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Food security, climate change and poverty and its significance to coastal resource management should be considered by voters in next year's election, said US Ambassador Kristie Kenney yesterday.
?This is the time to think how you and the citizens should vote,? Kenney told participants of the second national Conference of Coastal Municipalities of the Philippines held at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
The conference also gave recognition to local government units (LGUs) for their management of their marine protected areas (MPAs).
This year's awardee was Pilar town, Camotes Island which oversees its municipal Marine Park at the northwestern portion of Ponson Island, Cebu.
Meanwhile, Kenney said local governments should prioritize the protection and preservation of their coastal communities in order to benefit both the big businessmen and the small fishermen.
?They (local executives) should keep in mind the management of the Philippine environment resources,? she added.
She said several communities have won awards for coastal management for enabling fishermen to fish sustainably and promoting their areas as tourist destinations while protecting their coastal waters and resources.
Kenney said the United States government is committed to supporting the coastal management initiatives of LGUs.
She said by doing so, coastal residents are assured of access to food, water and livelihood.
Kenney said mitigating measures to address climate change involves not just one community but includes other countries.
She lauded the efforts of the LGUs for maintaining their marine protected areas, saying ?they are doing very well.?
?These are not easy issues, they are grappling against day to day problems as well as global problems,? she added.
One such LGU is the municipality of Pilar, Camotes island whose marine park placed first in the search for exemplary marine protected areas in the country.
Pilar Mayor Jesus Fernandez Jr. received the trophy and P100,000 cash.
Fernandez said they strictly implement policies at their 180-hectare marine park, deploying 11 fish wardens who are on duty 24 hours a day on four hour shifts.
The awards was organized by the Marine Protected Area Support Network, headed by Dr. Porfirio Aliño.
Third place went to Ambao Fish Sanctuary and Marine Reserve in Hinundayan, Southern Leyte while the second placer is the Tambunan Marine Protected Area in Tabina, Zamboanga del Sur.
Fernandez said they plan to buy communication equipment for the park since they usually use cell phones to coordinate with their wardens.
The marine park in Pilar is noted for flora and fauna such as mangroves lining the park, giant clams, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, large barrel sponges and schools of barracuda.
Another Cebu-based MPA given recognion was recognized at the second Conference of Coastal Municipalities of the Philippines, the Daan-Lungsod-Guiwang Marine Sanctuary in Alcoy town, south of Cebu.
The municipal government has imposed a ?no take? zone since 2002 within the 22.709-hectare marine sanctuary.
?The people also responded to the project. They were sold out to the idea of nature and nurture,? Alcoy Mayor Nick de los Santos told reporters.
Alcoy town is also known for its efforts in the conservation of the Black Shama or Siloy, a bird that is endemic to Cebu province.
