Environmental Governance Project extends support to Siquijor to ...

CCEFoundation (formerly Sulu Fund)With the support of:DAVID AND LUCILEPACKARDFOUNDATIONAugust, 2007Issue No. 17NEWSLETTER(semi-annual)Environmental Governance Project extends support to Siquijor tostrengthen MPA NetworksRizaller AmoloAfter strengthening marine protected areas (MPAs) inSouthwest Cebu municipalities, the EnvironmentalGovernance-2 (EcoGov-2) Project has expanded itsassistance to the whole province of Siquijor, coveringsix municipalities. The project focuses its assistance inimproving collaborative efforts among themunicipalities, provincial government offices, and otherassisting organizations in managing their existing MPAs.CCE Foundation, as a local service provider for EcoGov2project provides technical assistance in the variousCRM activities planned.Rizaller AmoloSiquijor Province has 11 existing locally declared MPAs covering almost150 hectares. In addition, five sites have been identified and surveyed asproposed MPA sites in four municipalities. Most of the MPAs are managedby people’s organizations in coordination with the local government andother assisting organizations. A Marine Management Council (MMC) thatis multi-sectoral was created by municipalities to establish a co-managementapproach among stakeholders in their respective MPAs. Moreover, aProvincial MPA Technical Support Group (PMPATS Group) has beencreated, pursuant to provincial Executive Order 001 which was passed in2006, primarily to provide support in MPA management activities.In March 2007, a memorandum of agreement was signed by the Siquijor’sprovincial government and EcoGov-2 to formalize their collaboration.Present during the formal ceremonies was the Environmental GovernanceRegional Manager, May Ybanez, who recognized the provincialgovernment’s efforts in resource management. Likewise, the ProvincialGovernor acknowledged the need to coordinate various efforts that havebeen initiated by the municipalities within the province.A Provincial MPA Network Forum was also conducted last May 21-22,2007 in Dumahog Blue Wave Resort, Siquijor. The forum became a venuefor MPA key players and managers to share various strategies in themanagement of their respective MPAs. Resource speakers from CCEFdiscussed basic concepts of MPA networks, social networks of MPAs,biophysical status of MPAs, and the collection of user fees.As an output of this activity, a set of priority activities were identifiedbased on the issues and concerns of the participants. These activitiesinclude the review of MPA plans, biophysical monitoring in MPAs andAlreich Duran of Lazi, Siquijor shares their strategies and concerns in managing theirMPAs. He also expressed the need to coordinate MPA initiatives in the entire province.identification of proposed sites, continuing coastal law enforcement seaborneoperations among the municipal and provincial operatives, and conductinginformation and education activities in coastal barangays and schools.A training on community MPA monitoring was conducted in Maria andLarena, Siquijor on May 28 to 31, 2007. Participants came from the sixSiquijor municipalities and were members of people’s organizations and/ormunicipal fisheries technicians. During the four-day training, participantswere trained to assess fish populations, estimate coral cover, monitor fishcatch, accomplish CCEF’s MPA Rating report guide, as well as presentinformation gathered. The training served as an initial activity paving theway to the actual biophysical monitoring that followed on May 30 to June2, 2007.Subsequent to the community MPA monitoring was the underwater reefassessment which was conducted on June 26 to 30, 2007 by the PMPATSand CCE Foundation. This initiative aimed to capacitate the PMPATSgroups in providing support to their MPAs.The MPA managers of Siquijor were grateful for the assistance that theEnvironmental Governance-2 project has extended to their MPAs. Withthis coordinated provincial initiative, the MPA managers look forward tosharing and learning essential management strategies. Hopefully, well-managedMPAs will serve as a motivating factor in initiatives to improve protectionin other sites. Overall success depends on the support of both provincialand municipal partners, the Bureau of Fisheries and the ProvincialEnvironment Office along with other assisting organizations.

