The stunning image of El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area (ENTMRPA) was tagged as the “most liked picture of an MPA” in DENR-Mimaropa’s online activity in connection with the celebration of Month of the Ocean (MOO) 2020.
ENTMRPA’s photo by Mildred Suza is one of the featured images in the “Picture Perfect,” the agency’s online activity that invited the general public to share on social media, photos of MPAs in Mimaropa Region that they wish to go back to or visit when it is already safe for everybody to travel.
The said activity that had been joined by 48 individuals is the concluding part of MOO of which this year focuses on marine protected areas (MPAs), with the theme “PAra sa Tao, Protected Areas for a Protected Future.”
And apart from ENTMRPA, other participants submitted beautiful images of Apo Reef Natural Park in Occidental Mindoro; El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area, Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape, Rasa Island Wildlife Sanctuary, Ursula Island Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary and the famous marine park, Tubbataha Reef Natural Park (TRNP).
“We are thankful to the participants because their pictures give us a glimpse of paradise, and albeit virtual, allow us to get closer to nature,” according to Regional Executive Director Henry Adornado in a press statement.
The Regional Executive Director added that they encouraged the participants for “Picture Perfect” to send along with their photos, their personal commitment towards conserving the MPAs and they likewise shared those photos to spread the advocacy on “responsible tourism.”
The two participants whose photos garnered the most number of likes will receive an eco-friendly bamboo tumbler, in line with the DENR’s “No! To single-use plastic campaign.”
“The decisions we make today help define the kind of environment that awaits our children and grandchildren. With this activity, we hope to inspire more people to make decisions that will never harm, but instead, ensure preservation of our natural resources for the future generations,” RED Adornado concluded.
He noted that they used to hold coastal cleanup activities every Month of the Ocean before but since mass gathering is restricted today due to COVID-19, they resorted to using the social media to promote the MPAs and develop a deeper appreciation on the significance of marine protected areas in people’s lives.
“Picture Perfect was DENR Mimaropa’s way of commemorating the environmental event while observing strict protocols issued by the government to prevent the spread of coronavirus,” part of the press statement of the agency.
Meanwhile, the Mimaropa Region is comprised of the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan. It is blessed with hundreds of marine protected areas which like the ones mentioned above, spell beauty and significant value to the people and the community although unfortunately, some human activities cause water pollution, encroachment and unsustainable practices that threaten, if not damage, the rich biodiversity of these marine areas.
To view the stunning MPAs in Mimaropa visit https://www.facebook.com/DENRMIMAROPA/.
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