Loren Legarda pushes for the Promotion of Antique in new Documentary

The province of Antique is often overlooked as a tourist destination as it is overshadowed by the Boracay Island of Aklan. However, the local Antiqueños are sure that this will soon change. 

“Antique is a paradise where the mountains meet the sea. It is a province that may have been in the doldrums for three decades but is now experiencing (its) Golden Age,” says Loren Legarda, Deputy Speaker and Representative of the Lone District of Antique.

The Senatorial candidate has a vision of discovering, documenting, and protecting the province’s rich marine ecosystems as she allocated a budget under the Department of Tourism. 

Last year, film studio Studio H2O organized a team of marine researchers, scientists, and underwater cinematographers to conduct surveys around the province and offer freediving workshops to the local fishermen. The surveys were held mainly around the coastal areas of Pandan Bay while the workshops aim to teach the fisherfolk how to protect and inventory their marine areas.

“Part of the survey is to have the local people learn the method so they can continue with the monitoring, or at least be interested in learning more about it,” says Tara Abrina, one of the team’s researchers and freediving instructors. 

“The objective of the project was really for tourism, to see where people can go to dive, where guests can stay, and what might be interesting underwater,” she adds.

During the expedition, an oceanic manta ray was spotted. This sighting proves that the province has a promising environmental future as these creatures are known to visit nutrient-rich waters that provide zooplankton. According to the researchers, the ray’s presence was a “truly magical” experience. However, none were more excited than Legarda as she states, “The discovery and sighting of the existence of the manta ray in our waters are so important because it shows they thrive in a healthy marine ecosystem.”   

 “And the manta ray, of course, must be protected at all costs, especially because it is identified as possibly threatened for extinction,” she further emphasizes.

Legarda is optimistic that the ray sighting can draw in more visitors and open up opportunities for more ecotourism. Additionally, she believes that the survey and documentation are necessary for educating the public on the importance of protecting the environment. 

 “How can we protect something we don’t know exists and so documenting all of this– taking photos and video without destroying their habitats—is very important,” said Deputy Speaker Legarda.

Legarda has authored several landmark environmental laws including the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, the Climate Change Act, Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System, National Environmental Awareness and Education Act, People’s Survival Fund Act, and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, among others. 

As the Deputy Speaker and Representative of the Lone District of Antique, she has created bills for the province’s marine welfare. Her efforts include the establishment of a multi-species marine hatchery in Tibiao and the Northern Antique Protected Seascape and Landscape. 

Furthermore, Legara also features in the environmental documentary “Antique: Where the Mountains Meet the Sea”, produced by studio H2O. The 20-minute film captures the underwater beauty of the province and the soul of the Antiqueños and was recently aired on the Discovery Channel. Those who wish to view the documentary can find it on the official Youtube page of Loren Legarda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj8sJuNelzE