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Saving an island  It
takes a village – and many agencies – to save an island. At
least in the case of Buluan island.
Boasting of a
hill planted to coconuts and surrounded by fine white sand
beaches rippled by blue currents, Buluan island is a favorite
swimming hole for many Ipilenos.
It is just a
30-minute motorized banca ride from Palid wharf on a clear
day.
For many
years, it was a bountiful fishing ground, yielding a variety
of species. It was also home to sea turtles and some other
endangered species. But lately, the catch has dwindled and
the sea turtles have disappeared, the result of
environmentally destructive human activities.
In a dive
sponsored by the Western Mindanao Community Initiatives
Project (WMCIP), it was discovered that about forty per cent
of the corals have been destroyed by dynamite and bottom trawl
fishing. Siltation, caused by deforestation in the upper
lands of Ipil with the run-off settling in the area around the
island, had also contributed its share to the destruction.
The Xavier
Agriculture Extension Service (XAES), in partnership with the
WMCIP, was already doing community work in Barangay Buluan, on
mainland Ipil. It was natural then, that XAES would sound the
alarm on Buluan island’s dwindling resources. Suddenly, the
preservation of the island and the surrounding fishing grounds
became a major concern and a worthy rallying point for a cross
section of Ipilenos.
 On March 9,
2004, a specific area - sixty five hectares of pristine waters
encircling three-fourths of the island - was formally launched
as a marine sanctuary, providing fishes with a safe breeding
and spawning ground and increasing their chances to
repopulate.
The
memorandum of agreement for the protection of the island was
signed by Mayor Rey Andre Olegario representing the local
government unit of Ipil, Project Manager Rogelio Borbon for
WMCIP, Roberto Sabar for XAES, Barangay Captain Alfredo Lumbo
in behalf of the residents of Barangay Buluan, Susing Tiu for
the Rotary Club of Ipil-Sibugay, and Col. Emmanuel Cayton for
the 102nd brigade of the Philippine Army.
The support
of Commander Cayton is crucial to the joint effort. He had
earlier assigned in the island an Army detachment to deter
piracy and illegal fishing. This same group will now enforce
the ordinance crafted by the Sangguniang Bayan prohibiting the
entry of fishing boats in the area.
 To encourage
re-growth of the corals, XAES has dropped artificial reefs
around the island. And to demonstrate that it is possible to
create income without destroying the environment, XAES will
also use the island as a model area for related livelihood
programs in partnership with LGU-Ipil. The Rotary Club pitches
in now and then with financial donations. The Municipal
Agriculture Office does its part with continuing information
education for Buluan residents and nearby villages.
Just eight
months into the preservation effort, picnickers in Buluan are
in for some surprises. Small fishes once more swim right into
the breaking foam, a clear sign that the bigger ones will
follow. Once in a while, a spiky starfish can be spotted
sunning itself beneath ankle-deep crystal waters. And as
confirmed by a recent dive, the destruction of corals have
ceased with the absence of fishing in the marine preserve.
Buluan island
is healing itself, a secure sanctuary for God’s underwater
creation.
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