More sectors join force for biodiversity protection in Boracay

More sectors are joining forces for the biodiversity protection in this resort island originally organized by the cooperation between the Philippine and Japanese experts.

Jojo Rodriguez of the Sangkalikasan Producers Cooperative (SPC) said that they are joining the biodiversity campaign by assisting a group of experts for the project dubbed as "Integrated Coastal Ecosystem Conservation and Adaptive Management under Local and Global Environmental Impacts (CECAM) in the Philippines".

The CECAM is composed of different organizations such as the University of Tokyo, Nagasaki University, Hokkaido University, Kochi University, Ryukyu University, Port and Airport Research Institute, Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), University of the Philippines Department of Geodetic Engineering, UP Marine Science and UP Visayas.

"Like them we are also supporting efforts for biodiversity protection as we would also like to contribute to prepare Boracay in the future against the possible onslaught of climate change," said Rodriguez.

The SPC has also linkages with the Department of Science and Technology, Boracay Action Group, Globe and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the conservation of the environment of Boracay.

CECAM is part of the five-year research project spearheaded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Japan Science and Technology Agency. The CECAM is now on its third year of implementation.

Aside from Boracay, other provinces also includes in the research projects were Laguna Lake, Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro, Banate Bay in Iloilo; Bolinao in Pangasinan; including Naawan and Landingin in Pangasinan.

"We expect the group of experts to arrive in Boracay September 12 in preparation for the scheduled morning dive on last week of September or October," Rodriguez said.