2EDITORIALDiversity of support and goodgovernance..........................2PROJECT NEWSEnvironmental Governanceextends support.................1MSN: A Social Networkaims to sustaining............3FPE elects CCEF asCommittee Member ........4IPOPCORM Ending .............4Batalang-Bato MarineSanctuary...........................4SPR Expedition inBohol.................................5Prism Update: BuildingResponsible Families......5FEATURESGreenfest sa Sugbo............6Conservation Int’l Project:Establishing Partnershipsfor Coral Reef...................6Siquijor Provincial BantayDagat................................7CCE Foundation hosts PEWresearch...........................7MPA Feature...........................8Rotary Club signs MOA withCCEF....................................8CCE FOUNDATIONTIDBITSStaff Profiles.........................8New Publications................8Wishlist.................................8Editors:Dr. Alan T. WhiteMrs. Evangeline WhiteAtty. Rose-Liza Eisma-OsorioLayout and Design:Mrs. Evangeline WhitePaula LozadaManaging Editor:Sheryll TeschDr. Alan T. WhiteEditorialDiversity of support and good governance are essential foreffective managementThis issue again highlights the diversity of activitiesneeded to support sustainable coastal managementprograms in the Philippines, or anywhere. Articles rangefrom environmental governance and reproductive healthto progress in marine protected areas and building nationalnetworks of MPA practitioners. All these activities areessential to build long lasting and effective coastalmanagement.Nevertheless, although we are doing the right things, allis not well in some areas of our practice that offer poignantlessons. To draw from the report of the recent “SavingPhilippine Reefs” expedition to the Bohol Marine Triangle(BMT) area, we saw progress but also some distressingissues in this area where much attention has been focusedin recent years. To quote from the soon to be releasedreport:The results of our interviews with fishers, resortoperators, people’s organization members, and barangayofficials regarding their perceptions documentmanagement and enforcement problems. Poachingallegedly occurs in most of the sanctuaries. In most MPAs,the lack of enforcement is perceived as a consequence ofpoor institutional support in providing honoraria tosanctuary wardens. The encroachment of commercialfishers in municipal waters continues to be a threat inBohol among others. Another important issue is the sizeand boundaries of the sanctuaries or core zones.Although all of the sanctuaries surveyed have boundariesthat totally enclose the reef to some distance offshore, theactual boundary enforcement has wavered so that someboundaries only enclose the reef flat and not the entirereef crest and drop off where most reef fish reside. Ineffect, fishing is occurring within the intended core zonebecause of the poor placement of boundary markers.This recent development reflects a lack of strict adherenceto the original municipal ordinances resulting in a wronginterpretation by the locals and tourists. As example, thesnorkeling line at the Balicasag MPA along the reef crestmay be confused by fishers as the MPA boundary andjustify their fishing on the reef slope.Data collected during the 2007 expedition compared withprevious surveys in 2003, 1997, 1995 and earlier forseveral sites showed declining trends in fish densitiesand biomass in most sites. This indicates a need toimprove enforcement with stronger support from thelocal governments (LGs). To further draw from the BMT,it is recommended that:• MPA management conflicts are resolved amongmanagement groups and between stakeholdersso that MPA management groups areempowered.• Partnerships between LGs and communitygroups are strengthened and that LGs adoptthe MPA management plans developed withcommunity input.• Networking is initiated among MPAs withinthe BMT for management groups.• Simple and practical user-fee systems areimplemented with strong institutionalsupport.• MPA boundaries are assessed and fixed toMunicipal ordinance decisions.• Minimum size for all no-take sanctuaries inthe BMT is set at 10 hectares.• Education and awareness campaigns for thesanctuaries are continued.The observation that the offshore MPA boundariesenclose mostly the reef flat or crest and not the slope isworrisome because the primary benefits of the no-takesanctuary will be lost if this is the case. This isdetrimental to the fish stocks inside the MPA since manyof the larger sizes of fish reside along the crest to slope.If the larger sizes are depleted, this will lead to a nonfunctionalMPA.Thus, we must always return to the basics of ourknowledge and experience to ensure that the quality ofour work on MPAs and other coastal management toolsis not eroded. For BMT, all is certainly not lost sinceseveral of the MPAs, namely Tawala and Balicasag, aredoing well, and the overall coral cover in most of thesanctuaries is stable or improved. Nevertheless, wecannot escape from the need for “diversity of supportand good governance” to make our coastal managementsystems effective!Join or volunteer with CCE Foundation now if you wantto contribute to this ongoing work on Philippine coasts!Board Members and AffiliationsPresidentDr. Alan T. White(Senior Scientist, Global Marine Initiative,The Nature Conservancy)Vice-President/TreasurerMr. William Jatulan(Deputy Chief-of-Party, Fisheries Improved for SustainableHarvest (FISH) Project)SecretaryMrs. Evangeline White(Finance Consultant, Community Conservation Network)CRM AdvisorDr. Patrick Christie(School of Marine Affairs, U. of Washington)Visayas AdvisorMrs. Rebecca Pestano-Smith(IEC Coordinator, FISH Project)Community Work AdvisorMrs. Evelyn Deguit(Training Coordinator, FISH Project)Institutional Development AdvisorDr. Thomas J. Mueller(Independant Educational Consultant)

