ANDA, Bohol – This easternmost cape town is not only rich in natural resources, ranging from unspolied kilometric white sand beaches with crystal clear seawater to high grade raw manganese ores and scuba dive sites but also the home of birthing hawksbill and berthing of whale shark or “butanding.” In an interview last week, Crescensio “Insong” Amora, caretaker of the regularly egg-laying turtles’ sanctuary and former fishermen’s organization head, said that for years now they have been closely watching the site, about a kilometer long white sand of barangay Bacong because they feel the need and the importance of conservation. But he expressed worry he said because no government agency, not even the municipal government, except the barangay, is assisting them in this environmental efforts for the next generation.

Aside from this fact, he lamented that tourism boom has not been fully harnessed by the officials here that could have been beneficial to the local residents and fishermen. He cited a case in point that a lot motor bancas are coming here from other points and resorts for dive and sight-seeing because its dive sites underneath not far from the shoreline are loaded with beauty of marine resources and species not seen anywhere else in the province. He said he can vouch this scenario because he has been fishing and diving in this area since birth. But what happened, he said, the local folk particularly the residents here have not been given an opportunity to service the tourists so that they can also earn a living. He said in vernacular, it is our sea and the local folk must supposedly be shared with the bounty of the sea to earn a living. Right now, pointing to the incoming divers on board of a pumpboat while being interviewed, only the resort owners-operators are making money.

He said that for many years this particular stretch of white sand have been frequented by sea turtles, mostly hawksbill to lay eggs, about twice a year, and gone leaving behind the eggs to hatch their own. He said that even his father when he was still alive used to tell him to protect the turtle, because if they’re not, he might not see them again. He said that upon learning this he observed that the turtles keep on coming back here to lay eggs because he learned that it is but natural for them to return to the place where they were born. This motivated him and prompted the local fisherfolk together to continue what his father has started. But first, it was an uphill campaign. Still, he is worried of the situation since there are still unscrupulous persons, who are not residents here, who are making a killing literally of the turtle eggs for food and trade purposes.

When they used to put markers where the turtle laid eggs, it would be easy for the predators to locate the eggs and dug them up. But they have their lesson, he said. When turtle lays eggs, just like sometime in May this year, they did not put marking of the vicinity where the eggs are hid. And the eggs hatched and emerge the minute turtles crawling the sand after more than 60 days. The sanctuary also serves as their shelter until they are grown enough and release them to survive and can protect themselves when they’re out to the sea. Only about ten percent survive after they are hatched and directly swim to the water, he said. Right now, the sanctuary facility hosts to seven small ones. Egg-laying turtles can be very attractive in tourism industry because they do it regularly as long as security and conservation measures must be in place, he said. The entire white sand shoreline, bounded only with some cliffs and big rock dividing them, stretching in at least five barangays, of this town is also abundant with edible sand crabs that children are hunting. That’s why he wants that awareness drive should be continued among the local folk and visitors to protect the sea trutles, he said.

It will recalled that one of these barangay, Candabong, was robbed of its white sand deposits by dodgy traders in connivance with local officials who hauled and loaded the sand them to a barge berthed ashore not too long ago that caused an uproar among the local folk. The sand haul was reportedly intended for sprucing up of a rocky beach resort in Mactan. He said that unknown to many the barangay is maintaining, for years now, a small what he called turtle sanctuary made of light materials erected near the shoreline, about 4 meters by 6 meters in size, just to keep the newly hatched turtles from being harmed by predators including humans. And his and those of the barangay efforts have paid off because he sees regularly the turtles while fishing in what he called the turtle cave because of abundance of them.

He said if given the needed assistance, financially or otherwise this part of the town could be unique for tourists since turtles are abound. He said how he wishes that one day this dream is realized because not only that sea turtle can be an attraction but also whale sharks or “butanding” which also frequent in seawater here. He always experiences them face-to-face. His claim of these underwater bounties is collaborated by his fellow caretakers and fishermen during the interview. The project was made possible through the generosity of the German national Frankee Mirko, who is married to Andahanon, he said. The Mirko couple, who is residing nearby he said, donated the materials and the sanctuary management is taken care of the barangay. He said he has been together with other fishermen-companions who fully understand the cause they are advancing guarding literally the turtle sanctuary 24/7. (RVO)