DENR seeks community, stakeholders’ commitment to sustain rich biodiversity of Apo Island

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

NEGROS ORIENTAL – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) appealed to all environmental stakeholders and the community to exercise and promote responsible tourism and help sustain the rich biodiversity of Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (AIPLS).

According to DENR here, Apo Island is one of the top diving sites in the world, receiving 500 visitors and tourists daily before the pandemic that translated to about P1.0M to 1.5M earnings per month for the concerned local government units in the province.

 

However, irresponsible garbage disposal, waste management and plastic pollution now the biggest problem and major environmental risks due to irresponsible human activities at the sanctuary.

AIPLS Administrative Officer Severino Partosa bared that 80 percent of the community is still using plastic materials; 10 percent throws the plastic irresponsibly, while only 10 percent practices proper waste disposal.

DENR Environmental Management Specialist Theresa Quijano said the source of plastic waste does not only come from the residents of Apo Island but also from the waste of neighboring islands of Cebu, Siquijor, and mainland Negros Oriental.   

Aside from waste disposal management and plastic pollution issues, protecting and sustaining the biodiversity and habitat of its marine life is crucial at the IPLS, Quijano said that DENR continuously reminds snorkelers, divers and tourists to refrain from touching or stepping on the corals, turtles and other marine life that could damage the ecosystem and natural habitats of the Island marine sanctuary.

Some pump boat operators also drop anchors in the designated buoys but throw their used oil into the seawater that damage the marine life, especially the turtles.  “Apo Island has thriving sea turtles, diversity of soft and hard corals, and abundance of Jack fish or “Mamsa” in its dive sites,” Quijano added.

 

“Unknown to communities and stakeholders, these species or turtles, if touched, tends to leave the area. Because of this lack of knowledge, if not poor appreciation of their importance, we may lose them, such that it is prohibited to touch them,” Partosa said.

DENR has been continuously conducting massive information, education and communication (IEC) campaigns on the need to protect, preserve and sustain Apo Island’s marine biodiversity and coastal environment and to generate commitments from all stakeholders including the local government units (LGUs) concerned to save threatened species from extinction.

Partosa and Quijano admitted that what is urgently needed today is behavioral change from the population in Apo Island and the communities around the sanctuary specifics on the strict observance of waste disposal and even to eradicate single-use plastic materials to maintain the Island’s ecology and economy.

“We want to change their behavior that this tourism related damages will be minimized if not controlled for us to be able to sustain the protection and conservation of our ecosystem or tourism activity," Quijano said.

 

Part of the behavioral change drive is to conduct series of focused group discussions in the eight puroks/groups in the area.  Partosa expects and hopes that after this pandemic, when Apo Island opens for tourists and visitors, the island residents will improve proper waste disposal and management.

DENR also expects the influx of visitors and tourists to the Island after the pandemic.  Partosa said that usually tourists go higher in the month of Chinese New Year’s season of January and February, as the influx of Chinese visitors have doubled before, based on record.