R. AmoloProject NewsMSN: A social network aiming to sustain MPAs in thePhilippinesRizaller AmoloAfter 30 years of efforts in marine protection, thePhilippines has established over 500 marine protectedareas (MPAs), a majority are small (15ha), and officiallydeclared by municipal ordinance. However, recentstudies have shown that only 15 to 20 percent of theseare effectively managed. Among the factors that affectmanagement efforts are weak governance, weak lawenforcement, lack of funds and logistical support, lackof coordination among stakeholders, absence of incentivesystems, and absence of standards for assessment andmonitoring.It is in this light that the Marine Protected Area SupportNetwork (MSN) in the Philippines was set up. MSN isa multi-sectoral group of government agencies, nongovernmentorganizations, peoples’ organization andacademic institutions that have a common goal insupporting MPA initiatives through complementarycollaborative efforts at the local, regional, and nationallevel. It aims to build on the Philippine Marine SanctuaryStrategy (PhilMarSaSt) to contribute to theimprovement of MPA management effectiveness and toachieve at least 10 percent ‘full protection’ of coastalareas by the year 2020. (excerpt from P. Aliñopresentation).In 2005 a discussion among 20 organizations led to thecreation of an institutional network of MPA managers.The idea was conceptualized during various meetingsand workshops on marine protection initiatives. OnNovember 2005, a memorandum of agreement wasdrafted and an initial action plan was formulated. Majoractivities in the action plan include sourcing of funds forsustainability, organizing regional forums and adaptivemanagement training activities, formulating an award andincentive system for MPA champions, planning an MPACongress, and other relevant activities. Currently, Dr.Perry Aliño of University of the Philippine MarineScience Institute heads the Secretariat Committee ofthe network.To achieve its role as a support network for MPAmanagement, the following are the objectives of MSN:(1) Formulating an action plan that supports local andregional adaptive management activities through itsmonitoring, evaluation, response and feedback system;(2) facilitating the establishment of incentive systemsfor improved MPA management and performance (e.g.annual recognition awards); (3) facilitating financialleveraging; and (4) advocating protection throughpolicy and legislative reforms.Various activities have been initiated to realize thenetwork’s commitment. On February 12 to 13, 2007,a regional forum for the Visayas was conducted inCebu City. Participants from Regions 4 to 8 attendedand shared their initiatives in MPA and resourcemanagement. Similar forums were conducted inMindanao and Luzon in March and April 2007. Duringthe forums there were deliberations to identify regionwideinitiatives and possible collaboration of priorityundertakings. The First Regional Training Workshopon MPAs was also conducted on June 1 to 22, 2007 inSagay City, Negros Occidental.More activities are planned and the creation of anawarding system is under way. Presently, entries arebeing screened to recognize MPA championsnationwide. Pursuing its commitment to coastalresource protection, the MSN looks forward toimproved and more effective management of manyMPAs involved in this social network that linksmanagers through sustained activities that facilitatesthe sharing of experiences.Participants of the MSN Visayas Regional Forum held in DECS-Ecotech, Cebu City last February 12-13, 2007. Cluster madeup of Moalboal, Badian and Alegria.7number of CCEF boardmembers10number of LGUsassisted by CCEF2232BY THENUMBERS3number of volunteersduring the 2007 SPRExpedition to Boholnumber of staff inCCEF as of 2007number of MPAcollaborators30number of companiesbeing assisted byPRISM projectaverage age of CCEFstaffnumber of MPAsassisted by CCEF3391974number of MPAs inthe MPA Databaseyear CCEF wasregistered as anNGO202878206,000year Sumilon Is.Marine Reserve,the first MPA in thePhilippines, wasestablished1998number ofmangrovesplanted, to date, for theMillion Mangroves Project792,700Philippinepesoscollectedafter the first 5 months of user-feeoperation in Moalboal

