Aside from being a channel of infrastructure and enterprise subprojects in the country, the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) also supports the protection of marine protected areas and resources.

Mr. Jim Hancock, an expert in protected area management from the World -Bank (WB), along with some technical personnel from the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with officials from local government units recently conducted a review mission on the areas covered under the PRDP’s Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

The sites visited by the team last November 15-16, 2016 are the following GEF sites in the province of Eastern Samar with the following proposed subprojects:
1. Rehabilitation of Can-Usod and Bulosao Fish Sanctuaries in Brgys. Betaog and Bolusao, in Lawaan; and
2. Rehabilitation of Manapag Reef Fish Sanctuary, in Guiuan.

According to Hancock, the GEF support is specifically aimed towards the conservation of biodiversity and in strengthening the coastal and marine resources of the areas covered by the project through enhanced institutional and planning capacities of local government units and communities; provision of support to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs); and sharing of knowledge and practices.

World Bank visits Guiuan coast. In photo, Mayor Sheen Gonzales of Guiuan, Eastern Samar (center) narrates about the local government unit’s initiatives in support of Marine Protected Areas to preserve the resources of Manapag Reef and how it needs to avail of assistance from the Philippine Rural Development Project. Looking on is Mr. Jim Hancock, World Bank representative (right), Mr. Ulysess Triambulo, PRDP-NPCO Natural Resource Management (NRM) Specialist and Mr. Alvin Apostol, NRM Officer from the Visayas Project Support Office (left). Photo taken during a courtesy visit to the office of Mayor Gonzales by the PRDP team on November 16, 2016. (Rodel G. Macapanas, InfoACE Unit Head, RPCO 8)

Eastern Visayas was included in the priority regions to be supported under the GEF, particularly the MPAs of the municipalities of Guiuan, Mercedes Salcedo, Quinapondan and Lawaan.

A number of proposed microenterprises in the GEF sites had already been approved for funding under the PRDP with No Objection Letter (NOL) 1 issued by the Visayas Project Support Office. Some of these projects include the following:

A. Fishing and Trading Enterprise by the Inapulangan Farmers and Fisherfolk Association of Guiuan costing Php1.4 million
B. Mangrove Crab Production and Trading support by the Sta. Margarita Empowered Fisherfolk’s Multipurpose Association of Quinapondan costing Php1 million

Hancock added that his presence in the coastal sites of Eastern Visayas “is about knowing the extent of what we have done so far and what else should be done to advance our achievement of the objectives of the project.”

Major concerns that were tackled include, the strengthening of the MPA, the direct involvement of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the project, eradicating violations within MPAs, provision of livelihood opportunities for the community residents and, intensifying the overall GEF implementation.

The PRDP team is set to return to the said GEF sites. This time, the purpose is to assist the rural constituents in the process of MPA plan and budget preparation, for integration in a proposal to be submitted by the proponent groups for possible funding support from the PRDP-GEF.

The GEF is part of the package under PRDP aimed at protecting coastal and marine resource base in the targeted priority areas by preserving biodiversity and promoting fisheries resource management. The GEF is backed by a financial grant from the World Bank in the amount of US$7 million, or around Php 300 million.

The participants during the 2-day event were comprised of proponent groups and technical personnel from the GEF covered municipalities of Eastern Samar; National Project Coordination Office (NPCO)- GEF Unit Head/NRM Specialist Ulysses Triambulo; NPCO staff; and representatives from PSO Visayas headed by Deputy Projectc Director Engr. Jose Albert Barrogo, as well as RPCO-8’s staff headed by Deputy Project Director Jenny Lyn R. Almeria. (Rodel G. Macapanas, InfoACE Unit Head, RPCO 8)