CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in partnership with the local government unit of Masinloc, conducted a paralegal training for 96 Bantay Dagat members to strengthen coastal and marine protection efforts within the Masinloc and Oyon Bay Protected Landscape and Seascape (MOBPLS) in Zambales.
The training aimed to enhance the participants’ understanding of environmental laws, proper enforcement procedures, and their responsibilities as frontliners in safeguarding the more than 7,000-hectare marine protected area.
The activity was organized to improve the legal and technical capabilities of Bantay Dagat personnel in addressing illegal fishing, unauthorized extraction of marine resources, and other environmental violations that threaten coastal ecosystems.
According to Donaver Guevarra, head of the DENR Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Masinloc, the training is expected to strengthen the capacity of community-based enforcement groups in protecting the municipality’s rich marine biodiversity.
“This training strengthens the ability of our Bantay Dagat members to carry out lawful and effective enforcement operations, especially in protecting the rich coastal and marine resources of Masinloc and MOBPLS,” Guevarra said.
He emphasized that stronger collaboration among enforcement agencies, local government units, and community volunteers is necessary to ensure effective coastal and marine protection.
DENR Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo likewise underscored the important role of Bantay Dagat personnel in maintaining the ecological integrity of protected areas.
“Our Bantay Dagat personnel play a vital role in protecting marine biodiversity and ensuring the sustainable use of coastal resources. Strengthening their legal and technical capabilities is essential in promoting environmental governance and maintaining the ecological integrity of our coastal communities, especially within protected areas such as MOBPLS,” Pablo said.
The activity also highlighted the importance of inter-agency cooperation, local government support, and community participation in strengthening marine law enforcement and sustainable resource management in protected coastal areas.
MOBPLS remains the first and only marine protected area in Central Luzon established under Republic Act No. 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System Act of 2018.