4IPOPCORM Project EndingReggie SabandalTraining programs for the LGU and communities willhelp ensure the sustainability of IPOPCORM initiativesThe Integrated Population and CoastalResource Management (IPOPCORM) Projectof CCE Foundation, Inc. has beenimplementing coastal resource managementand reproductive health activities in OlangoIsland and in Lapu-Lapu City since 2003, withsupport from the PATH Foundation,Philippines, Inc. In 2007, the Expanded-IPOPCORM project was implemented withfinding from the United Nations fund forPopulation Activities (UNFPA) throughPATH Foundation, Philippines Inc.The project envisioned the installation ofsystems for sustainability and toinstitutionalize strategies and initiatives inlocal government plans and programs. CCEFcontinued to implement selectedIPOPCORM-related activities (e.g. the microfinanceprogram, community-baseddistributor (CBD) sales inventory andmonitoring) and continued technicalassistance to key leaders and organizationsin the project sites on a minimal level tosustain the project.The project phased out at the end of June,2007. However, CCEF has ensured theintegration of reproductive health (RH) withcoastal resource management (CRM) and theidentification of sustainable mechanisms inthe project areas. By using CRM as an entrypoint, the project has been able to get to thecore of the recruitment process and has alsogreatly utilized RH as a strategy to addressthe pressing concerns on fisheries. Despitethe close of the project in reproductive health,the foundation looks forward to otheropportunities available to work in the same areasto further assist them in CRM and RH needs.Currently, the World Wide Fund (WWF) andPhilippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP)are continuing their work there along similar linesof interest.CCE FoundationProject NewsFoundation for the Philippine Environment elects CCEF asRegional Advisory Committee MemberThe Regional Advisory Committee of theFoundation for the Philippine Environment(FPE) has recently nominated and elected theCoastal Conservation and EducationFoundation, represented by its ExecutiveDirector Atty. Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio as oneof the 13 RAC-Visayas members.The FPE is essentially a grant-makinginstitution which was organized in 1992 tohelp reverse the destruction of Philippineresources through a strategic and integratedprogram. Considered as the largest Philippinenon- government, grant-making institutionfor the environment and sustainabledevelopment, FPE supports NGO initiativesin protecting the Philippine environment.Through the majority membership of itsBoard of Trustees and the participation ofthe Regional Advisory Committees (RAC),FPE’s strategic goals and integratedAfter a long wait, the Ordinance declaringthe Batalang Bato Marine Sanctuary (BBMS)in Tingloy, Batangas, was approved in April,2007. The Batalang-Bato ManagementCouncil (BBMC) is mandated to manageBBMS. According to Municipal Councilor,Ebet Dumaual, the ordinance is a testamentof the local government’s sincerity inconserving and managing the waters ofTingloy. However there is still a need toformulate Implementing Rules andRegulations (IRR) of how the marinesanctuary will be managed. The IRR will bedrafted by all stakeholders such as theBBMC, Samahan Tungo sa Kaunlaran ngSto. Tomas (STKST), Local Government Unit(LGU), Municipal Agrarian Office (MAO),Sangguniang Bayan (SB), Barangay Talahiband Sto. Tomas representatives, and theMunicipal Fisheries and Aquatic ResourcesManagement Council (MFARMC). The IRRwill include the rules for the user-fee systemand tourism related activities withcorresponding fees as follows:Snorkeling...........................................P 50.00Diving.................................................P 100.00Diving with camera...........................P 200.00Diving with video camera.................P 300.00Atty. Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorioconservation programs are broadlydiscussed.The RAC, which is created by the FPE Boardof Trustees outside of the regionalconsultative groups is composed of NGOs,People’s Organizations (PO) and academethroughout the country. They advise theBoard of Trustees in policy-making, programdevelopment, governance and nominationfor the incoming Board of Trustees of FPE.There is one RAC in each of the main regionsof Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Theregional RACs in its regular meetingsdeliberate and prioritize regionalenvironmental issues that will guide FPE inprioritizing its programs at the regional andnational levels.The new set of RAC-Visayas members areelected for a 2-year term from 2007 to 2009.Batalang-Bato Marine Sanctuary: To Be Opened for DivingArnold Tiro and Anna MenesesThe funds collected from the fees will beused to sustain BBMC management activitiesand daily operations, repair and maintenanceof physical structures of the sanctuary, andother related expenses including theprovision of incentives to the members ofthe BBMC. The funds will be managed byBBMC and will be shared as follows:BBMC................................................. 40%Brgy. Talahib......................................15%Brgy. Sto. Tomas................................15%LGU Tingloy.......................................30%The BBMS will formally open before yearendto welcome visitors with the objectives ofsustaining marine conservation efforts, promotingmarine ecology education, and enhancingthe recreational diving experience.BBMC, along with STKST, have faced manychallenges in sanctuary implementation beforethis point. Members have sacrificed timeand energy and struggled to keep the sanctuaryalive, year after year, and they anticipatethat their efforts will pay off with thepassing of this ordinance.

