CEBU CITY, Philippines — As part of the Integrated Coastal Resource Management Program (ICRMP) implementation, the Region 7 office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has distributed nearly P5.4 million worth of information and communication technology (ICT) equipment for coastal protection.

The ICT equipment compliments the patrol boats which were given earlier by the ICRMP implementation.

DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo O. Dichoso, during the turnover ceremony, stressed that the handheld radios and personal computers intends to capacitate our local government units (LGUs) in their law enforcement efforts and maintain and keep a database through the integrated information management system.

“Through this ICT equipment we can capacitate our LGUs by training them on the integrated information management system as this is necessary to keep and store bits of information as database on the catalogue of available coastal resources and zoning so that potential resource-use conflict could be minimized,” Dichoso said.

He added that the patrol boats given to LGUs together with the ICT equipment are expected to further boost the fight against illegal fishing and curb the problem on the destruction of coastal natural resources.

Dichoso explained that by providing two units of handheld radio for each LGU, law enforcement activities will be improved as coral reefs and mangroves have to be protected to ensure fish habitats and near-shore fish stocks.’

“We need to sustain the active participation and involvement among our local government units and other stakeholders as our coastal areas provide invaluable benefits such as fishing, aquaculture, tourism and coastal transport of products,” he said.

Meanwhile, the 26 LGUs included in the ICRMP are the coastal towns of Larena, Siquijor, Enrique Villanueva, Lazi, Maria, and San Juan, all in Siquijor; and Alcantara, Alcoy, Aloguinsan, Alegria, Argao, Barili, Boljoon, Badian, Carmen, Cordova, Dalaguete, Dumanjug, Lapulapu City, Malabuyoc, Moalboal, Samboan, San Remegio, Santa Fe, Ronda, and Tabogon, all in Cebu.