12-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN THE FOREFRONT OF CORAL REGENERATION

 

:A 12 year old girl has started to raise funds for the restoration of corals in Camiguin province.

According to Sofia Pardo, it began when she was 10, as a graduating student of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program. She said she needed a project that she was most passionate about.

“After finishing the project, we would have to present our results at the PYP exhibition, as well as base the project on one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. I always loved the sea and the beach, so I chose Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Under Water. "

Because of this, she collaborated with the Sangkalikasan Producers Cooperative (SPC) through Jose Rodriguez to fund the successful microfragmentation and colony fusion of slow growing massive corals to preserve reef biodiversity. 

Already among those who answered Sofia's fund raising call was the Discovery Leisure Company as well as several private individuals. 

‘Because of their donations, I was able to plant a corral bed under the name of Domuschola Internaitonal School to raise awareness about coral reefs and bleaching,” she added.

The funding raised by Pardo being the now youngest member of the SPC has contributed to the funding requirements needed by the SPC.

Two years ago, SPC directors couple Bunne Gamboa-Santos and Michael Santos travelled to Florida, USA to learn and train under the MOTE Institute which pioneered the coral restoration program. 

They came back then to support and transfer the technology to SPC.