It was my first time almost two years ago to go to Barangay Concepcion, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, which is a four-hour commute by bus from Zamboanga City. The purpose of the visit was to gather data for a policy assessment study on commercial fishing within municipal waters. It was on this occasion that a coworker and I had the privilege of personally meeting Roberto “Ka Dodoy” Ballon, a 2021 Ramon Magsaysay awardee recognized for his contributions in preserving the livelihood of his fellow fishers in Kabasalan and the ecosystem they depend on.

Marin, G. R. R. (2021, October 16). Caring for fishing communities. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A6.