News for June, 2016

Bigiw Bugsay Race: Celebrating Month of the Ocean

Camillia Jane Bollozos | June 29, 2016

In celebration of May as the Month of the Ocean, CCEF supported the First Bigiw Bugsay Race, a Bigiw Regatta and Stand Up Paddle boarding Race, held in Hale Mana Beach Resort last May 18 to 19, 2016 in Moalboal, Cebu Province. A “bigiw” is a traditional dugout canoe with bamboo outriggers that are paddled or driven by sails and motor, and “bugsay” is the local term for paddle. For the race, participants used bigiw driven by sails. The activity was organized by Island Buzz Philippines and Ms. Rebecca Smith, CCEF’s former board member.

National Seagrass-Mangrove Bioshield Conference

Camillia Jane Bollozos | June 29, 2016

Seagrass beds and mangrove forests are part of the coastal vegetation that protects the coastal areas from strong winds and waves. They act as natural barriers or also referred to as a bioshield that reduce wave energy.

First Cebu Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) info fair exhibit

Camillia Jane Bollozos | June 29, 2016

CCEF put up a booth for the “First Cebu Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Info Fair Exhibit” last May 20 to 24, 2016 at the SM Seaside City Atrium in Cebu City. CCEF represented the environmental component in DRR by showcasing coastal and marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangrove and beach forests, their roles and functions in reducing and/or mitigating disasters and/or climate change impacts.

Unity and Vigilance in Action: Crown-of-thorns starfish collection

Camillia Jane Bollozos | June 29, 2016

Crown-of-thorns (COT) starfish, locally known as “dap-ag”, is a spiny sea star that naturally occurs in coral reefs. It is, however, also a carnivorous predator that preys on coral reef polyps. An individual COT adult is reported to consume up to 6 square meters of living coral reef per year. In large numbers, and in the absence of their natural predators, the COT can be deadly to reefs.

Celebrating Saving Philippine Reefs 25th year in Calamianes Islands, Palawan

Camillia Jane Bollozos | June 29, 2016

The 25th Saving Philippine Reefs (SPR) annual expedition was conducted in the Calamianes Islands, in northern Palawan last April 17 to 25, 2016. Led by CCEFs’ President and Secretary Dr. Alan and Evangeline White, a diverse but select group of volunteers from the US, Australia, UK and the Philippines joined the underwater expedition to assess coral reef health, reef fish abundance and biomass and invertebrate diversity in at least nine reefs within the Calamianes.