AGDANGAN, Quezon – The Global Environment Facility – Natural Resources Management (GEF-NRM) Unit of PRDP met with different stakeholders to kick start the year 2019 last February 7.

The meeting centered on project review of the previous year’s accomplishments as well as leveling off on the constraints and levels of GEF implementation.

Likewise, a preparatory meeting was also conducted with stakeholders from different municipalities and cities surrounding the Tayabas Bay for the creation of Marine Protected Area (MPA) Network. This network will ensure that large swaths of the bay are effectively protected and will be suitable home for various marine organisms.

2018 is a banner year for GEF subprojects in the region, especially for the Bahurang Silag Fish Sanctuary as it was able to increase its Management Effectiveness Assessment Tool (MEAT) and Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) scores from initial 42 and 53 points in 2016 to 69 and 92 points, respectively.

The PRDP-GEF provided the Agdangan Local Government Unit (LGU), proponent groups, and other stakeholders with technical training sessions and materials needed. They were also given the opportunity to learn scuba diving for better monitoring and evaluation of the site.

This shows that the P2.6 million worth of interventions being provided by the Project to the local government and coastal communities have an impact in the quality of management and state of the marine protected area.

Moreover, procurement plans and other technical assistance for the six fisherfolk associations that will receive the P2.3 million seaweeds enterprises were also discussed. This is on top of the two technology demonstration training on mangrove crab and seaweeds farming provided last year.

The said meeting was chaired by Elvie Jane Lagan, Natural Resources Management Officer for the CALABARZON region, together with PRDP GEF-NRM Unit Head Ulysses Triambulo and GEF-NRM Unit staff.

Also present in the undertaking were staff from the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, Provincial Planning and Development Office, Office of the Provincial Agriculturist – Fisheries  Division, and  a representative from Tambuyog, a non-government organization that helps fisherfolks towards sustainable fisheries development.

MPA rehabilitation and microenterprise support were the activities being implemented by GEF-NRM in Agdangan. # [Lawrence Albert Bariring, DA-PRDP CALABARZON RPCO InfoACE Unit]

PRDP GEF-NRM Unit Head Ulysses Triambulo leads the exchange of ideas for the 2019 plan on the Bahurang Silag Fish Sanctuary

Corals during one of the surveys conducted in the Bahurang Silag Fish Sanctuary

[Photos Courtesy of Elvie Jane Lagan, PRDP-GEF NRM Officer]