PEMSEA E-UPDATES Vol. IV Issue 01 January 2003
Major Stakeholders to Gather at the East Asian Seas Congress 2003
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- A major international event for various stakeholders
of the Seas of East Asia will be held from 8-12 December 2003 in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
The East Asian Seas Congress 2003 is being organized by PEMSEA, in cooperation with
the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment Malaysia. The Department of
Environment Malaysia is the local organizing committee.
The Congress features two main events: The Ministerial Forum on the Sustainable
Development of the Seas of East Asia which is scheduled on 12 December and The
International Conference on the Sustainable Development of the East Asian Seas:
Towards a New Era of Regional Collaboration and Partnerships slated for 8-12
December.
Three side events would be held during the Congress: The 3rd Forum of the Regional
Network of Local Governments Implementing Integrated Coastal Management and the
Media Forum on Partnerships in Environmental Communication (9 December) and the
Environmental Investments Round Table (10 December).
Ministerial Forum
The Ministerial Forum is a regional response towards the sustainable development of
coasts and oceans. It provides a venue to discuss the state of the region's environment
and natural resources and to agree on a common framework of actions for the East Asian
Seas. Ministers from 12 PEMSEA participating countries, namely Brunei Darussalam,
Cambodia, RP China, DPR Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, RO Korea,
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam will review the final draft of the Sustainable
Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) and consider a declaration of
regional cooperation for adoption.
Prior to the Ministerial Forum, three preparatory meetings attended by senior government
officials would have been held in the People's Republic of China, Thailand, and
Malaysia, respectively, to review the final draft of the SDS-SEA.
Starting in 2001, the SDS-SEA evolved and developed through a process of local,
national, and regional consultations and consensus building among participating
governments and stakeholders.
International Conference
The International Conference will gather concerned stakeholders policy makers,
economists, environmental and natural resource managers, NGO representatives, media
practitioners, the academe, civil society and the private sector to discuss ways to
strengthen regional collaboration, promote synergies and linkages among existing
regional and global programmes, and work towards achieving sustainable coastal and
ocean development in the East Asian region.
The conference is focused on two themes. Theme A focuses on a Review of International
and National Efforts Towards Addressing the Main Sectoral Concerns Regarding the
Seas of East Asia and Theme B on the Essential Cross-Cultural Approaches and
Processes: Towards Achieving Sustainable Development.
There will be eight concurrent workshop sessions coordinated by the International
Maritime Organization (IMO), United Nations Environment Programme-Global
Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based
Activities (UNEP-GPA), WorldFish Center, UNDP- GEF (Kuala Lumpur) and
PEMSEA. These sessions are on maritime transport; land-based pollution; fisheries and
aquaculture; biodiversity; local governance and alliances; skills and expertise; finance,
investment, and corporate responsibility; and national coastal policies and regional
collaborative arrangements.
International speakers will be invited to keynote the conference as well as present papers
during the workshop sessions.
Exhibits on the theme, "Regional Collaboration and Partnerships for the Sustainable
Development of the Coasts and Oceans" will be set up by the PEMSEA Regional Office,
its integrated coastal management demonstration/parallel sites, pollution hotspot project
sites, and Congress sponsoring organizations.
The Congress Secretariat is calling for papers and posters on any of the workshop topics.
Side Events
Representatives of local governments in the PEMSEA participating countries will also
meet for The Third Forum of the Regional Network of Local Governments Implementing
Integrated Coastal Management. At the forum, local government leaders would share
information, expertise, experiences and lessons in the implementation of the SDS-SEA
and local coastal strategies and identify feasible options for securing the long-term
sustainability of the network's operation.
Journalists, broadcasters, and communicators for sustainable environmental development,
as well as Project Management Directors of the PEMSEA sites, and representatives of
international organizations, will also meet at The Media Forum on Partnerships in
Environmental Communication to discuss environmental concerns, issues, and
information gaps in coastal and marine resource management. The forum hopes that
workable mechanisms for partnerships in environmental communication would be
identified.
