AMID the ongoing celebration of the week-long TambaNipa Festival in Cagayan de Oro City, Barangay Bonbon chairwoman Lelit Baal-Molina expressed apprehension over the massive uprooting of Nipa plants in her barangay.
The coastal barangay of Bonbon along Macajalar Bay is currently undergoing development alongside other low-lying areas due to the ongoing construction of a mega dike to mitigate the possible occurrence of heavy floods in the city.
While it is beneficiary to the locals who feared the occurrence of a Sendong-like catastrophe, Molina said the implementation will be at the expense of forced uprooting of the valuable Nipa plants.
It can be recalled that mushrooming Nipa plants along the marsh surroundings of Bonbon saved many lives during the great typhoon Sendong catastrophe in December 2011.
“Ang Nipa plants unlike sa lubi grabe og holding power dili basta-basta maibot bisan sa kakusog sa baha. Sayang kay ma-apektahan gyod atong mga Nipa sa mega dike. Kon pwede pa lang nga dili unta mahilabtan,” Molina told Gold Star Daily.
The Bonbon village chief also noticed the decline of tamban (sardine) fish catch along Macajalar Bay which she expects to last until December.
In blissful season, the seawaters of Macajalar Bay would yield some 30 to 50 boxes or styro foams of tamban.
On Wednesday morning, September 4, local fishermen netted just less than 40 kilos of tamban which could not fill out even just a single box.
“Nihit na kaayo ang tamban karon tag P100 na ang kilo basin next year mobalik ang grasya malooy atong Ginoo,” said fisherman Dodie Paasa.
The Tamban-Nipa may have its past significance dwindling out due to unfavorable circumstances, but Molina said the show must go on.
“Anaa pa kami sa ikaupat out of eleven days nga nabilin pag-celebrate sa TambaNipa Festival pero grabe ang dasok sa tao mora’g gipang-hire ambot asa gikan like sa nitambong sa among Barangay Night kagabii (Tuesday),” shared Molina.
