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IAMRAFI: The Fearless Steward

The Story of Norlan Pagal, Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual Finalist, RAFI Triennial Awards

By Joy Emma Masapequeña,  Marco Paulo Trajano Deligero | March 29, 2019

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When adversity came into Norlan Pagal’s life, instead of cowering to the challenges of his injury, he rose up and found his life’s purpose. 

His efforts garnered him a nomination that led him to become one of the finalists of the RAFI Triennial Awards, under the Ramon Aboitiz Award for Exemplary Individual Category last August 31, 2018. 

This is the story of how he became the fearless steward of San Remigio, Cebu, who protects its marine life against elements that threaten to destroy it.

Like Father, Like Son

Norlan Pagal’s devotion to the seas started when he was young. His father was also a fisherman who went to sea day in and day out, working hard to put food on the table.

“Nakita nako nga ang dagat diin mao’y gipanginabuhian sa akong amahan, mao gyuy gikuhaan niya ug daghang makaon ug pagpa–eskwela sa amoa (I realized that the sea provided livelihood to my father, it’s where he got money to feed us and to send us to school),”

Fishing provided his father the means to send them to school, to help the family survive.

“Maong sakit jud para nako nga mapasagdan ang dagat kay diha baya mi gipa-kaon sa akong ginikanan (That’s why I can’t leave the seas alone because it gave us the means to eat),”

He remembered being encouraged by his father’s insistence to stick to the safe methods of fishing. Norlan learned early on that you should never destroy what gives you life, and as much as possible, to protect it. 

Not Just the Seas, It Is All Connected

Inspired by his father’s teachings, he followed the practice of not resorting to illegal fishing to catch fish. All the time he spent at sea also made him see how everything is connected. 

“Nakita man gud nako nga nagka–anam na gyud ug ka-nihit ang kuha dinha sa isda (I noticed that catching fishes was harder),”

He saw that there were a lot of factors as to why this was happening, one of which was the improper disposal of garbage from the mountain areas of San Remigio. Another was the illegal logging that the residents practiced.

“… kung sigehan nilang putol ang mga kakahuyan, ang mahitabo, wala na’y mupugong sa yuta nga gibanlas sa tubig kung magbaha (if they continue cutting trees, there won’t be anything to hold the soil during floods and it will then go to the oceans),”

These soil deposits, he said, would eventually suffocate and kill the corals in the sea. 

Educating People, Saving Seas

Norlan plays a big role in educating people in the mountain areas of San Remigio, Cebu on the proper disposal of their garbage.

“Kay inig agi sa tubig ang ilang pagtuo kay limpyo na ang ilahang area, pero wala sila kahibaw nga sumpay diay na (They think that as long as the water flows, their area is clean, but they don’t know that it’s all connected),”

This drove him to start a program where he facilitates former drug surrenderees to participate in community service. In this program, the surrenderees were encouraged to participate in tree planting. 

Through his efforts, he said that awareness was raised on the proper disposal of garbage and on how to properly take care of the environment.

“Ang mga naa sa bukid, dili na pud sila magpataka ug labay sa ilang mga basura unya aware man sila nga ang mga native gyud nga mga tanom (the people in the mountains know how to properly dispose their garbage now, and they are aware that they have to plant native trees),”

He reported that the effects were astounding. He talked fondly about how uplifting it was to see everyone cooperating to achieve a shared goal. 

“Ako mang gipasabot na kung pananglit munihit jud ug maayo ang isda nato, maapektuhan man gihapon sila kay mumahal man (I made them understand that the scarcity of fishes will affect them since it will increase the price),”

He Lost His Limbs, but Never His Hope

As an officer of local law enforcement in San Remigio, Cebu, he needed to be unbending and uncompromising, which explains why some illegal fisher folks despise him.

Norlan currently serves as the chairperson of the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (MFARMC) and is a resilient adversary of illegal fisher folks and commercial fishing operators, which made him a constant subject of death threats. 

In December 2010, eight suspected illegal fishermen threw improvised dynamite at his boat while he was trying to arrest them. He had another incident in November 2013 where two fisher folks attacked him with their fishing oars.

It was in 2015, however, when a shot from an unknown gunman paralyzed him from the waist down.

