Honoring history through action this #WorldOceansDay!

Honoring history through action this #WorldOceansDay!

Did you know that Bagonbanwa Island Marine Reserve and Fish Sanctuary in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, is the very first Marine Protected Area (MPA) established in Eastern Visayas?

Covering 28 hectares, this unique island is home to a "triple alliance" of coastal ecosystems: mangroves, seagrass beds, and coral reefs.

When the Guiuan Development Foundation, Inc. (GDFI) established the MPA back in 1990, the marine life here was heavily degraded by blast, dynamite, and cyanide fishing. Where others saw destruction, GDFI saw an opportunity for rehabilitation.

True enough, in just five years, a sanctuary once described by renowned marine scientist Dr. Angel Alcala as “sterile” was completely teaming with life—proving that when we give nature a chance, it bounces back.

For years, Bagonbanwa served as a bustling hub for coastal resource trainings, scientific research, eco-tourism, and student internships, accommodating up to 50 people. Tragically, in 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan utterly destroyed the island’s field station, buildings, water systems, and wharf.

This World Oceans Day, we returned to Bagonbanwa Island.

To honor its legacy and protect its future, our team conducted a coastal clean-up activity. Keeping our sanctuaries free from marine debris is a vital step in maintaining the ocean resilience we’ve fought so hard to build over the last three decades.

But we can't do it alone.

To fully restore our Bagonbanwa Field Station so it can continue inspiring the younger generation about sustainable fishing and environmental protection, we need your help.

Be part of the restoration. Partner with us, support our initiatives, or coordinate your next learning visit by messaging GDFI directly.

Together, let's bring back a better field station for the future of our seas!