by Amor Ledon T. Bajarla
MACABALAN, Cagayan de Oro City (April 24, 2025) — Coastal resilience took the spotlight as the core theme of the first FishCoRe Exhibit Art Competition launched by FMA Coordinating Unit (FCU) 10 in SM CDO Downtown yesterday.
The competition revolved around the theme, “Raising Awareness on Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency Through Art”. It brought together two promising local talents, showcasing their multi-media works to interpret pressing environmental issues through their artistic talents while celebrating sustainable coastal initiatives under the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) Project, and the rich marine life surrounding the FMA 9.
Mercy Faburada, Alternate Technical Coordinator of the FishCoRe Regional Project Implementing Unit 9 acknowledged the young and talented artists.
“To our brave artists, thank you for joining the competition. Your talents are rare and should be shown with pride,” Faburada said in her opening remarks.
The winner Kathy Batoon, a junior Fisheries college student from MSU-Naawan, with her entry titled “Bahandi”— a Cebuano word meaning “treasure”— struck a chord with the judges and the viewing public.
Batoon’s piece depicted the region’s coastal bounty as a source of life and prosperity when it mirrors the goals of the FishCoRe Project by portraying a harmonious relationship between man and marine life.
“Through sustainable practices, vibrant ecosystems, and empowered communities, my artwork illustrates how the blessings from the ocean can be preserved and shared though future generations,” she explained.
The other entry of Christine Suminquit, a Medical Technology college freshman of COC-Phinma, was titled “Flow of Life”. It reflected how deeply our environment, especially the sea, influences the way we live. It highlighted both life above and beneath the water, reminding us that protecting our environment is essential to sustaining a healthy and balanced life.
“I chose this kind of artwork because I wanted to create something that tells a story not just through one scene, but through a whole environment. I also enjoy making art that has meaning and a message, and through this piece, I wanted to highlight the importance of the sea and environment in our daily lives,” she said.
The panel of judges were Dr. Nef Luczon, Chief of the Philippine News Agency-10; Jesus Christopher Salon, Head of the Sites and Properties Management Section of the Historical and Cultural Heritage Management Division at the City Museum; and Ronnel Looc, an award-winning visual artist from Iligan City.
As the regional winner, Batoon will receive 15,000 pesos and a plaque, and her artwork will represent Northern Mindanao at the National Art Exhibit on May 28, 2025, in Manila; while Suminguit will receive 10,000 pesos and a plaque for her participation in the contest.
The national winner’s artworks will also be featured in FishCoRe Project’s Newsletter and advocacy materials.
The FISHCORE Exhibit Art Competition hopes to continue to be a vital platform for young Filipino artists to raise awareness and spark conversations about sustainability.
