Manny Piñol to Employ Seafaring Badjaos as Guardians of the Seas

Incoming Department of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol revealed some plans for the Department of Agriculture under his watch. The former Governor of North Cotabato stated that one of his priority project once he seats as Agriculture Secretary is to employ the seafaring Badjaos as Guardians of the Seas.

See Also: Manny Pinol Reveals Plans for the Cordillera Region as DA Secretary

Before the announcement of the incoming Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol of employing Badjaos, he narrated the story of a certain Roben Abdella, a Badjao kid who graduated magna cum laude from the state university in Tawi-Tawi Province whom he wanted to work with him in the Department of Agriculture.

 Here's the Complete Plans of DA Sec. Manny Piñol for the Seafaring Badjaos 

Finding Roben
SEAFARING BADJAOS AS GUARDIANS OF THE SEAS
By Manny Piñol

The post I made yesterday where I offered a job to a Badjao kid who graduated magna cum laude from a state university in Tawi-Tawi Province, reached almost 1 million readers, 13,000 Likes and 7,423 shares.

It came as no surprise that the search for Roben Abdella was accomplished quickly.

By noon yesterday, I was already talking by phone to Roben whose number was forwarded to me by Davao City councilor John Tanjili Mahamud, a young lawyer whose mother is a Deputy Mayor of President-elect Rody Duterte representing the Sama tribe.

What I heard was a gentle voice from an obviously shy young Badjao who told me he would have to ask his parents first before making a decision on my offer for him to join me in the Department of Agriculture.

Roben told me he is now a teacher at the Mindanao State University in Tawi-Tawi, the same school where he graduated from.

After I talked with Roben, my younger brother Bong who will be my executive assistant, (a confidential position which is allowed by law) asked me what job would I give the bright Badjao kid since his course is not related to agriculture or even fisheries.

"Well, the Badjaos love the seas so I could use Roben to organise and lead his people to guard the seas to make sure that the waters are clean and that there would be no illegal fishing," I told Bong.

I would like to draft the seafaring Badjaos to become keepers of the waters and seas and they could be called "Bantay Laut" or "Bantay Dagat" operating under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

They could be the support group in the program which I would like to implement, "Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan," an annual search for the most outstanding coastal communities using the following criteria:

1. No Illegal fishing and observance of off-fishing season; 2. Declared and protected marine sanctuary; 3. Clean coastal waters without any garbage or industrial effluence flowing to the sea; 4. Effective mangrove protection and rehabilitation program.

They could be issued with radio communications equipment and linked up with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to report violations of maritime and fishing laws.

The Badjao women could be drafted as members of the "Bantay Laut" auxiliary group to clean the seas of garbage, plastic bottles and bags which could be detrimental to marine life.

As a condition to their employment in this special program, they would be required to send their children to school and go to college to study (what else?) fisheries.

All that I need is somebody like Roben to lead them and make them understand the important role that they will play in protecting the sea which is their home.

If Roben will refuse my job offer, surely I will be able to find another bright Badjao or Sama Dilaut kid who will take on the challenge.

By doing this, these sea gypsies who are often looked down upon and derisively viewed as beggars and mendicants could become useful members of society.

This will be the realisation of the dream of President Rody Duterte to bring everybody together under one flag and one nation.

(Photo credit: Photo of Badjaos downloaded from pininterest.com)

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