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DUMAGUETE City – Forty people from 17 local governments in the Visayas are undergoing training here before their deputation as park rangers of the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS).
Tañon Strait is the largest marine protected area and one of the marine key biodiversity areas in the Philippines, said Rosa Antes, TSPS program manager for the environmental conservation group Rare.
The training includes lectures on communication protocols, laws such as the Fisheries Code and the NIPAS (National Integrated Protected Areas System) Act, processes on apprehension and documentation, reporting, and information gathering, among others.
Rare is leading the training — funded by the United Nations Development Programme – Global Environment Facility — in coordination with government and nongovernment partners.
Once deputized, the trained park rangers from local governments in Cebu, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental provinces will work closely with the TSPS joint task group in enforcing fishery and environmental laws.
The task force is composed of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Philippine National Police, the Maritime Police, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine Coast Guard, among others.
Tañon Strait protected area supervisor Prospero Am Lendio said the training and deputation will be a big help, especially against illegal commercial fishing.
The TSPS Protected Area Office has only 23 personnel, with only 12 involved in law enforcement, Lendio disclosed. (PNA)
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