The MY Esperanza ship of global environmental organization Greenpeace will visit Negros Oriental for four days to lobby for support in saving the ocean from its state of crisis as well as other environmental issues.
Virginia Benosa-Llorin of Greenpeace said the visit to the famous dive destination Apo Island of Dauin town and Dumaguete City is part of their Ocean Defender Tour.
The Dumaguete tour is set on July 9 to 14 and will focus on the climate change impacts on the marine ecosystems, particularly the coral reefs, she said.
Greenpeace will join Silliman University and the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation in conducting a reef check in Apo Island. A separate team will gather human interest stories that Greenpeace Oceans campaign will share to help stress the need for people to help in saving the seas, Llorin said.
On July 9, the MY Esperanza will arrive in Apo Island, and its crew will be welcomed with a flotilla, drums and the SU band, and a short program with community officials and other stakeholders.
A press conference will be held on board the ship, that will be in Apo Island for three days for activities, like the reef check and documentation of human interest stories on July 10, and buoy deployment around the island on July 11.
The ship will depart for Dumaguete City on July 12 and another press conference on climate change and the Apo Island reef check documentation will be held at the city port, to be followed by a forum at Silliman on environmental concerns and issues.
Negrenses and visitors will be given the chance to tour the vessel on July 13 and 14, with activities such as artists’ mural-making, kids’ program and a photo booth. It will depart Dumaguete on July 14 en route to Bicol on the second leg of the tour on July 15 to 20, and then towards Manila Bay for its third leg, July 21-29. (PNA)
