TALIBON-Local officials here bank on the recent visitors from Pennsylvania, United States to spread the good practice in the town's Coastal Resource Management (CRM) project. At least 11 Biology, Economics and Fisheries students of McDaniel College of Pennsylvania were recently here to visit this town for their study tour on “Learning Philippines”. Mayor Juanario Item represented the town in welcoming and hosting the visitors at his office and answered all the queries of the young foreigner students. Casey Gostowarow, US Peace Corps volunteer and the team leader introduced their company and stated their purpose of coming here.

He said their visit is part of their research study on the Fishery Improved for Sustainable Harvest (FISH), and observed the implementation of Coastal Resource Management (CRM) project in this town and how it provides assistance to the local government units and other line agencies of the government. They also learned about the success stories of the declared Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the law enforcement against illegal fishing and cutting of mangroves. He also said they wanted to know how the Project Seashore was implemented in some island barangays of the towns and how they tackle issues like the opposition of the fisherfolks during the introduction of the project and its impact to the fishing community. After a short conversation, the group proceeded to the interpretive center located just beside the main municipal building.

There, Rachelle Sayson entertained and briefed them on the birth of the center and guided them to the displays of the five clusters of the Danajon Bank like the coastal walk, around Danajon, life in Danajon, fishing in Danajon, and the Danajon and you. The group was brought to the conference hall for a short Power Point presentation of the municipal profile. Then an open forum followed. FISH Project Coordinator Aning Gulayan represented the FISH project, while Franco Villaruel represented the Project Seahorse Foundation. FISH project is funded under the United State Assistance for International Development (USAID). (Onad Munalem)