Project News2007 Saving Philippine Reefs Expedition conducted in the Bohol Marine TriangleRoxie DiazFor the fourth time since 1992, the islands in theBohol Marine Triangle (Panglao, Balicasag andPamilacan) were chosen as the sites for the SavingPhilippine Reefs expedition. This year’sexpedition (March 26-April 3) surveyed sevenestablished Marine Protected Areas (MPAs),their adjacent reefs, and the local communityclosely situated close by to to compare to datacollected (for some sites) in 1983, 1984, 1992,1999, and 2003. Data on fish abundance andspecies diversity, coral and substrate covercomposition, invertebrate population, causes ofcoral damage and community perception werecollected, analyzed and compared with theprevious information. Ten international divingvolunteers, eight of whom are regular participantsand two first timers along with eight CCEFoundation staff comprised this year’s dive team.During the entire durationof the trip, Bohol BeachClub (BBC) served as basecamp for the expedition.BBC provided the teamwith a spacious generalworking area used for dailygeneral dive briefings beforeheading to the respectivedive boats, as well as forthe nightly researchpresentations and projectupdates of CCEFoundation. BBC housedthe team comfortably, fedthem sumptuously andattended all the team needswith extra consideration.Saving Philippine Reefs 2007 participants and staff.5The project’s main objective is to collect empiricalsurvey data to be used as a management tool tohelp MPA managers and local governmentexecutives formulate relevant policies and soundregulations for the security and sustainability oftheir respective locally managed MPAs. Theresults of the expedition (substrate cover, fishabundance and diversity, and socio-economicdata) will be reported back to the respective localgovernments and communities managing themarine sanctuaries located in the Bohol MarineTriangle.The Mactan Export Processing Zone – HumanResources Association (MEPZ-HRA) throughthe CCEF is implementing the project entitled“Building responsible families towards enhancedproductivity in the workplace: Institutionalizinga family welfare program in the Mactan EconomicZone” which is supported by the Private SectorMobilization for Family Health (PRISM). Theproject aims to promote the family welfareprogram in the 30 MEPZ-HRA membercompanies through various activities includingtechnical assistance and capacity building.The 30 firms include Alta Mode, Aso Philippines,Atomed Cebu, Autoliv Izumi Philippines, CebuIwakami, Cebu Microelectronics, CelesticaPhilippines, Christ Philippines, Exas Philippines,Feeder Apparel, Globalwear Manufacturing,Halsangz Plating Cebu, Headway CapsInternational, Hideka Manufacturing,International Jewelry Manufacturing, KyoceraKinseki Philippines, Mactan Apparels, MakotoMetal Technology, Matluster, Metrowear,Mosaic Nine Two Five, Pan-phil Sportswear,Phil-Japan Metal & Refined Products, PhilippineLight-Leather, Philippine Makoto, SaturnBeing my first SPR trip, I was astounded by howmeticulous the participants were with their workand how proficient they were with theirpreparations. Since most of the volunteers havebeen doing this annually over several years, theyhave become very accustomed to the dailyroutines that happen during SPR trips. I admirethe SPR volunteers who have been continuouslycontributing financially to join the trip tocontribute to the research and to join CCEFoundation in its advocacy on global reefconservation.PRISM Project Update: Building Responsible FamiliesAnaleh PatindolInternational Design & Development, TriggerCompany (Philippines), Ube Electronics(Philippines), Western Wats Philippines andIntegrated Microelectronics which replaced TongFang International.To date, trainings that have been conducted are:Family Health Management Team (Batch 4), PeerEducators (Batch 4), Maternal and Child HealthTraining for Nurses (Batch 2). All companieshave submitted the rapid appraisal tool, workplacefamily planning index, and most of them haveconducted the family planning needs assessmentsurvey as part of the baseline tools. The resultsof the FPNA survey are presented back to theemployees and the data is utilized to address theneeds for peer education work. Makoto MetalTechnology, Inc., Kyocera Kinseki Philippines,Inc., Ube Electronics (Phils.), Inc. and PhilippineMakoto Corporation have initiated a series offamily planning orientations to provideinformation on the different family planningmethods available including FP services availablein their respective workplaces. Trained PeerEducators with the assistance of the CompanyMy first SPR trip in Bohol was quite anexperience because I enjoyed meeting ourgenerous, hard-working international volunteerswho are willing to go an extra mile for a cause.The SPR Expedition in 2008 will be held on alive-aboard dive boat in the Tubbataha MarinePark in Cagayancillo, Palawan. I look forward toanother productive trip to increase ourinformation bank and to meet with the regularvolunteers that, quite obviously, always makeeach expedition worthwhile!Nurses facilitated the training for MMTI andPMC.Companies have established a regular meetingschedule with the members of the family healthmanagement team and peer educators to discussconcerns, issues encountered and plan outactivities. Surprisingly, men are actively involvedin the conduct of FP orientation whichdemonstrates a positive outcome of the trainingand information dissemination conducted. ChristPhilippines, Inc.and the Philippines Light-Leather, Inc. celebrated its 10 th year anniversaryon June 15 at the function room of the Shangrila’sMactan Resort. Games, presentations,awarding of employees (5-10 years in service)and the soft launching of the PRISM projecthighlighted the one-day event.On April 26, 2007, the MEPZ-HRA convenedfor the general membership meeting in WaterfrontMactan, with the newly installed president ofthe association, Mr. Jeoffrey R. Escala. ThePRISM Project was given the opportunity toupdate the member companies on the progress ofthe project implementation.

