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SUNDAY, JULY 23, 2017
Jimbo Gulle, Editor
Roger Garcia, Issue Editor
LGUs
mslocalgov@gmail.com
GIANT LAPU-LAPU SPAWNERS FREED INTO SARANGANI BAY M AASIM, Sarangani— Sarangani Bay is now the home of five king grouper spawners donated by Finfish Hatcheries Inc., the largest commercial fishing hatchery in the Philippines.
Locally known as “lapu-lapu” or “kugtong,” the giant groupers were released into Sarangani Bay from the jetty of the Sarangani Energy Corp's 210-megawatt power plant during the province’s Ocean Month Celebration recently to help replenish the grouper population in the area. According to Genia Genosa, production superintendent for the Sarangani-based Finfish Hatcheries—the first fry hatchery in the Philippines—a giant lapu-lapu’s weight can range from 80 kilograms to more than 100 kilograms. One giant grouper can spawn as much as 20 percent of its own body weight in eggs, with a spawning grouper able to lay between 16
kilograms to more than 20 kilograms of egg per cycle. Each kilo of a giant grouper egg can carry as many as 1.2 million fish fry. “The reason why they lay so many eggs is because the mortality [rate] of their fry is only around 5 percent. With proper monitoring and supervision, the giant groupers we released can help repopulate Sarangani Bay with groupers,” Genosa said. A major concern is to ensure the survival of the giant spawners and to keep them safe from fishermen, but Maasim Mayor Aniceto Lopez Jr. gave his assurance that the local government will help through constant monitoring and feeding. According to Mayor Lopez, SEC’s jetty area is part of the 216,000-hectare protected portion of Sarangani Bay, which is why catching them and other marine species in the covered area would be considered illegal. Declared as a “protected seascape” under Presidential Proclamation 756, Sarangani Bay is also home to a variety of commercially viable fish species such as milkfish fry or “bangus.” “We will ask the Bureau of Fisheries and
Local Gov’t Units
Aquatic Resources to keep an eye on the giant groupers and help us make sure that they are safe,” Lopez reiterated. The 805th Squadron of the Phil. Coast Guard Auxiliary stationed near the jetty also vowed to watch out for enterprising fishermen who might be tempted to catch one of the giant groupers. Former Sarangani governor and Alsons Aquaculture vice presdient for operations Miguel Dominguez said that this is the first time that a private company is reseeding a marine protected area with breeders to ensure continued fish production. “We have been restocking Sarangani Bay with milkfish but we decided to take it a step further by putting breeders back in the wild where they belong. Not only will it help in the sustainability of the bay, but hopefully the giant groupers will also become a big tourist attraction for Maasim. Divers can swim with these giant creatures since they are friendly,” Dominguez added. During the event, Alsons Power corporate affairs manager Ruben Tungpalan reiterated SEC’s commitment to protect and preserve Sarangani Bay.
REGIONAL PLUM FOR BEE FARM OF BOHOL A HOTEL resort and food production company engaged in organic food production and eco-tourism services in Panglao Island, Bohol, was chosen as the 2017 Best Setup Adoptor (regional level) during the Regional Science and Technology Week held at the Cebu Waterfront Hotel in Cebu City recently. A partner-beneficiary of the Department of Science and Technology 7, Bohol Bee farm, at the same time, awarded as one of the top 5 finalists for National Best Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program Adoptor in the country. Owned by the Victoria Sandidge, the Bohol Bee Farm is a beneficiary of the DoST 7 funding and technical assistance to boost the productivity and profitability of its organic food business. Her products include organic ice cream, spread, bread and other products whose ingredients are mostly sourced from within the farm of the eco-tourist resort. As a partner-beneficiary of the DoST 7 under Setup, her business was able to avail of funding assistance for the acquisition of a brand new ice cream machine that enables it to increase its production from 40 gallons a day to an average of 250 gallons a day. The DoST also provided the Bohol Bee Farm technical support to raise the packaging and shelf-life quality of its products to excellent standards.
