is celebrating its 13th year anniversary this month.
The run started and finished at the Boardwalk Park here and drew participants from various schools in the Freeport and Olongapo City, as well as members of the Olongapo City police force, the PNP Maritime Command, the local media, and employees of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), and various locator-companies in Subic Bay Freeport.
SBIFARMC chairman Restituto Del Rosario said the successful fund drive will benefit the group’s information and education campaign, which focuses on uplifting public awareness on the importance of protecting and preserving marine resources against illegal activities.
“The fund will be used for our mangrove planting and rehabilitation projects, coastal river clean-up, conduct of forum, and the drive against illegal fishing,” Del Rosario said.
He also lauded SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia for the agency’s continuing support of SBIFARMC in terms of various livelihood training and the P4-million Environmental Guarantee Fund (EGF), which the SBMA approved in October 2010.
The fishers group has used the EGF to produce 60 artificial reef modules that were installed in the coastal areas of Subic Bay, Morong in Bataan, and San Antonio in Zambales; as well as for projects that provide additional income to members, and scholarship grants for their children.
The SBIFARMCI also received two units of newly-built motorized bancas for its monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) program.
Del Rosario also thanked participants in the fun run, saying that each donation was crucial to the task of protecting the marine environment here.
“These steps are important to reach our vision of sustainable management of our marine resources and we hope that our efforts and commitments become successful to regain the bountiful resources of our municipal waters,” he added.
Aside from the SBMA, “Takbo Para sa Pagmamahal sa Karagatan” was supported by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Region 3 (BFAR-R3), Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce, SM Olongapo, Subic Water, Subic Ads, Redondo Peninsula Energy, Inc., and One Meralco.
In the event, BFAR-R3 also donated five units of gasoline engines for bancas, 10 Coleman portable lights, and 30 life vests. These were distributed among the four FARMCs of Morong, Olongapo City, Subic and San Antonio. (RAV/MPD-SBMA)
PHOTO:
Participants in the “Takbo Para sa Pagmamahal sa Karagatan” break out at the start of the fun run organized by the Subic Bay Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council, which is celebrating its 13th year anniversary this month.
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