Seaweed Farming in the Community of Mambacayao Dako

For the people of Mambacayao Dako, this is how their typical weekend looks like

Mambacayao Dako is a coastal islet administered under Barangay Lipayran of the municipality of Bantayan, located in the Doong group, southwest of Bantayan Island in the Philippines. It is home to a diverse community of people who are primarily engaged in agriculture and fishing. Seaweed farming is one of the main sources of livelihood in this barangay, providing income and employment opportunities to many of its residents.

Seaweed farming in Mambacayao Dako began in the 1980s, when a group of local farmers started to cultivate 'Eucheuma cottonii', particularly known as "gusô", a type of seaweed that may vary in color (red, brown, and green) is commonly used in the production of carrageenan, a food additive and thickener. The farmers initially started with small-scale seaweed cultivation using only bamboo poles and ropes to anchor the seaweed to the sea floor. Over time, the practice evolved and became more sophisticated, with the use of nylon ropes and other materials to improve yields.

Today, seaweed farming in the island is a thriving industry, with more or less
​70 out of 87 households engaging in seaweed farming. ​

Exciting Cultural Exchange with Singapore Management Students Through Project reef Alert

We had an incredible experience promoting marine conservation and celebrating diverse cultures through a collaborative event! Our joint initiative with SMU students brought together a passion for preserving our oceans and embracing different traditions.

The Canva poster design workshop was a success since it allowed the kids to express their creativity and selves through beautiful graphics. We gained a lot of knowledge from one another while producing eye-catching graphics to promote efforts towards marine conservation.

We really appreciate Reef Alert's hardworking staff and Vicente Dacomos for making this exchange possible as well as the residents of Mambacayao Dako for kindly receiving us with warmth and participation Together, we are making a positive impact on our planet's precious ecosystems and fostering cultural understanding.
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As we reflect on this remarkable experience, our hearts are filled with anticipation for future initiatives that will further ignite children's creativity, raise awareness, and cultivate an environment where our collective efforts can flourish. 

 Let us join hands and build a future where the youth, their creativity, environmental awareness, and the well-being of our planet thrive harmoniously.

​The farmers cultivate their seaweed in floating seaweed nurseries, which are made up of bamboo rafts and nets that are anchored to the sea floor. The seaweed is grown for around 45 days before it is harvested, dried, and sold to middlemen who export it to processing plants in other parts of the country.

Seaweed farming has brought significant economic benefits to Mambacayao Dako, helping to improve the standard of living of many of its residents. It has also provided employment opportunities to both men and women, with many families involved in the industry. Seaweed farming is particularly attractive to women, who are able to work from home and look after their children at the same time.

Localized storytelling of resiliency, livelihood, and unwritten culture in Mambacayao Dako.

We have been lucky enough to extend an invitation to Dr. Cristina Martinez-Juan with her husband Mr. Jovi Juan to participate in a cultural immersion on Mambacayao Dako with the objective to study about the island’s history and culture. Dr. Martinez-Juan has worked closely with local communities to document and analyze cultural landscapes through developing sustainable strategies for preserving cultural heritage. She earned a doctorate in Comparative Literature from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, and used to work as an Associate Professor in the Humanities Department at the University of the Philippines, Cebu, before relocating to New York in 1996 and later to London in 2013. In 2017, she led the establishment of Philippine Studies at SOAS (PSS) within the Centre of South East Asian Studies, which serves as a cross-disciplinary platform for teaching, research, and cultural expression related to the Philippines in the UK.

During our visit, we had the opportunity to engage in discussion with the island’s elderly population exploring topics on their way of life, traditional fishing practices, and uncover the unwritten knowledge of its people and the sea. We also learned about the island's traditional fishing practices, which have been passed down from generation to generation. The locals use a unique method of fishing called "panagat" where they use a long line with multiple hooks and bait to catch fish. This method for fishing is both sustainable and adaptable to the constantly evolving sea conditions and current circumstances.

The elders discussed how their way of life was being impacted by climate change and the harm caused to the sea. They mentioned that the fish stocks, which used to be plentiful, were now declining, and the coral reefs were deteriorating, making it more challenging for them to earn a living. As a result, they have had to rely considerably on guso farming in times when fish catch is low. They further elaborated on the impact of illegal fishing, explaining how it has contributed to the depletion of marine resources and threatened their way of life. They highlighted how illegal fishing practices devastated the marine ecosystem, making it even harder for them to catch fish and earn a living, harming their family’s livelihoods and the marine environment.

In addition to the challenges posed by climate change and environmental degradation, the elders of Mambacayao Dako also expressed concerns about the younger generation moving away from the island. They worried that their traditions and cultural heritage could be lost as their children and grandchildren seek opportunities elsewhere.

Fascinated by the unwritten knowledge and history of Mambacayao that we learned from the elders, they recounted the tales of their forefathers and their arrival on the island, which were shrouded in mystery and fascination. Among the earliest families to settle on the island were the Jamili's, Mangcao's, and Batad's. The island had a rich culture that had been shaped by the people's nomadic roots and their constant movement across the ever-changing sea – all of this is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of their people.
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In essence, this experience gave us a newfound respect for their traditional way of life. It underscored the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage for the forthcoming generation. It has enhanced our understanding of the significance of cultural heritage in shaping the identity of communities. The value of cultural heritage lies not only in its intrinsic importance to the local community but also in its potential for promoting inter-community dialogue and understanding. 

Thus, it is essential to recognize and preserve the ancestral legacy of communities, such as Mambacayao Dako, to ensure that their unique perspectives and way of life continue to thrive ​and contribute to the richness of our shared human experience.