MANGROVE LOVING PENGUIN: 4th Gawad Iba Ka Juan 2026 Search for the Best Mangrove Award in Bicol

 

A couple days before the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosytem  (Jul 26), there was the good news that the Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem is a Top 5 finalist of the 4th Gawad Ika Juan 2026 Search for the Best Mangrove Award in Bicol Region.

A day after the World Mangrove Day (Jul 26), there is the better news that the Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem won 1st Runner up in the 4th Gawad Ika Juan 2026 Awards by the DENR Region  5.   

WOW!

 A big congratulations to the good people of United Caditaan Mangrove Conservation (UCMC) led by its leaders Danny Batolbatol and Nenia Gime. The UCMC is the people's organization (PO) taking the lead in taking care of the Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem.  Way back in May 2004, the said people's organization got a Community-Based Forestry Management Agreement (CBFMA) with the DENR which gave the PO legal rights to manage, protect and use specific forest lands for a period of 25 years.  In the case of UCMC, the forest lands specified in their CBFMA is a 10-hectare wetland in the midst of brackish fishponds in Barangay Caditaan, Magallanes (Sorsogon).  

UCMC President Danny Batolbatol 

UCMC Secretary and Caditaan Brgy Kagawad Nenia Gime  

What is the 4th Gawad Iba Ka Juan Award of DENR Region 5?  It is the 2026 Best Mangrove Award which recognizes outstanding community-based mangrove management, coastal protection and marine conservation efforts across the Bicol Region.   Kudoes to the leadership of DENR Region 5 for such a worhwhile initiative. 

Based on the criteria, the following are the Top 5 finalists for the 4th Gawad Iba Ka Juan 2026 Search for the Best Mangrove Award in Bicol:

1. Mercedes Critical Habitat (Mercedes, Cam Norte)

2. CNWD Mangrove Rehabilitation Project (Mercedes, Cam Norte)

3.  Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem (Magallanes, Sorsogon)

4.  Domorong and Sorosimbahan Mangroves (Esperanza, Masbate)

5.  Tinambac Conservation Area (Tinambac, Cam Sur)

During the Awards Ceremony in Legazpi City last Jul 27, the Mercedes Critical Habitat was declared Champion with Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem and Domorong & Sorosimbahan Mangroves receiving 1st Runner and 2nd Runner Up Honors, respectively. 

The leaders of UCMC are the first ones to admit that the 1st Runner Up honors is totally unexpected for them. Unexpected awards bring genuine joy proving that pure, quiet dedication gets noticed eventually and naturally. 

Why do Awards matter? In answering this question, allow me to quote from the sage words of author and literacy advocate Maya Smart:

"For those of us doing mission-driven work, so much of what we do happens in solitude.  We put in thousands of hours, refining, creating, advocating, pushing forward, often without immediate validation.  Awards aren't the reason we do the work - but they are a beautiful punctuation mark, a moment to step back and acknoweldge the impact."    

Truly, these words apply to the leaders of UCMC and the beneficial  impact of the Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem to the community. Having visited the Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem a handful of times already, the Mangrove Loving Penguin (MLP) and ZSL mangrove training classmate Cyra Soreda  are a few of the  many witnesses to the servant leadership style of the UCMC leaders, most specially its president,  Danny Batolbatol,  and its secretary, Nenia Gime.  This extraordinary Servant leadership in a grassroots mangrove organization is defined by community empowerment, environment stewardship, and shared decision making.  Leaders like Danny and Nenia prioritize the well-being of coastal members and the ecosystem over personal authority. 

The Mangrove Loving Penguin and Prof Cyra Soreda with UCMC officers in a visit to Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem 

Present at the signing of the Project MANKNOW are UCMC President Danny Batolbatol,  Sorsogon State University President Dr.  Geraldine de Jesus, Magallanes Mayor Elena Ragrario, WWF-Phils representative WWF-Phils and Magallanes MENRO Eden Ariate.   

The leaders of UCMC are adept at building community trust, practicing active listening, and forging sustainable partnerships that naturally aligns their people's organization with stakeholders both in the private and government sector.   Thru the couple decades of existence of their CBFMA, UCMC has learned to work closely with the DENR and its PENRO staff like Mabz Deuna. It has gotten beneficial support from the Brgy Caditaan officials  and Magallanes LGU led by Mayor Elena Mencias Ragrario and Vice Mayor Augusto Manuel Ragrario.  The WWF-Philippines is an enabling partner in the Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem. Late last year, the UCMC signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) together with the Sorsogon State University   , WWF-Philippines and the Magallanes MENRO related to  Project MANKNOW (Mangrove Awareness and Knowledge for Nature's Nurture) which aims to advance community-based mangrove conservation by integrating science-based management, capacity-building, and participatory approaches. 

Inspiring and extraordinary. Indeed the accomplishment in the Caditaan Mangrove Ecosystem by UCMC is out of the ordinary which brings us to the spirit behind the award.  

The Gawad Iba Ka Juan award plays on a clever Filipino pun.  "Iba ka Juan" translates "You stand out, Juan." The name praises indvidual Filipinos,  communities  and local groups whose extraordinary environment conservation work make them stand out fron the rest. 

Respect! Punctuation mark.