The DUGJAN Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network will lobby to be institutionalized by the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh), led by Governor Aris Aumentado, through a proposed provincial ordinance.
Composed of the four Eastern Bohol Local Government Units (LGUs) of Duero, Guindulman, Jagna, and Anda, the DUGJAN MPA Network aims to regulate municipal waters and protect existing 26 MPAs from environmental degradation by illegal fishing and other unregulated human activities.
During their meeting on July 13, 2023, in Anda, DUGJAN said they plan to meet with Governor Aris Aumentado and Vice Governor Dionisio Victor Balite, together with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, to discuss a proposed provincial ordinance that will recognize their group as an institution in hopes of strengthening their network through support from the Provincial Government.
Along with the proposal, other matters in the meeting included the creation of a five-year action plan for the group to conduct from 2023 to 2028, composed of conservation activities that will revitalize the marine resources in their towns.
The Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office (BPEMO), together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bohol, facilitated the meeting and will also support DUGJAN’s initiatives, such as mangrove planting, diving seminars, coastal cleanups, and biophysical assessments of the marine life conditions inside the MPAs.
The DUGJAN MPA Network was formed through a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the four municipalities and Governor Aumentado on September 2022, to monitor unregulated human activities harmful to marine life. Marine conservation efforts are part of the Strategic Change Agenda of the province as a UNESCO-designated Global Geopark that advocates environmental regeneration and creates a conscious effort to promote ecological sustainability.