6Greenfest sa SugboMaretes AlentonJune, being the Philippine EnvironmentMonth, Green Forum organized activities, aspart of nearly a year-long series ofenvironmental conservation activities, toenhance the awareness of the general publicon the pressing ecological issues, such asglobal climate change, pollution, andthreatened ecosystems. The Green Forum,of which CCEF is an active member, servesas a catalyst for promoting environmentfriendlypractices in collaboration withdifferent organizations and localgovernment, the Cebu City Governmentbeing the most active, so far.The Green Forum recognizes that promotingenvironmental sustainability is a MilleniumDevelopment Goal which needs to belocalized for its effective attainment. Theyhave realized that it is time for people to actnow in their environment and give a hand infixing what has been destroyed – the air, theseas, and the land. It is through activities,such as the Green Fest, that the Green Foruminvolves civil society, the private sector, andgovernment in addressing challengingenvironmental issues.The Greenfest sa Sugbo with the theme “OurCoasts, Our Heritage” was conducted lastJune 9-10, 2007. A portion of the FuenteOsmeña Boulevard was closed to motoristsin order to accommodate booths thatshowcased different environmentalinnovations and products to be screened bythe public. The booths showcased tradebooths such as solar panels, handicrafts,renewable energy, beekeeping, traditionalmassage, organic products, among others.A parallel series of lectures and orientations,promoting environmental protection, wasCCE Foundation picturesFeaturesConservation International Project:“Establishing Partnerships with Dive Professionals for CoralReef and Species Conservation”In a continuing effort to establish workingrelationships with all sectors involved withMarine Protected Areas (MPAs),Conservation International has recentlyapproved a CCEF proposal which will addressthe issues related to recreational divinginside MPAs.The objectives of the project are to work withdive professionals and their associated divecenters in order to conceptualize and thenproduce diver education materials (DVD,F.A.Q, Flip Charts, Posters, Billboards) thatcan be used in the classroom, on the diveboat as briefing materials and at the sanctuarylocations. The initial target areas are theVerde Passage Marine Biodiversity Corridorand Cebu Province.The basis for this tactical approach is due tothe nature of why MPAs are established inthe Philippines. Many MPAs in thePhilippines were, and still are, designedprimarily to promote fisheries managementand not tourism. In spite of that, these sameMPAs allow recreational diving within theprotected area, at a specified cost, as a meansof revenue generation for sustainingsanctuary management.However, not all of these MPAs are readyfor tourism. Most do not have the capacityto regulate and monitor diving activities anddo not have a good awareness andinformation program to disseminateregulations and policies. They sometimesEthan Lucaslack enforcement support structures such asboundary markers, moorings, and billboardsigns showing the regulations and map ofthe protected area to indicate boundaries. Inlight of these problems, it is commonlyobserved that many divers enter MPAs notknowing the difference and not knowing thereal value of these MPAs to the localcommunity working so hard to protect it. Inaddition, diving activities in MPAs continueto increase..What this project aims to do is to motivatedive institutions involved to help raiseawareness about the importance of MPAsand to promote “a diving code of conduct”.There is an aim to develop an attitudethrough education that teaches divers thatthese precious coastal resources are notmanaged to increase diving pleasure, but thatcommunities have invested great amountsof time and effort in establishing andmaintaining them for the purposes of foodand environmental security for future Filipinogenerations.As communities begin to benefit from animproved coastal ecosystem, the diveindustry will also benefit from the aestheticsof a well-maintained MPA, as well as bringknowledgeable and informed, and ultimately,responsible divers into MPAs. Hopefully,divers will feel compelled to protect thePhilippine environment, and not to beindifferent about it as a result of thisproject.also conducted in the adjacent Department of Health (DOH)conference rooms.Participating organizations were the Cebu City Government,Barangay Sambag II, Police Regional Office 7, Department ofHealth, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources,Department of Agriculture, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.,University of San Carlos, Energy and Clean Air Project, CCEFoundation, Plant Oil Stove of Leyte State University,Environmental Legal Assistance Center, Crocolandia,Sugarbuzz Productions, Mactan Grill Chain of Restaurants,Foundation of Volunteer Radio Communicators, CommunityChristian Fellowship, Law of Nature Foundation,Calimasada, and Ngohiong Express.CCE Foundation and FISH Project booth during the Greenfest activity promoting resource management.

