For some time now, the Philippine coral reefs have been deteriorating due to poor land-use practices, rapid coastal development, overfishing and other destructive techniques such as dynamite and cyanide fishing. To resolve this marine biodiversity issue, government agencies have partnered and established marine protected areas (MPAs) that would help regain the growth of the corals and increase the number of fishes.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have pre-identified target areas for the Global Environment Facility (GEF) sites of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).

To date, there are five GEF sites in the Bicol Region, particularly in the Municipalities of Magallanes, Bulan, Pilar and Matnog in Sorsogon and the Municipality of San Fernando in Masbate. The proponent groups and the local government units (LGUs) in the said sites have undergone series of trainings and consultations to come up with proposals that would help preserve their MPAs as well as benefit the members of their community.

The involvement of the community in the implementation process plays a vital role in protecting and maintaining  the MPA, since it would be a way for the members to appreciate the benefits of the project.

The municipal agriculturists of the five GEF sites in Bicol Region actively participate in the meeting held at the Pili Commercialization Center, OPAg Compound, Sorsogon City. (Photo by: Michelle Angela G. Alfigura, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

GEF is encouraged to incorporate local MPA ordinances to strengthen linkages especially for provincial networks of MPA’s and help consolidate enforcement activities as well as overall fishery and biodiversity protection. PRDP-GEF will partner with RARE, Incorporated which will assist in strengthening information and will conduct awareness activities to further enhance integrated coastal management and policies. RARE uses social marketing, arts, posters, mascots, and community events to advocate conservation and sustainability.

To ensure the smooth implementation of the activities to be conducted by RARE, Inc. on March 13-25, PRDP Bicol Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) Natural Resource Management (NRM) PDA Teresita F. Blanqueza gathered the municipal agriculturists of the five municipalities with GEF sites to prepare the things needed during the RARE’s gathering of primary and secondary data of the concerned LGU. A checklist was also distributed to fast track the lacking data to be supplied by the proponent groups.

GEF focuses on the natural resource management and conservation in globally significant biodiversity areas, seascapes and landscapes, and priority degraded coastal areas.

PRDP is a six-year project designed to establish an inclusive and market oriented agri-fishery sector through strategic investments in priority commodity value chains. ### (Michelle Angela G. Alfigura, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)

PRDP Bicol, NRM PDA Teresita Blanqueza, discussed to the municipal agrisculturists of the pre-identified GEF sites in Bicol the process flow of the RARE, Inc. visit (Photo by: Michelle Angela G. Alfigura, DA-PRDP RPCO V InfoACE Unit)