(SPOT.ph) The Philippines is an archipelago with extensive inland and coastal waters, making the fishing industry an undeniable factor in economic growth. Despite this valuable purpose, there is little attention given to our marine resources—leaving fisherfolks' livelihood under constant threat.
A 53-year old fisherman is bringing change for the betterment of his community by taking the lead in reviving and sustaining marine life, his family’s greatest source of income for many generations. And for his invaluable efforts, Roberto Ballon (a.k.a. “Ka Dodoy,”) was recognized as one of the recipients of the 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Awards during a virtual announcement on August 31. The only Filipino among five awardees, he hails from Concepcion in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay province in Mindanao.
Ballon witnessed fish harvests continue to decline from once having been an abundant marine source. While he may not have had the chance to go to college, he continued his journey as a fisherman and made things possible despite the many barriers.
Together with 30 other fisherfolk, he founded Kapunungan sa Gamay nga Mangigisda sa Concepcion or the Association of Small Fishermen of Concepcion. They work to reforest mangroves, in an effort to improve uncontrolled fishpond conversion—which are at times abandoned—resulting in the destruction of mangrove forests. At first, their vision failed to provide them a positive outcome as they only received a small amount of recognition and support. However, as a person who always challenges the circumstances, he stood by his vision and persisted.
With Kapunungan sa Gamay nga Mangigisda sa Concepcion’s (KGMC) persistence, government assistance found them. In the early 2000s, the organization achieved its goal after they were given tenurial rights to the reforested area under a government forestry co-management program. From a deserted fish pond, it developed into a flourishing mangrove forest filled with abundant marine and terrestrial life—from 50 hectares of mangroves in 1994 to 500 hectares in 2015. The fisherfolk's harvest increased, giving them the ability to put food on the table and more.
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Ballon’s commitment to helping others and his selfless leadership led to the development of his community as a whole. The board of trustees chose him for the 2021 Ramon Magsaysay Award as they saw his motivating perseverance in taking the initiative to restore the vanishing fishery sector. His inspiring journey shows that every individual can be a life-changing hero.
“Dahil dito ay ating pang pagbutihin at palakasin ang ating mga programa. Sana sa pamamagitan nito mas lalong makilala at suportahan ang ating mga programa bilang maliliit na mangingisda sa Pilipinas,” Ballon stated during the virtual announcement of awardees.
Vice President Leni Robredo also lauded his achievement. "Isang ordinaryong mangingisda na binago ang buhay ng mga kapwa niya mangingisda sa Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay dahil sa sakripisyo, pagod, at determinasyon. Binuhay nila muli ang katubigan na nagbibigay sa kanila ng kabuhayan sa pagtatanim ng 500 hectares of mangrove. Ngayon, buhay na buhay muli ang fisherfolk community nila at, selflessly, binabahagi nila ang kaalaman at aral sa iba pang mga communities," she said in a Facebook post. The Office of the Vice President invited Ballon in 2019 to mentor the fisherfolk of Camarines Sur.
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation was established in 1957—the same year that the late President died in a plane crash—with an endowment from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. The award-giving body hopes to honor Magsaysay's memory by recognizing examples of integrity in public service as well as portraits of change in rural and urban development, poverty eradication, political reform, and other issues faced by democratic nations particularly in Asia.
For 2021, the Ramon Magsaysay Awardees aside from Ballon are: Steven Muncy, a 64-year-old humanitarian from America who is serving Southeast Asian nations; Firdausu Qadri who championed affordable vaccination in Bangladesh; Muhammad Amjad Saqib, who helped alleviate poverty in Pakistan through and interest-free microfinance program; and Watchdoc, a media venture in Indonesia that uses investigative journalism, documentary filmmaking, and digital technology to raise public awareness on human rights and social justice.
The formal conferment of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards will be held at the Ramon Magsaysay Center in Malate, Manila on November 28 barring quarantine restrictions.
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Source: Spot PH
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