“Gi-pusil ko nila. Gi-igo nila akong spinal cord, so bisan pa man ang akong hunahuna, mintras buhi pa ko di gyud ko pwede mu-urong (They shot me. They hit my spinal cord but not my mind, so as long as I’m alive, I cannot stop),”

Despite this hiccup, he continued to persevere in his job as a coastal law enforcer. If anything, it even pushed him to try harder.

The Steward’s Redemption

The shooting of Norlan shook the other members of Anapog Municipal Fisherfolk’s Association. At one point, he was even forced to leave town to protect himself and his family. 

Norlan, however, remained faithful to his advocacy, “Basta ako, padayon ra jud ko sa akong adbokasiya (For me, I will just continue with my advocacy),” 

“Bisan pa man sa akong sitwasyon, padayon ko ug paghatag ug mga pagpahibalo sa uban aron nga mapalig-on pa gyud nako ang akong adbokasiya (Even in my situation, I will still continue to give information to the people, and convince them to rally for my advocacy),”

He went on to facilitate tree planting initiatives in San Remigio, Cebu.

“Sobra na sa 300 ka-puno (planted) sa eskwelahan. Kanang mga endangered na sila nga tanom. Sa mangrove, sobra na sa 10,000 (More than 300 trees have been planted in schools; those are endangered species. For the mangroves, we have planted more than 10,000),”

To this day, he keeps watch of the Anapog Marine Sanctuary with a pair of binoculars, two mobile phones, and a wireless radio in case he needs to call the Municipal Bantay Dagat Team. He was not alone in achieving all that he has achieved so far. 

Realizing He’s Not Alone

Norlan might have gained some enemies along the way, but there were still those who stood by him and offered support when he needed it. Local radio stations assisted him in spreading his advocacy, thereby instilling more awareness to more people. 

“Ila kong gitabangan sa radio, pwede ko musulod didto para mapaabot ang akong adbokasiya’ (The radio stations helped me, I could just go and talk about my advocacy),”

The San Remigio Municipal Government was also instrumental in materializing Norlan’s vision. Together, they helped pass the Municipal Fisheries Code in 2003. This provided for the registration of municipal fisher folk and their fishing gear. It also prohibited the use of active and destructive fishing methods, in support of Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

“Kaluoy sa Ginoo, ang mga kabataan gyud ang nangusog (By the grace of God, the youth really advocated for it too),”

“Naa man mi eskwelahan nga gipasalidahan kabahin sa marine protected areas. So after amo silang gipakita, among gipasabot unsa man jud ang problema (We go to schools and we show films regarding the marine protected areas. After that, we hold an orientation telling them about the problem),”

On Life’s Greatest Lessons

When asked about the greatest lessons he has learned so far, he said that consciousness of the world around us would push us to become better people.

To him, “Kinahanglan tan-awn nimo dili lang ang imong kaugalingon, kung dili ang tibuok komunidad (You need to look not only within yourself, but you also have to consider the whole community),”

“Mao na akong prinsipyo nga gitawag na pasensya, konsensya, sentensya (My principles are patience, conscience, sentence),”

He elaborated that patience refers to the forgiveness you give at the first offense. Conscience is what you inflict for a repeated offense. Finally, sentence those who have been warned once and twice, yet still chose to do it a third time. 

“Para makahibaw sila ba nga ang balaod, naa pa diay (At least they know that the law is still existing),” he added firmly.

Being righteous, he said, requires strength to not bend down to anyone and stay true to your principles.

Standpoint: Change Is Within You

Norlan has learned early on that everything in this world is connected; like a ripple, one small movement could shake the whole surface. Norlan is the fearless steward that rippled the seas of San Remigio, Cebu.

It may have caused other people to put up their defenses, resist him, and even try to stop him, yet that never brought Norlan down. The light that he cast upon the marine life of San Remigio in Cebu has inspired those who have supported him — the government, his fellow coastal law enforcers, and most especially, the youth. 

His story has not ended, and shall continue so long as there are people who will take up the torch that he has ignited.

Norlan’s story reminds us that the power to change the world is within ourselves. Brave the stormy seas, and taste the sunshine at the end of it, even if it means offering your life to achieve it. #IAMRAFI

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