TACLOBAN CITY – Ormoc City has been awarded the prestigious Galing Pook Award for its initiative titled “Saving Kan: A Love Story in Ormoc Bay (Marine Mammal and Reptile Rehabilitation Center).”
This program tells the story of the city’s efforts to rescue and rehabilitate stranded marine mammals, reptiles, and other threatened species, while promoting a balanced marine ecosystem.
The initiative not only focuses on rescue and rehabilitation but also emphasizes environmental protection through measures like preserving the 557.58-hectare mangrove forest, enforcing the Single-Use Plastic Regulation Ordinance, and strengthening fisheries law enforcement, among others.
Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez and Leyte Rep.Richard Gomez (4th district) personally received the award from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the awarding ceremony in Malacañang on Sunday, October 27.
“As mayor, I put the highest priority in protecting our environment because people, animals, and everything are interconnected—we breathe the same air, walk the same land, and share the same water,” Mayor Gomez said during the presentation of their entry on October 23, 2024, at Landbank Plaza in Malate, Manila.
This marks the second time Ormoc has been a finalist for the Galing Pook Award, with the city’s commitment to marine life conservation recognized by the Local Government Academy of the Department of Interior and Local Government.
“No effort is ever too big, or too small. Gentle though this program may seem, we know that ours is more than just implementing a program—it’s a movement with long-term sustainable goals to safeguard marine life, from the smallest fish to the mightiest mammal. It’s a promise to preserve the beauty and balance of our natural world,” Mayor Gomez added.
The Marine Mammal and Reptile Rehabilitation Center, managed by a team led by Irish Belmonte, includes the Stranding Response Team, Medical Care Management Team, Bantay Dagat, City Veterinary Office, Philippine Coast Guard, deputized Philippine National Police personnel, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 8, the Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and dedicated volunteers.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