The Environmental Investments Round Table will gather business professionals and other
members of the private sector to discuss environmental investment opportunities in
integrated coastal management as well as in subregional sea areas and pollution hot spot
management sites. It will also be a venue for dialogues among local governments, private
sector and interested investors and facilitate the formation and strengthening of public-
private partnerships for environmental investments.
For more information about the East Asian Seas Congress 2003, please contact the
Congress Secretariat at congress@pemsea.org or visit the congress website at
http://way.to/seascongress.
GEF Secretariat Gives PEMSEA a Favorable Evaluation
QUEZON CITY, PHLIPPINES -- "Highly satisfactory." This was among the comments
made by the GEF Secretariat regarding PEMSEA's project design and implementation
during the recently concluded Secretariat Managed Project Reviews (SMPRs) conducted
by the GEF. PEMSEA is one of 15 GEF-funded projects selected for evaluation from
July to September 2002.
The review panel noted that the participating countries had a strong government
ownership of the PEMSEA project. They also observed that the governments have a high
success in involving local champions, provincial governors and corporate leaders in
project activities and integrating them into local government action programs.
The panel reported that "the Project has already seen considerable achievements on the
ratification of conventions by the participating countries in extending and harmonizing
the legislative, regulatory and institutional frameworks; in the development of country
and local plans for Integrated Coastal Management; and in increasing awareness among
governments, the private sector and the population at large on the importance of coastal
management."
The panel identified three important challenges facing PEMSEA: the consolidation of
capacity building achievements for strengthening local governance; the definition of a
long-term institutional structure(s) to ensure sustainability of PEMSEA's objectives; and
the search for formal representation of the concerned ministries at appropriate levels in its
forthcoming ministerial forum.
The ministerial forum is one of the main features of the East Asian Seas Congress 2003, a
major international event for stakeholders in the East Asian region to be held from 8 12
December 2003 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (see related article).
Shihwa to Invest US$ 620M for Environmental Restoration
SHIHWA, REPUBLIC OF KOREA -- A plan for the environmental restoration of
Shihwa's coastal and watershed area was recently approved by the Shihwa Lake
Management Committee. The Mid-term Implementation Plan (2001-2006) of the Shihwa
Comprehensive Management Plan includes 26 action programs in four strategic focus
areas: improvement of water and sediment quality; ecosystem and living resources
management; coastal utilization and space management; and the strengthening of
institutional arrangements and capacity building. The implementation of the approved
plan is expected to cost about US$ 620M by 2006.
Each action program identifies the specific activities and plans involved, the target
investments, and the implementing agencies. To improve the water and sediment quality
of Shihwa Lake, the Korean government is planning to construct a tidal plant with an
estimated investment of US$ 200M. The establishment of sewage treatment plants,
artificial wetlands, and various facilities for reducing non-point sources of pollution are
also included in the plan.
PEMSEA Staff Obtains First-hand Info on ICM
BATAAN, PHILIPPINES -- The PEMSEA Regional Programme Office (RPO) Staff
experienced first-hand integrated coastal management (ICM) in action through a study
tour to the Bataan ICM Program, locally known as BIGKIS-Bataan, on 7-9 February
2003. The study tour provided the PEMSEA staff with the basic concepts and principles
of ICM and increased their awareness and understanding on the activities of BIGKIS-
Bataan.
The staff participated in a local coastal cleanup in the town of Orani, which exposed them
to the importance of environmental awareness and local political will in addressing the
problem of waste disposal.
The coastal cleanup was followed by a visit to a mangrove reforestation site near the
town of Orion. The visit provided the participants with better insights on the important
role mangrove ecosystems play in maintaining biological diversity and preventing shore
erosion.
The staff also visited the Philippine National Oil Company Petrochem Estate to gain
increased understanding on how the estate practices corporate responsibility in
environmental protection.
