‘Philippine Seas,’ ipalalabas na ngayong November 5

 

 

Pilipinas ang isa sa may pinakamayamang karagatan sa buong mundo. Dito matatagpuan ang ilan sa mga natatanging marine species at coral reefs.  Center of the center of marine biodiversity ang Pilipinas, ibig sabihin, dito matatagpuan ang pinakamaraming marine species sa ating planeta. Kung babagsak nga raw ang populasyon ng mga lamang-dagat sa Pilipinas, maapektuhan ang buong mundo. Ang nakaalarma rito, laganap ang pagkasira sa ating karagatan dulot ng illegal fishing, overfishing, pagbabago ng klima at water pollution. Kapag hindi masosolusyunan ang mga problemang ito, tinatayang sa taong 2050 mas marami pa ang mga basura sa karagatan kaysa sa mga isda.  Paano natin lalabanan ang agos ng ganitong mga banta?

 

Sa kauna-unahang dokumentaryo sa GMA 7 ng environmental journalist na si Atom Araullo samahan natin siya sa isang natatanging paglalakbay sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng karagatan sa Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao para alamin ang estado ng ating karagatan.

 

 

Bibisita si Atom sa Bais, Negros Oriental para siyasatin ang kasalukuyang kalagayan doon ng mga dolphin na dating pinaghuhuli at pinagpapatay subalit pangunahing atraksyon na ngayon ng probinsya.

 

 

Ang world-class na sardine run sa Moalboal, Cebu, kung saan maaring mag-dive kapiling ang libu-libong sardinas, nanganganib dahil sa mga inaanod na basura mula sa mga turista.

Walong taon matapos itong ipasara, kumusta na rin ba ang Mantalip Reef na bahagi ng Tanon Strait na sinira dati ng dynamite fishing?

 

 

Samantala, malaking bahagi raw ng P160M na mga napo-poach na hayop dito sa Pilipinas nagmula sa isla ng Palawan. Dito pala nagmumula ang karamihan sa marine species, tulad ng mga pating at pawikan, na pinagkakainteresan ng mga dayuhan. Paano nga ba pinangangalagaan ng Coast Guard Ronda ng Palawan ang kanilang nasasakupan? Hahanapin din ni Atom ang maalamat na dugong sa Coron na pinoprotektahan ng mga tribu ng Tagbanua subalit paboritong targetin ng illegal poachers.

Papalaot din si Atom kasama ang mga mangingisda ng tuna sa karagatan ng Sarangani.

Dito nasaksihan niya kung paanong buwis-buhay ang ilan nating mga kababayan makahuli lang ng mga higanteng isda. Dahil sa overfishing, hirap nang makahuli ng isda ang ibang mga mamamalakaya. Ito ang nagtutulak sa kanila para manghuli lampas sa teritoryo ng Pilipinas. Nakilala ni Atom ang mag-ina ng isang mangingisda na nakakulong sa Indonesia matapos mahuling illegal na nangingisda ng tuna sa karagatan ng Indonesia.

 

Sasama rin tayo sa exploration at expedition papunta sa 13 milyong ektarya ng Philippine Rise sa Aurora na hindi lang mayaman sa corals at marine species, sinasabi ring potensyal na panggagalingan ng minerals at natural gas.  Tunay nga bang sa yaman at potensyal ng karagatang ito, maaari raw nitong maiahon ang Pilipinas sa kahirapan?

Halina’t samahang maglakbay, pumalaot at sumisid si Atom Araullo kasama ang award winning team ng GMA Public Affairs sa malalimang pagtalakay sa estado ng ating karagatan.

PHILIPPINES SEAS ngayong November 5 na 330pm sa GMA 7.

 

 

Atom Araullo’s many “firsts” in his GMA documentary
Philippine Seas

“Life changing” is how Atom Araullo describes his experience filming his first documentary with GMA News and Public Affairs. Atom returned to the Kapuso Network last September, and immediately began filming for his new documentary Philippine Seas, a Special that hopes to uncover the wonders and threats surrounding the Philippines’ marine gems. To really get to know the Philippine seas, Atom went on a rigorous ten-day expedition across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao where he experienced many firsts in his career as a documentary-maker.

In Moalboal, Cebu’s world-famous dive site, Atom witnesses hundreds of thousands of sardines gather in a single ball in a moment that he can only describe as “impressive”. While in nearby Bais, Negros Oriental, he looks into the current situation of dolphins once being caught and slaughtered before becoming the province’s leading tourist attraction. Here, Atom encounters a group of “bow-riders”, dolphins that ride alongside passenger boats.

But not all encounters are so easy. Off the coast of Sarangani, Atom experiences what life is like for tuna fishermen who wait days for a single catch. Under the harsh elements, Atom and his team witness the daily struggles of those who rely on the seas for a living. The most heartbreaking moment is discovering a group of fishermen detained in Indonesia for fishing in foreign waters. Atom talks to Samuel, a fisherman who has not seen his newborn child since being detained in Indonesia. Through the Philippine Seas team, Samuel gets a chance to look at his new-born daughter for the first time.

The dwindling sea catch has forced many small fishermen to cross international boundaries in hopes of feeding their families. Yet international poaching remains a huge problem in the Philippines too. In Palawan, Atom and his team visit the site where sharks were recently confiscated from Vietnamese poachers.

Yet all hope is not lost. In the same seas of Palawan, Atom comes face to face with the biggest sea turtle he has ever seen, proof that there is still something worth saving here. And finally, the team behind Philippine Seas also get the surprise of their lives when a rare and beautiful creature makes an appearance. Once thought to be a mermaid in the olden times, the dugong or sea cow has an almost mythical status in the world of divers and fishermen.

In this special documentary, GMA Public Affairs will also feature the exploration and expedition on the 13-million hectare Philippine Rise. On top of the teeming corals and marine species, it is said that this undersea plateau is potentially a rich source of natural gas and other resources. Is it true that the Philippine Rise can deliver the country from poverty?

Join Atom Araullo and the team behind GMA Public Affairs’ award-winning documentaries for an unforgettable look at the current state of the country’s oceans.

Catch Philippines Seas on November 5, 3:30 p.m. on GMA 7.