FeaturesSiquijor Provincial Bantay-Dagat: Protecting Siquijor WatersRizaller Amolo7In the course of CCE Foundation’scommitment to encouraging coastal resourcemanagement (CRM) to become a basicservice, it encounters people who are taskedto provide and committed to making CRMservices sustainable. These are people whoencourage CCEF workers to carry out itsmission. It is these people whom we call“local champions.”The Siquijor Provincial Bantay-Dagat TaskForce was created pursuant to ProvincialOffice Order No 2007-008. It is composed of18 members from the Provincial AgricultureOffice, PNP-Provincial Command, BFAR-Siquijor and PENRO. The team was createdprimarily to neutralize illegal fishing activitiesand other criminal elements within themunicipal waters of Siquijor. The team whichis led by Mr. Darell T. Pasco, is made up ofmunicipal government partners, fishwardens, and fishers. Fellow enforcersendearingly refer to him as “Papang.”Darrell and his team’s devotion to givingservice to others is their personalcommitment to the residents of SiquijorIsland. The Siquijor Provincial Bantay-Dagat, received a special citation during the2006 Search for Outstanding FisheriesAchievers under the Outstanding Bantay-Dagat category. Darell Pasco also receiveda special citation as Outstanding FishWarden during the same awarding ceremony.Currently, the Provincial Bantay-Dagat andboth provincial and municipal PhilippineNational Police (PNP) members patrol themunicipal waters of the six componentmunicipalities making up Siquijor Province.Over, 50 apprehensions have been madesince 2005. Their performance has gained theconfidence and commitment to support thecause among municipal chief executives,local resource managers and partners, as wellas the Governor of Siquijor and provinciallegislators.In carrying out their duties, Darrell and histeam have been through both harrowing andinspiring experiences. They have hadconfrontations, at sea and in the courtroom,with stubborn repeat violators. But thesehave never hampered their momentum andinitiative.According to them, enforcement is inevitablycoupled with high risk situations. The respectand overwhelming support from theprovincial government, municipal partners,and other assisting organizations hascontributed in fueling their dedication inenforcement of fisheries laws and policies.Darrell “Papang” Pasco - dedicated leader of theSiquijor Bantay-Dagat Task Force.Committed persons like “Papang” and theSiquijor Bantay-Dagat are vital to theachievement of sustainable resourcemanagement in the region as well as othersites. Darrell says that effective coastal lawenforcement is essential in assisting fishersin bringing food to their tables.Overall, CCE Foundation salutes our localchampions, the Siquijor Bantay-DagatTaskforce. They truly give meaning to theFoundation’s work in environmentalconservation.R. AmoloCCE Foundation hosts Pew supported MPA research projectDiana PietriIn July, Dr. Patrick Christie (University ofWashington) and Dr. Richard Pollnac (Universityof Rhode Island) traveled to Cebu City and theCCEF offices to begin the first round of fieldworkfor the Pew MPA Network Project. The goal ofthe project is to conduct socio-ecological researchon nascent marine protected area networks inthe Philippines, representing various approaches(purely social vs. socio-ecological, bottom-up vs.top-down, for example) to networking. Thenetworks that the project will analyze are theCCEF Southeast Cebu Cluster Initiative, theFisheries for Sustainable Harvest (FISH) MPAnetwork in Danajon Bank, and the social networksof Pamana Ka and the MPA Support Network.Though in the coming three years, the projectwill include both social and ecological research inthe various networks, the first two months offield work focused on social surveys ofcommunity members involved in the SoutheastCebu and Danajon Bank networks.This collaborative project between the PewFellow and Coastal Conservation and EducationFoundation focuses on applied socio-ecologicalresearch and education for MPA networks. Dr.Patrick Christie will lead socio-ecological researchon emerging marine protected area networks inthe Philippines. Dr. Christie will then translateresearch finding into educational materials forlocal and international audiences. A managementbody of a growing MPA network in thePhilippines will be strengthened. This networkwill be monitored for socio-ecological impactsand adaptively managed. In the final year, Dr.Christie and CCEF will be conducting a series ofinternational trainings on MPA network designand implementation with the NatureConservancy and the Food AgricultureOrganization.After compiling a research team composed of Dr.Ike Oracion (Silliman Unviersity) and fourresearch assistants (Roxie Diaz and AgnesSabonsolin from CCEF, Malcolm Hiponia, agraduate student from Silliman University, andDiana Pietri, a graduate student from Universityof Washington), the team headed off for to thefirst leg of the research in Southeast Cebu andBohol. Spending a three weeks in Southeast Cebuand four weeks in the Danajon Bank area of Boholto collect interview data more work still remainsto be done. This inculdes key informantinterviews, surveys of practitioners of thePamana Ka and Marine Support Network, andfinal reviews and coding of the data. The team’sreturn from Bohol essentially marked the end ofthe first round of field work for the Pew MPANetwork Project. Overall, in spite of some ofthe aforementioned bumps along the road, theresearch proceeded as well as one could havehoped and provided a strong start for the PewMPA Network Project.