"We realized the strong potential of the industrial sector as partners in environmental
management," said Jun Hernandez, PEMSEA Senior Accounting Clerk.
The visit to the town of Morong proved to be another learning experience for the staff
where the Community-Based Pawikan Conservation Project has turned turtle poachers
into protectors. The intense public awareness campaign on the need to protect marine
endangered species contributed to the success of the project. The staff participated in the
release of the sanctuary's captive-bred Olive Ridley sea turtle hatchings.
"It is an unforgettable experience," said Azenith Carlos, PEMSEA Library Assistant.
Most of the PEMSEA staff experienced the release of sea turtle hatchlings for the first
time.
PEMSEA regularly conducts study tours to assist in human resource development in ICM
especially at the local level.
Preparations for Environmental Investment Roundtables Underway
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Preparations are now being undertaken by PEMSEA
for the conduct of exploratory meetings among operating companies, investment groups
and financial institutions interested in pursuing joint-ventures with local governments and
investors in the East Asian region. These meetings are in preparation for a series of
Environmental Investment Roundtables showcasing investment and financing
opportunities for various projects under a public-private partnerships (PPP) mechanism.
Donor agencies are also expected to attend the roundtables.
"The Roundtables are intended to bring together local stakeholders who would require
technical and management expertise and financial backing from those who are able to
extend this support," said S. A. Ross, PEMSEA Senior Programme Officer. A
preliminary list of environmental investments have been identified in the Philippines, PR
China, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia.
An investor's registry had been set up to assist private sector investors. Registration
forms are available online from the PEMSEA website, www.pemsea.org, together with
excerpts of some opportunity briefs.
Under the PPP mechanism, there will be resource pooling and risk sharing among the
concerned parties. The private sector is expected to provide the technical know-how and
the necessary infusion of capital while the public sector partner complements these in
terms of familiarity with local conditions and guaranteeing manpower resources.
For comments and inquiries, contact PEMSEA's Sustainable Financing Unit through
info@pemsea.org.
China to Host First Senior Government Officials Meeting on the East Asian Seas
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- The State Oceanic Administration through the
Department of International Cooperation, People's Republic of China, will host and co-
organize the First Senior Government Officials Meeting (SGOM) on the Sustainable
Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA).
About 30 high-level officials from PEMSEA national focal agencies, concerned
international organizations, and the Regional Programme, are expected to attend the first
SGOM slated on 8-10 April.
Mr. Li Haiqing, Director General the Department of International Cooperation, informed
that the meeting will be held in Zhuhai Municipality, Guangdong Province. The meeting
will review the final draft of the Strategy, share experiences in national cross-sectoral
consultations, and discuss measures to facilitate national and regional consensus building
for the SDS-SEA.
The People's Republic of China remains to be active in efforts to formulate a common
regional framework for the sustainable development of the East Asian Seas. The SGOM
in China is the first of three meetings to be organized by PEMSEA to prepare the
programme and working documents for review and endorsement by concerned ministers
during the Ministerial Forum on the Sustainable Development of the Seas of East Asia,
which will be held during the East Asian Seas Congress 2003 on December in Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia (see related article).
Chonburi Increases Marine Resources Awareness
CHONBURI, THAILAND -- In a bid to increase awareness on the importance of marine
resources, volunteers released over 2 million shrimp larvae and 50 green and hawksbill
sea turtles into the sea during a ceremony held in Kram Island, Sattahip.
Over 80 students, fishers, government representatives and staff from the Project
Management Office (PMO) of PEMSEA's Chonburi Integrated Coastal Management
(ICM) demonstration site participated in the event. The activity exposed the students to
the importance of marine resources and built awareness among fishermen and local
communities on the need to preserve marine resources in the area.
The Si Racha municipality provided the turtles which were taken from its conservation
pond at Loi Island while the shrimp larvae were provided by the Fishery Department.
