Sorsogon town wins BFAR’s environment award for 2020

By Marlon Atun

Prieto Diaz town in Sorsogon province was cited as the grand winner for the nationwide Search for the 2020 Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) award of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

For winning the award, the Prieto Diaz local government unit (LGU) will receive a certificate of recognition and a total of P30 million worth of livelihood projects. The awarding of prizes will be held soon, BFAR said.

Thirteen entries, all regional winners across the country, vied for the 2020 Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan award. The entries submitted during the fourth quarter of 2020 were screened by the BFAR national technical search committee (NTSC).

Among the five municipalities in the shortlist of nominees and were subjected to field validations include Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon for Region 5; Libertad, Antique for Region 6; Hinunangan, Southern Leyte for Region 8; Mahinog, Camiguin for Region 10; and Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte for Region 13.

The top three national finalists, Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon, Hinunangan, Southern Leyte and Libertad, Antique, were recommended for the award by the NTSC, which endorsement was concurred by the agency’s national steering committee, and finally got the final approval of Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

Aside from Prieto Diaz, Hinunangan, Southern Leyte notched the second place and will receive P10 million worth of livelihood projects. The town of Libertad, Antique won the third place with a prize of P10 million worth of livelihood projects.

Earlier, Prieto Diaz also won the Best Mangrove Award for the 2021 Para El Mar Awards and Recognition. The awards program recognizes the efforts of the LGUs for its Mangrove Ecosystem Protected Area covering an area of 1,034 hectares.

BFAR’s MMK program is a continuing program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) – BFAR that aims to promote fisheries protection and conservation, sustainable coastal and sea management in the KLGUs along with the concerned stakeholders. (PIA5/Sorsogon)