The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office of Mambusao called on residents to help protect seagrass during a coastal conservation activity in Barangay Lonoy, Sapian, Capiz, on March 2, 2026.
Through a focused Communication, Education, and Public Awareness activity, about 31 fisherfolk, residents and Bantay Dagat members gathered to learn why seagrass is vital not only to marine ecosystems but also to community survival and livelihoods.
Seagrass meadows are widely regarded as important coastal habitats because they serve as breeding and nursery grounds for marine life, help stabilize shorelines and store so-called blue carbon, which supports climate resilience.
Punong Barangay Pancho Orario and Sapian Municipal Agriculturist and Environment and Natural Resources Officer Deodith Grace H. Baticbatic reminded participants that the benefits people receive from the sea depend on how well they care for it.
With the inspiring local message by the latter, “Kasubaan kag kadagatan amligan, b’was damlag sang Sapianon preparahan,” (Protect our rivers and oceans, secure the future of each Sapianon), Ms. Baticbatic emphasized that practicing sustainable fishing and supporting environmental inter-agency efforts are the best ways to ensure that the next generation of Sapianons will still have a sea to harvest from.
DENR Region VI Regional Executive Director For. Raul L. Lorilla said, “It takes all the eyes and hands of the local community to make conservation work.”
“The activity is a strong testament that environmental stewardship is not done alone but is a shared responsibility,” he ended.
CENRO Mambusao Officer-in-Charge CENR Officer For. Jonne L. Adaniel said seagrass is far more than just “underwater grass.”
He said seagrass acts as the ocean’s nursery by sheltering young fish, protecting shorelines from erosion and helping keep coastal waters clean.
CENRO Mambusao technical personnel, including Myrine E. Gonzaga and Tia May Olivar, also presented the status of Sapian’s waters and highlighted how pollution and destructive fishing can be addressed through community-led action and the establishment of marine protected areas.
To reinforce the message of sustainability, organizers distributed CEPA materials to local government units and residents as a continuing reminder to help build a more resilient and sustainable coastline for Sapian. (DENR-6)