Kram Island belongs to the Royal Thai Navy and is a nesting ground for green and
hawksbill turtles. The release of sea turtles and shrimp larvae has become an annual event
and is now on its third year. During the same occasion, the PMO also shared information
on its ICM activities and distributed 150 t-shirts to participants.
Mission Forges Stronger Partnership for Bohai Sea
BEIJING, PR CHINA -- Stronger working partnership among the PEMSEA Regional
Programme Office, the project staff and government counterparts at the national,
provincial and local levels, geared towards improved performance and efficient project
implementation were forged during the audit mission to the Bohai Sea Environmental
Management Project.
Dr. Huming Yu, PEMSEA Senior Programme Officer for Coastal and Ocean
Governance, Maria Teresita G. Lacerna, PEMSEA Site Officer for Bohai Sea, and Prof.
Li Wenhai, Director of the Bohai Sea National Project Management Office (NPMO),
traveled to north China from 19-30 January 2003 to conduct an on-site evaluation of the
implementation of various projects in the Bohai Sea area.
The team gave a briefing on project management to local project teams including the staff
of the NPMO and the Provincial Project Management Office (PPMO). The commitment
and efforts of local governments for project implementation were recognized. The
problems and constraints encountered in implementing the various projects were also
discussed and counter measures identified to address them. The NPMO and PPMO will
continue to take an active role, particularly, in supervising and coordinating the various
project activities. The collaboration among the team, the project staff, and the local
governments facilitated the finalization of 10 project proposals.
The team also visited different sites for promoting investment opportunities, which
included the Shuangtaize estuary and the areas around the Chao River and the Haihe
River. Four pre-feasibility studies are being refined to encourage the participation of the
private sector in environmental investments. Investment opportunity briefs are expected
to be completed and presented at the Investment Roundtable scheduled within the year.
Brunei Darussalam Initiates River Clean-up
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM -- The Government of Brunei
Darussalam will launch a project to monitor and assess the water quality of the Brunei
River as a first step to a long-term clean-up and monitoring program.
PEMSEA has been requested to provide technical assistance in the planning and
implementation of the project, which aims to develop a scientific database to assess the
state of the water quality of the Brunei River. This database would be compared with an
earlier database gathered in 1987.
The planned database would be developed to be a tool in the design of an implementation
strategy for the clean up of the Brunei River and for a long-term pollution monitoring
program using established water quality standards.
PEMSEA Receives Chi Rho Award
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- PEMSEA was recently awarded the Chi Rho Award
from Miriam College for its support to the college's program on the environment. The
award is given annually in appreciation of the school's partners in its various projects and
programs. PEMSEA was among the 13 organizations which provided support to Miriam
College's Environmental Studies Institute (ESI).
In May 2002, PEMSEA, in partnership with the ESI, the Philippine Science High School,
Globe Protocols, and the British Volunteer Services Overseas organized and conducted
the Youth Nature Camp in Sibuyan Island, Romblon Province. The summer youth camp
provided high school students an opportunity to interact with nature and heighten their
awareness, sensitivity, and respect for the rich marine and coastal heritage of the country.
PEMSEA hoped that through the nature camp, the youths could enhance their
commitment and motivation to take active leadership roles in environmental preservation
and sustainable development.
Other awardees included the United Nations Environment Program, World Wildlife Fund
Philippines, Australian Agency for International Development, JRS Business
Corporation, Japan Milk Carton Recycling Association, Jollibee Food Corporation,
Petron Foundation, Petroleum Institute of the Philippines, Cooperative Research Center,
Southeast Asia Regional Institute for Community Education, Academy for Educational
Development, and the Office of the President of the Philippines.
The award was received by Sylvia Inciong, PEMSEA Technical Officer from Miriam
College president, Dr. Patrician Licuanan during in a program last 30 January.