Ethan Lucas8CCE Foundation Tidbits/FeaturesMPA Feature:Tubod Marine SanctuaryRoxie DiazTubod Marine Sanctuary, a 7.5 hectare protectedarea situated in Barangay Tubod in theMunicipality of San Juan, Siquijor was legallyestablished in 1989 through the initiative of CentralVisayas Regional Project (CVRP). On August 212002, the Tubod MPA Management Plan wasdrafted through a participatory approach.Strategically located, the MPA is the house reef ofCoco Grove Beach Resort and Sea ExplorerDiveshop. Integrating the user fee system, theMPA is now generating funds to gradually sustainits operation. For a minimum fee of PhP 50.00 to100.00, guests can enter the sanctuary forsnorkeling and diving. The funds generated are usedto fund the fuel of the patrol boat, supplies andequipment of the guard house, and other dailyoperational needs. Currently, the members ofTubod Fishermen’s Association (TUFA) anddeputized municipal fish wardens are on a 24-hour rotation schedule in guarding their MPA.After monitoring TubodMPA, the area consistentlyshowed increase in allbiological parameters.Tubod MPA boasts of itsbig groupers, schools ofjacks and snappers andmany other fishes that comein a myriad of colors andsizes. One of the MPA’s most sought after residentis the “Spanish Dancer” (Hexabranchussanguineus) one of the biggest of all nudibranchs(up to 40 cm). It is a sight to behold for divers anda graceful subject for underwater photographers.Rotary Club Signs MOA with CCEFin 1 Million Mangroves ProjectCCEF recently signed a memorandum of agreementwith Rotary International District 3860 in lateAugust. The objective of the MOA was to jointlyundertake the rehabilitation, development andmaintenance of selected mangrove forests withinthe Province of Cebu which will be a component ofthe One Million Mangroves Project CCEFoundation. As a civic group, Rotary’s pool ofmembers of professionals will surely assist thefoundation in its endeavor to encourage theparticipation of local groups and privateorganizations in environmental activities.According to the agreement Rotary InternationalDistrict 3860 will spearhead the 1 Million Mangrovetrees campaign for the business, civic, and thestudents sectors in the Province of Cebu ando enlistthe participation of its members and Partners-In-Service for the assistance in rehabilitation,protection and conservation of our environmentaland natural resources.Staff ProfilesIolanthe SaraA warm welcome to our newest CCEF volunteersand interns!Jason Woo is a PADI Assistant DivingInstructor from New York, USA and will behelping out with Foundation activities andassisting the Training Unit.Staff re-assignments:Sheryll Tesch is the IEC Coordinator and theFoundation’s new Administrative Officer.Reggie Sabandal is the new Project Officer ofthe Private Sectors Mobilization (PRISM)Project. She is formerly the SCHOW of theIPOPCORM Project.Dalton Presle Dacal, formerly a CommunityOfficer of the Local Governancce for CoastalManagement Project is now the Foundation’sDatabase and GIS Specialist.and…So long and good luck to Elline Canares(LGCMP Assistant Project Coordinator) whois now in Sierra Leone, Africa for the VolunteerService Overseas (VSO), Marne Setrina andEva Ongy (IPOPCORM CHOW), AnnaBlesilda Meneses (MPA Coordinator), ArnoldTiro (CO-Batangas), to our volunteers ShioSegi, Rochae Cameron, Jerry Ledesma,William Misa and Amy Milman and internsNicole Tseng, Evanette Mendoza, ShangrilaInting, Jacob Viniegas, Rafael Salvador,Stella Marie Flores, Christian Gumapon,Jovanni Plateros, Charity Lungtad and BruceKenneth Sy. Thank you for the valuable timeand effort that you have put into the Foundation!Raymundo,LJ., AP Maypa, ED Gomez and P.Cadiz. 2007. Can dynamite-blasted reefsrecover? A novel, low-tech approach tostimulating natural recovery in fish and coralpopulations. Marine Pollution Bulletin.Foundation WishlistUnderwatercameraDepthSounderLCDExternal harddiskNew PublicationsMasksandsnorkelsUSBstick drivesGPSunitsDivegearVideo CameraThe Coastal Conservationand EducationFoundation, Inc.3rd Floor, PDI Condominium,Archbishop Reyes Avenue, Banilad,Cebu City, PhilippinesPhone: (6332) 233-6909 or 233-6947Fax: (6332) 233-6891Email: ccef@mozcom.comWebsite: www.coast.ph“Promoting leadership for improvedcoastal resource management”The Coastal Conservation and EducationFoundation, Inc. (formerly Sulu Fund) wasfounded in 1998 to support marine conservationin the Philippines. The first name wastaken from the Philippines’ southern SuluSea known for its extremely high marinebiodiversity unequalled in the world. Thenew name, Coastal Conservation andEducation Foundation, is more functional andreflects the organization’s goals. The CCEFoundation is focused on protecting themarine environment. It tries to help conserveand manage coral reef ecosystems and othercoastal resources while promotingsustainable uses for the benefit of peoplethroughout time.The A. White Library andLearning Center for CoastalResource ManagementThe A. White Library and Learning Center’sinformation resources on coastal resourcemanagement and related disciplines arecontinuously growing! The library andlearning center serves as a one-stop-shop forinformation and training needs on coastalmanagement. It houses more than 2000volumes and 5000 reprints and reports, byfar the most extensive library on coastalmanagement in the Philippines. At the sametime its training facility provides a conducivevenue for experts, community leaders, andother key sectors to come together, discussissues, ideas and concerns on coastalconservation.For more information on the A. WhiteLibrary and Learning Center’s services andrates, please contact us atccef-lib@mozcom.com or the abovementioned contact numbers.