PRESS RELEASE NO. 115-2024
Philippine Consulate personnel and their families pose for a group photo with Hanauma Bay in the background. The educational tour of Hanauma Bay was the Consulate’s activity this year in celebration of the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMo) held every September. (Photo courtesy of Mr. Aler Auro)
30 September 2024, Honolulu – In celebration of Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANAMo) this September, the Philippine Consulate partnered with the Hanauma Bay Education Program of the University of Hawaii to conduct an educational tour of Hanauma Bay, a renowned visitor attraction in Honolulu. Hanauma Bay is a natural preserve and marine life conservation district, known for its pristine waters and diverse marine life.
Proclamation No. 316, signed in 2017, designated September as MANAMo to raise awareness of maritime and archipelagic issues. This year's theme, Pamana ng Karagatan: Para sa Kinabukasan, Ating Ingatan, highlights the need to preserve our oceans for the benefit of future generations.
Consulate personnel and their family members attended a briefing by Ms. Emma Tovar, Education Specialist, Hanauma Bay Education Program, and a presentation by Ms. Morgan Mamizuka, Volunteer Program Coordinator, on conservation, management, and protection efforts at Hanauma Bay. These efforts are driven through an intergovernmental partnership among the (a) City and County of Honolulu (on the management of the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve), the (b) Department of Land and Natural Resources (for the designation of Hanauma Bay as a Marine Life Conservation District), and the (c) Hawaii Sea Grant of the University of Hawaii (which runs the Hanauma Bay Education Program).
The current, more sustainable management of Hanauma Bay and its approach to conservation through education includes stewardship programs, lectures, seminars, school programs involving 61 schools, and volunteer initiatives. The focus on conservation includes rules such as requiring visitors to watch a 10-minute educational video on the importance of preservation, limiting the number of daily visitors, banning fish feeding, charging non-residents an admission fee, and closing the park on Mondays and Tuesdays to reduce the impact on the environment. Ms. Mamizuka noted that prior to the pandemic, up to 10,000 people visited Hanauma Bay daily, leading to overcrowding and damage to corals and algae.
As tokens of appreciation, Acting Head of Post Pamela Durian-Bailon (leftmost) and Consul Grace Bulos (2nd from right) presented Kenneth Cobunpue -designed baskets featuring a brass boat on top to Hanauma Bay Education Program resource persons Ms. Emma Tovar (2nd from left) and Ms. Morgan Mamizuka (rightmost).
Through this MANAMo activity, the Consulate personnel gained a deeper appreciation of the importance of responsible and sustainable tourism and the need to balance economic benefits from tourism with the protection of maritime resources. (END)