PEMSEA Invites Media to ICM Study Tour
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- For the first time, PEMSEA is including a media
practitioner to be part of the study tour to Xiamen, PR China on 13-15 March 2003.
Recognizing the crucial role of media as a key partner in promoting environmental
sustainability, PEMSEA endeavors to involve environmental journalists in the East Asian
region in its programs and activities. The study tour is one of PEMSEA's activities that
aims to provide environmental journalists with an opportunity to gain increased and
deeper understanding on Integrated Coastal Management (ICM).
The ICM Study Tour will also be participated in by senior government officials, local
leaders and natural resource managers of PEMSEA participating governments and other
interested groups to familiarize them with the ICM working model, which has been
operating successfully in Xiamen since 1994.
Participants, would be able to see environmental improvements initiated by the
government of Xiamen Municipality as well as the economic prosperity it has achieved.
There will also be an opportunity for policymakers and resource managers of the region
to discuss with their counterparts the application of the ICM approach, and share
experiences and lessons learned.
PEMSEA shall provide funding support, which covers a roundtrip air ticket, food,
lodging and local transportation expenses.
PEMSEA Website Increases Hits by 300%
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Starting with an average of 6,000 hits from January to
November 2002, PEMSEA's website, http://pemsea.org has reached a 300% increase in
hits early this year. A few days after the launching of a revamped website, the hits
reached 18,000 by the end of 2002. In January 2003, hits rose to an overwhelming
56,000.
With its new structure, the PEMSEA website is now able to expand its information
coverage. Five major sections were launched:
About PEMSEA, which highlights the organization's structure, programmes, and
activities;
Information Center, which contains facts and figures, articles and other reference
materials on the East Asian marine ecosystem and environmental management;
Media Information Resource Center, which provides story ideas, photo stocks, news
releases and the PEMSEA E-Updates newsletter to media practitioners;
Trainings, which features information on specialized training courses, internship and
fellowship programs to environmental workers and managers; and
Young Environmentalists, which aims to develop future champions for the environment.
The website also extends its service to organizations with similar mandates by providing
them an avenue for announcing news and promoting their events, call for proposals, or
job opportunities.
With the enhanced PEMSEA homepage, a returning visitor will quickly notice the
changes in the color scheme, the animated graphics, and a more refined yet vibrant visual
layout. An online subscription facility for the E-Updates, where an interested visitor can
directly key in an e-mail address, is now available. The navigation of the site was
likewise improved with the use of popup menus.
New Philippine PEMSEA Focal Point
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Mr. Demetrio Ignacio, Jr., Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Policy and Planning has
been appointed as the new PEMSEA focal point. An economist and expert in policy
formulation and government operations, Undersecretary Ignacio has been involved in the
development of national coastal and marine policy for the Philippines and is concurrently
the Deputy Head of the Presidential Management Staff and in-charge of the Macro-
Economic and Political Policy Office under the Office of the President.
Undersecretary Ignacio's selection as PEMSEA's new focal point comes in the light of
the selection of a new DENR Secretary, Hon. Elisea G. Gozun, who assumed office on
15 December 2002. The DENR is PEMSEA's focal institution in the Philippines.
"Monsoon Tale" Video Now Available
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- A new 28-minute documentary on PEMSEA, entitled
Monsoon Tale is now available. The video was co-produced by PEMSEA and UNDP TV
Unit-Azimuths and features PEMSEA activities in Batangas Bay, Manila Bay and
Bataan, Philippines and Xiamen, China.
Monsoon Tale focuses on environmental issues and concerns that face two countries, and
how strategies were implemented to improve environmental management. On-site
footages and interviews from different stakeholders in the region are highlighted,
including a video clip from the Manila Bay Declaration ceremony with Philippine
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Monsoon rains is an environmental phenomenon which affects all coastal communities in
the region and shows how the East Asian countries are interconnected.
Parties interested to obtain copies of "Monsoon Tale" may contact info@pemsea.org.
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