Church to help in sea protection

The Archdiocese of Cebu plans to put up a parish-based committee in parishes located near the Tañon Strait to educate parishioners on the importance of preserving coastal and marine resources.

Through the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Environmental Concern (CACEC), the parish committees will be created in at least 70 parishes in northern and southern Cebu.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Oceana Philippines signed an agreement creating the parish committees yesterday, an activity attended by Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria Estenzo-Ramos and Atty. Liza Osorio of the Philippine Earth Justice Center.

Palma said that their partnership with Oceana aims to bring to the public the message of the Catholic Church on “caring for our common home.”

Palma said that the Church has already been taking a stand against environmental degradation, particularly those affecting marine resources.

“If we just take good care of our seas then we know how much we can profit, how much we can gain from the ocean,” he said.

Ramos, for her part, said that Oceana can help provide technical and resource assistance to parishes to ensure that they become reliable partners in their efforts to protect the Tañon Strait.

Fr. Murphy Sarsonas, CACEC chairman, said that following the signing of the agreement, they will release a module on ecological evangelization to the parishes next year.

This is the first time that Oceana has engaged with a religious or interfaith group for their programs. /