WITH GPS, SARANGANI EAGLE GOES HIGH-TECH Scan this icon to view the PDF One giant grouper, like this one carried into (inset) and released into Sarangani Bay, can spawn as much as 20 percent of its own body weight in eggs, with a spawning grouper able to lay between 16 kilograms to more than 20 kilograms of eggs per cycle. Each kilo of a giant grouper egg can carry as many as 1.2 million fish fry.
BOHOL PLAYS HOST TO VINTAGE CAR RALLY ANEW VINTAGE car enthusiasts once again will have the chance not only to display their “treasured and well-loved vehicles” but likewise test its competitive conditions and endurance as the fourth edition of the racing event unfolds in October this year once again in Bohol province. Inspired by Italy’s Mille Miglia rally—which gives emphasis on time accuracy over speed—better known as a Time-Speed-Distance rally, more than 50 participants are expected to join that would include international drivers from Hong Kong and Singapore Tour de Cebu, the country’s only 1,000-kilometer rally for vintage cars—that traverses across the Visayan regions and runs mostly along scenic and historic routes— returns to the province of Bohol on
The Tour de Cebu will visit Bohol and travel its roads again on Oct. 22.
Oct. 22. Dubbed as “Touristic” Rally Across the Visayas, participants will be comprised of motor vehicles with year models 1972 or older. Presented by the Performance
and Classic Enthusiasts of Cebu and the Manila Sports Car Club, the annual motoring event will be participated in by well-known and distinguished local vintage car owners such as CNN Philippines’
automotive journalist James Deakin, world-renowned designer Kenneth Cobonpue, and business tycoons Michael Lhuillier, Darren Deen, Cebu congressman Red Duran, and hotelier Grand Benedicto. Last year’s edition kicked off in Cebu City and made its way to Tubigon, Bohol onboard a roll-on, roll-off boat. Thirtythree vintage cars made its way through the scenic route of Bohol’s landscape and capped each end of the Bohol route at the triple A luxury resort Be Grand Resort in Panglao Island. First-time and youngest participant, Martin Aguilar, took home the trophy as the champion for the 3rd Tour de Cebu.
‘SWEET AVALANCHE’ AND SPICE GIRL ON A farm tour at a pineapple farm in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya, a young lady (left photo) picks her choice from a pile of big-size and sweet pineapples along the national road. Meanwhile, a farm girl (right photo) looks enthralled by the large-size native garlic harvested from their farm in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. Despite the abundant harvest, many farmers cry foul because they are battling “smuggled competition” beyond their control. Thus, farm tourism has been launched by the provincial government to entice local visitors. (Photos by Suzanne June G. Perante)
SARANGANI Pride, the Philippine Eagle rescued early this year in the wilderness of Maitum town, has been fitted with a high-tech transmitter to send global positioning system daily readings The device aims to make monitoring of the endangered bird more efficiently and effectively. Monitoring the bird’s location will help it mature and propagate in the wild, and rescue it when distressed. Once the transmitter units are replaced, the team can get as many as 20 GPS location readings per day as opposed to 1 reading with the current transmitter, and whose battery life can last up to a maximum of 10 years. The eagle was found on Jan. 2 within Mt. Busa complex, a key biodiversity area and habitat to critically endangered, threatened, vulnerable and rare bird species. The rescued eagle was brought to the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao for rehabilitation before being released to the wild. Davao City-based Philippine Eagle Foundation recently deployed a team to recapture and replace the battery-powered GPS satellite transmitter harnessed unto the eagle with a solar-powered GPS-GSM (global system for mobile communications) tracker. “The bird was so agile. It took days before the team finally planned for a solution,” says biologist Rowell Taraya who headed the team from the PEF and the Maitum municipal government. “Last July 9, Sarangani Pride was spotted being mobbed by a flock of crows. It was tough for the team to divert SP’s attention for he was preoccupied with the birds,” he said. The bird was released less than an hour in custody after retagging and physical checkup. According to Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian, there is a need to declare the place a protected watershed and wildlife area, citing reports from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office that the whole stretch of the Maitum and Kiamba forest can be declared a wildlife sanctuary.