MOALBOAL, Cebu—A five-day expedition followed by a regatta was held in several areas hemming in the Tañon Strait in the Central Visayas to honor the traditional culture and heritage of seafarers and navigators who use dugout canoes called Bigiw.
Since the first Bigiw-Bugsay event was staged in 2016, a growing number of fisherfolk have joined the regatta.
This year over 60 participants registered for the youth, women and men’s Bigiw paddling and sailing races, Oceana Philippines said in a news release.
The regatta was held at the Seaside Park in Moalboal on April 22. To make its third year more exciting, the organizing group Island Buzz Philippines, a water sports company which aims to promote the use of nonmotorized watercraft to protect the environment while reviving islander cultural lifestyles, embarked on a Bigiw expedition from April 16 to 20.
It featured three Bigiw sailors led by Buzzy Budlong, a renowned Visayan paddler who holds the record for paddling 3,025 kilometers from south to north of the Philippines in 88 days.
The other two Bigiw sailors are Gary Neil Benedicto, a longboarding-skater champion and Panie Lagon, a lifeguard and fisherman from Moalboal.
During the expedition, the group conducted free Bigiw paddling and sailing clinics for locals.
Oceana Philippines, the world’s largest nonprofit solely dedicated to marine conservation, joined the clinics to give environmental lectures.
“We support Island Buzz Philippines in promoting fiberglass boats which use wind and paddle power. Fiberglass is not only lightweight—it frees fishers from relying on our thinning forests to build and repair boats. Sails harness the wind so fishers need not rely on dirty fossil fuels,” Oceana Philippines Director for Communications Gregg Yan said.
Oceana also distributed primers on the country’s Amended Fisheries Code to better inform local fishers so they could help in protecting their home coasts.
The expedition and Bigiw clinics covered a number of municipalities, including Bindoy, Manjuyod, Tanjay and Amlan before heading back to Moalboal for the Bigiw regatta and the launch of the “Hybrid Bigiw”—an innovative sailing canoe which is more compact, lightweight and efficient than currently used designs.
Most important, the watercraft is environment-friend as making one will not be at the expense of a tree.
Some Bigiw canoes can still be found along the Tañon Strait, being used by fisherfolk from both Cebu and Negros. Some can also be found in Samar and Leyte.
However, because more fishermen are inclined toward motorized boats, the design and most especially the skill of paddling and sailing these Bigiws, might be lost in the future.
Budlong said: “We don’t want this to happen. We shall continue with our advocacy of promoting the Bigiw and we will keep on improving its design without losing the local touch. With the help of our sponsors, supporting local government units and the Department of Tourism Region-Central Visayas, the use of the Bigiw, its pointed and slim hull, triangular sail, plus traditional methods of navigating can be passed on for generations to come, as a source of pride and most especially as a lifestyle.”
The third Bigiw-Bugsay winners were:
Tandem Sailing-Men—first place, Sadam Tapales and Roy Tapales; second place, Allan Pocong and Vernan Pocong; third place, Alex Pocong and Roman Pocong;
Single Sailing-Men—first place, Jingle Tapales; second place, Jommel Avenido; third place, Joker Avenido; Single Sailing-Women—first place, Nilda Bugwat; second place, Betty Bugwat; third place, Florencia Tapales;
Paddling-Men—first place, Fredo Pocong; second place, Lino Tapales; third place, Gilbert Tapales; Tandem Paddling-Youth—first place, John Kyle Visin and Carlito Pocong; second place, Millard Ignacio and Christian Banilad; third place, Michael Tapales and Janrel Avenido.
Image credits: Alain Pascua/DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau, Gregg Yan/Oceana