education

Information, Education, Communication

Our goal is to increase awareness and knowledge on cetaceans and their habitats in the Philippines hence we endeavour to maintain an environmental education outreach programme all year-round. We conduct lectures and organize youth camps for highschool and elementary students. We encourage research on cetaceans in the Philippines by partnering with universities and training their students to take part in our surveys as part of their on-the-job training or internship. We also produce information and education materials for distribution to the public.

We have a pool of skilled trainers in marine mammal stranding response and we partner with local groups and Local Government Units in conducting trainings and creating local stranding response networks around the country.

School Visits and Community Outreach
We are dedicated in educating the youth and the general public about cetacean research, conservation and the importance of marine biodiversity in general. As part of our IEC campaign in our projects, we conduct school visits and community outreach in our sites.

Talks and Seminars
As part of our efforts in local capacity building, we also organize talks and seminars that are more specific to the needs of our stakeholders. We conduct seminars on coastal resources management, marine protected areas, and biodiversity conservation. We also conduct trainings to increase capacity of locals to conduct cetacean research, responsible whale and dolphin watching, as well as trainings on proper marine mammal stranding response.

On-The-Job Training
We offer on-the-job-training (OJT) for college students in fisheries, marine biology, coastal resource management, environmental science and other related courses. In 2016, we had five OJT students from the Bohol Island State University (BISU) – Candijay campus who assisted us in our Bohol Fishery Project. They were trained on catch landing monitoring, species identification, tissue collection and processing.

Exhibit and Research Center
We have a newly opened Marine Education and Research Centre in Jagna, Bohol. We have a modest exhibit on marine biodiversity in the Bohol Region and we are planning to develop a sustainable fisheries exhibit in the near future. Our centre is open to researchers who plan on conducting research on marine biodiversity of the Bohol Sea. Facilities are available for long-term and short-term stays including accommodation, kitchen and office facilities. A function area is also available for seminars or trainings.

IEC Northern Coasts Series
As part of our integrated educational outreach program, we conduct a series of interactive talks in various schools along the northern coasts of Ilocos Norte and Cagayan Province. In 2014, we visited six coastal municipalities: Pagudpud, Claveria, Aparri, Gonzaga, Sta. Teresita and Sta. Ana. We reached over a thousand high school students in twelve schools! Our talks covered topics on marine mammal biology, web of life and marine conservation.

During our humpback whale survey around the Babuyan Islands, we also conduct talks in all the schools in Camiguin Island. With the help of our survey volunteers we also organize documentary film screenings and other fun learning activities for kids.

We produce print educational materials which we distribute to schools, local government offices and government agencies in Cagayan and Ilocos Norte.