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In the dense mangrove forests north of Mindoro island in the Philippines, two women rangers paddle through the stream, eyes sharp for any signs of illegal logging.
“Lagi naming binabantayan dahil pinuputol ang bakawan. Ako ay nagagalit kapag pinuputol dahil tirahan yun ng mga isda, dun nangingitlog ang mga isda, pati mga alimango.”(We always keep watch because the mangroves are being cut down. I get angry when they are cut down because they are the habitat of fish, where fish lay their eggs, and where crabs also live.), Eliza Dawi, a female marine ranger, explains.
In the rural town of San Teodoro, where communities engage in both fishing and farming, the forest is alive: you hear the distant hum of insects, the melodious tweets of birds, and the murmur of flowing water. Juvenile fish swim through the submerged roots of the mangroves, and crabs scuttle across the muddy banks, burrowing through their homes. Further out into the sea, coral reefs work in harmony with the mangroves to protect the shoreline from strong waves while hosting the vibrant marine life that thrives in both ecosystems and supports the local communities.
Eliza Dawi and Vilma Cruz are marine rangers, locally called “bantay dagat” in the local language. They are hired by the local government of San Teodoro in North Mindoro, working hand in hand with Blue Alliance Philippines (BA) to protect marine ecosystems in the area. Led by BA, the programme involves a strong partnership with the local governments and communities to co-manage Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and support sustainable fisheries.
Through catalytic grant funding and support from the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), BA established a Special Purpose Entity (SPE) blended finance facility that will contribute to effectively protect, manage, and monitor networks of MPAs. The financing facility is positioned to scale up reef-positive businesses, which contribute financially to the MPA management through dividends and/or revenue sharing, allowing to cover operational costs such as ranger salaries, conservation activities, livelihood development, scientific monitoring and research, and empowerment of women on the frontlines of climate change. Now fully operationalised, the facility is attracting capital from private investors including BNP Paribas and UBS Optimus Foundation.
Since the start of the long-term renewable collaborative management agreements in North Mindoro in 2021, BA has worked alongside the local partners in improving the management of their marine ecosystems, bridging the gaps in compliance and enforcement by providing uniforms, equipment, patrol boats, fuel subsidy, and monthly incentives to rangers.
Vilma echoes the positive impact, brought by strong partnerships and efforts of different stakeholders on the ground, “Nakikita po naming na mas kakaunti na ngayon ang mga violation na nangyayari kasi binabantayan talaga namin.” (We see that there are now fewer violations happening because we are really monitoring and protecting the area).
Vilma and Eliza, female rangers who grew up in the coastal community, are stationed to patrol the lush mangrove forest of Brgy. Lumangbayan, San Teodoro. They lead the fight against unsustainable fishing in their waters and prevent illegal logging of mangroves. They go out with their paddleboat or “bangka” to patrol the mangrove forest four times a week on mornings, afternoons, or evenings.
Vilma explains, “Ang una naming ginagawa, mag-uusap-usap muna kami kung saang area kami pupunta, tapos hahanda namin yung mga gamit….Titingnan namin kung yung mga bakawan kung may nagpuputol, may naglalason sa bakawan. Kasi may nahuhuli kami minsan na kuwan ang mga isda ay namamatay…may nagrereport din samin.” (The first thing we do is discuss among ourselves which area we will go to, then we prepare our equipment. We check the mangroves to see if anyone has been cutting or using poison to fish in the area. Sometimes we catch people doing it, which causes the fish to die….We receive reports about it.)
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