GEF INITIATIVES. Philippine Rural Development (PRDP) – Regional Project Coordinating Office 8 Deputy Project Director Jenny Lyn R. Almeria (standing) talks about the implementation arrangements under the PRDP. Photo taken during the conduct of GEF Initiatives Implementation Review Planning and Direction Setting for Eastern Samar Marine Protected Areas conducted on April 18-20,2016 at the Caluwayan Palm Island Resort, Marabut, Samar. LGUs along Guiuan Coast to get PRDP aid for marine biodiversity conservation
The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) brings hope for the fisherfolk in the province of Eastern Samar.
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 P300 million.
The GEF site in Eastern Visayas covers the Guiuan coast which involves the marine protected areas of the municipalities of Guiuan, Mercedes Salcedo, Quinapondan and Lawaan.
“We are lucky that Eastern Visayas was included in the priority regions to be supported under the GEF,” said Department of Agriculture-8 Regional Project Deputy Director Jenny Lyn R. Almeria.
“The listing of areas to be covered largely depended on the results of the overall assessment conducted by the World Bank and the commitment of the LGUs and other stakeholders to support the project. Of course, topmost of the several parameters considered was degree of availability of coastal and marine resources,” Almeria added.
To intensify GEF initiatives, DA- Regional Project Coordinating Office -8 spearheaded the conduct of the GEF Initiatives Implementation Review Planning and Direction -setting for Eastern Samar Marine Protected Areas last April 18-20, 2016 in Marabut, Samar.
Highlights of the two-day activity include the: Re-orientation on PRDP –GEF; PRDP Implementation arrangement with different components and partner agencies; importance of coastal and marine ecosystems management using marine spatial planning, and; Marine Protected Areas Budget and Plan preparation.
The participants were comprised of proponent groups and technical personnel from the GEF covered municipalities of Eastern Samar; RPCO-8 staff headed by I-PLAN Component Head Engr. Jecela A. Demegillo; Director Almeria; Visayas Project Support Office Planning Specialist Franco Villaruel, and National Project Coordinating Office – Natural Resource Management (NRM) Officer Ma. Shea C. Bitalac and NRM Specialist Ulysses R. Triambulo. (Rodel G. Macapañas, InfoACE, Region 8)
