Discussions continue on concerted efforts to conserve Marine Protected Areas in Northern Palawan
October 2018
A fisherman sails out to sea with his family off the coast of Taytay, Palawan. Among the most reliant on healthy reefs, small-scale fishermen stand much to gain from the conservation of marine protected areas. © Alo Lantin / WWF-Philippines
The fight for food security continues in Palawan with the latest meeting by the Technical Working Group (TWG) of Cluster 5 for the implementation of the Northeastern Palawan Marine Protected Area Network, held on the 22nd of October at the Municipal Hall of Taytay, Palawan. Official government representatives from the member municipalities of Cluster 5 were present for the workshop.
Hernan Fenix, OIC Municipal Agriculture Officer of Taytay, delivers opening remarks before launching the Technical Working Group (TWG) last October 22. © Alo Lantin / WWF-Philippines
Cluster 5 is one of several clusters that make up the province of Palawan. Each Cluster represents a smaller region within the island, and is made up of neighboring municipalities that share both borders and resources. The island was divided into Clusters to help decentralize development and to encourage cooperation on a smaller scale. Cluster 5 represents the Northeastern Palawan, and is made up of the municipalities of Linapacan, El Nido, Taytay, Roxas, Dumaran and Araceli.
In 2017, a Memorandum of Agreement was signed by the Mayors of Cluster 5 as they committed to the joint conservation and protection of the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) surrounding Northeastern Palawan. These MPAs are adjacent to one another and form a corridor that crosses municipal borders and stretches from the Southern end of Cluster 5, in the Municipality of Roxas, to the Northern tip ofLinapacan. Present at the MOA signing were the Cluster 5 Mayors along with a delegation from the Provincial Agriculture Ofice of Palawan, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Malampaya Foundation Incorporated, WWF-Philippines and Dr. Vincent Hilomen, Project Manager of Marine Key Biodiversity Areas (MKBA) of the DENR Biodiversity Management Bureau, who spoke on the importance of cooperation and joint management in conserving marine resources. The ensuing TWGs now look to actualize this agreement with the formation of a management plan that will decide the roles each municipality will play and the responsibilities they will carry in protecting their local MPAs.
Local government representatives from the member municipalities of Cluster 5 discuss the stipulations of the MPA management plan. © WWF-Philippines
Among the highlights that were discussed during the TWG were matters of enforcement. As the management plan includes a number of municipalities, there are concerns with regards to cross-border management and regulation. To address this issue, a manual was proposed that would outline all the details of the management plan, so as to allow municipalities to act swiftly should cross-border issues occur.
Government representatives from the six member municipalities of Palawan’s Cluster 5 stand with members from WWF-Philippines for a group photograph. © WWF-Philippines
With the latest TWG meeting now concluded, the Palawan project team is optimistic for the Cluster 5 MPA management plan. While it is unsure how fast the management plan will be readied and accepted by Cluster 5, the TWG hopes to have it submitted to the Sanggunian Panlalawigan, or Provincial Council, of Palawan within the year, in time for the coming elections. Once the plan is approved and passed, Cluster 5 will continue ahead with concerted efforts to conserve their marine resources.
For more information, please contact:
Communications & Media Manager Mr. Dan Ramirez (dramirez@wwf.org.ph)
