DFA Consular Office in Tacloban Celebrates MANA Mo 2020
TACLOBAN 17 September 2020 — The DFA Consular Office (CO) in Tacloban has been commemorating the Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) with this year’s theme, “Iisang Bangka Tayo: Unity During Uncertain Times,” through weekly activities held every Friday, through Google Meet, for the on-duty staff as well as those working from home (WFH). The programs are aimed at raising awareness about the abundant marine life in Philippine waters.
On 04 September, CO Tacloban launched the celebration with a video clip that showcased the Philippines’ rich marine biodiversity, followed by a short discussion that tackled the importance of unity in these challenging and uncertain times.
On the following week, 11 September, the activity entitled “Deep Dive: An Appreciation Analysis of Philippine Marine Life” focused on the interdependence of human life and marine life. This was achieved through the MANA Mo stories shared by COs three (3) staff. Mr. Jerome Arcon and Ms. Mary Khristelle Bayot introduced Limasawa Island and Paradiso Bel-is respectively. Both locations exemplify the symbiosis among humans and sea creatures through responsible fishing and wildlife preservation.
On the other hand, Ms. Parilla shared an anecdote about a seafarer’s day to day life onboard. Seafarers play an important role in the worldwide economy while battling the unforgiving conditions of the seas. Given the three narratives, a new perspective has been imparted to CO staff and further emphasized the interdependency and importance of working together in preserving the marine life of the Philippines. The stories of the CO staff were also shared in their own social media accounts, raising awareness about the MANA Mo celebration and piquing interest on other relevant maritime-related topics.
CO also prepared activities for the last two remaining Fridays of the month that feature an original musical composition by a local artist about our environment and showcase the different marine life sanctuaries in the Eastern Visayas region. END
