PEMSEA E-UPDATES Vol. V Issue 03 2004
Experts Meet in Chengdu for SDS-SEA Implementation
CHENGDU, PR CHINA -- International experts meeting in Chengdu decided on major
lines and fields of action for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy
for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA), during the Preparatory Meeting for the Working
Group on the Implementation of the SDS-SEA held from 29 March to 1 April.
The meeting brainstormed on the SDS-SEA implementation, including targets,
approaches, modalities and funding implications, taking into account the specific national
and local conditions. The meeting also produced a conceptual framework for the
implementation of the SDS-SEA. The Chengdu meeting is considered a milestone in that
it marks the concrete steps leading to on-the-ground implementation of the SDS-SEA,
which was adopted by PEMSEA-participating countries last December in Putrajaya,
Malaysia.
The lines of action proposed include mainstreaming of coasts and oceans into national
policy, the scaling up of integrated coastal management programs, enhancing the use of
the region's intellectual capital, and capacity-building. Scientific and technical support,
knowledge management and financing mechanisms were identified as critical fields of
action. The draft conceptual framework will be refined and presented at a Working Group
meeting to be held in August.
Participants in the preparatory meeting were experts with extensive knowledge and
experiences in the field of ocean-related policy and program development, both at the
national and international levels, many of whom were involved in the development of the
SDS-SEA. The meeting was organized by the PEMSEA Regional Programme Office and
was hosted by the State Oceanic Administration of the People's Republic of China.
The SDS-SEA is considered necessary and timely in addressing cross-sectoral concerns,
as it employs an integrated approach, mirroring the interconnectivity of the sea. It is a
platform for addressing the sustainable ocean development issues in the region and serves
as an umbrella for the efforts of other regional programs, agencies and other stakeholders.
San Fernando City to Develop Integrated Solid Waste Management System
MAKATI CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Managing large quantities of waste generated
everyday can be turned into investment opportunities creating income, employment and
livelihood and at the same time improve the environment. The City of San Fernando in
Pampanga Province, represented by Mayor Jesus Reynaldo B. Aquino, and private sector
partner, Pro-Environment Consortium, represented by its Chairman and President, Mr.
Jose Luis U. Yulo, Jr., signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the development and
implementation of an integrated solid waste management system for the city on 16 April
2004.
Over the past three years, PEMSEA has been assisting national and local governments
with the development, adoption and implementation of a coastal strategy for Manila Bay.
One important aspect of the strategy is focused on making affordable environmental
facilities and services available to communities in the area. Recognizing the financial and
technical limitations of many local governments, PEMSEA started working with local
stakeholders to put together environmental investment projects. The packaging of these
projects is aimed at engaging the private sector as investors and partners in the provision
of required environmental facilities and services.
Together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and
various stakeholders in the Manila Bay Area, the integrated solid waste management
(SWM) system being proposed for the City of San Fernando was selected as one of the
projects to be developed and implemented using the public-private partnership (PPP)
approach. The SWM Project aims to provide improved sanitary services to all sectors,
including poor communities. It involves the collection of waste from households and
commercial and industrial establishments, closure of the open dumpsite, development and
operation of a materials recovery facility (MRF) and composting center, and the
baling/storage of residual waste in a sanitary landfill, in concert with a social
development program. Since the Investors Roundtable, which was held on 6 May 2003,
the City has evaluated Expressions of Interest, Partnership Proposals and oral
presentations from several private sector companies. Eventually, Pro-Environment
Consortium (PEC) was selected as its partner. PEC has proven technical and managerial
expertise in solid waste management.
The City of San Fernando, which is the home of the country's biggest and most artistic
Christmas lanterns and dramatic Holy Week celebrations, is the first local government in
the Philippines that has taken the initiative towards the full implementation of R.A. 9003
or the Solid Waste Management Act using the PPP approach. PPP is an alternative
delivery mechanism for creating and implementing financially viable and affordable
investment projects among local governments. This project serves as an example for
other LGUs in the country that are faced with similar challenges. Thus, the signing of
their Memorandum of Agreement is a milestone event in the country's vision of a clean,
green and healthy environment.
The MOA signing was witnessed by DENR Secretary Elisea G. Gozun, the German
Ambassador Hon. Herbert Jess, UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Deborah Landey,
PEMSEA Regional Programme Director Dr. Chua Thia-Eng, and the Vice-Mayor of San
Fernando Hon. Eligio H. Lagman.
Xiamen Achieving Millennium Development Goals through ICM
XIAMEN, PR CHINA -- Xiamen is successfully addressing Millennium Development
Goals (MDG) such as environmental sustainability, poverty reduction, private sector
involvement and policy reforms through integrated coastal management (ICM). This
according to UNDP Manila Resident Representative, Ms. Deborah Landey, who went to
Xiamen on 13 April for an orientation visit.
Accompanied by PEMSEA Regional Programme Director Dr. Chua Thia-Eng, Ms.
Landey was impressed with the outcome of the ICM project in Xiamen and the
seriousness of the local governments in integrating environmental concerns with
economic development. Ms. Landey noted the evident social, economic and ecological
benefits brought about by ICM in Xiamen.
The visit included a cruise on the West Channel and a visit to ISO 14000-certified
Gulangyu Island. Ms. Landey also held discussions with the staff of the Xiamen
International Center for Coastal Sustainable Development, which is considered a key
training center for ICM in the East Asian region. Ms. Landey and Dr. Chua were likewise
interviewed by a crew from Masan MBC, a Korean TV company working on a
documentary of Xiamen's ICM experiences (see related story).
Ms. Landey suggested organizing a study tour for Philippine policymakers to visit
Xiamen, including chairs from the Senate and Congress, the Secretary for the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources, and undersecretaries or assistant secretaries from
key government line agencies.
PEMSEA to Build Regional Capacity in IEIA
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- In partnership with the Coastal Management Center
(CMC), and the City University of Hong Kong (CUHK), PEMSEA has recently
published a training manual on integrated environmental impact assessment (IEIA) and
will hold an IEIA training workshop from 29 November to 4 December. Both efforts are
part of PEMSEA's aim of building regional capacity in IEIA.
The IEIA manual underwent extensive development, which included a series of
brainstorming workshops organized by CUHK, CMC, PEMSEA, and the Swedish
International Development Agency for Research Cooperation.
The training course will be held in CUHK, PR China. The course aims to enhance
knowledge and skills of participants in the conduct, methodology, multidisciplinary
approach and benefits of IEIA and promote the integrated nature of IEIA in the
development planning schemes of the participants' respective countries.
The training will include: lectures and case studies on the basic concepts of IEIA, data
gathering and analysis; exercises on tools used in baseline data gathering and
methodologies used in data analyses in IEIA; and field studies on development projects
in Hong Kong and their impacts on the environment. Participants will be taken through a
simulated field situation and will be required to prepare an IEIA and participate in role-
play exercises.
Environmental impact assessments (EIA) determine ecological and social impacts or
consequences of proposed development plans in many East Asian countries. EIAs
however require voluminous databases on ecological, economic, social and political
information. In many instances, database gathering is repeated for each EIA of a
development project, proving prohibitive in both cost and time.
IEIA considers the combined impacts of various development projects on a defined area
and provides a clearer appreciation and comprehension of cumulative, synergistic, and
conflicting impacts not easily seen in individual and separate project-based EIAs. IEIA
avoids repeated data gathering for individual development projects.
RO Korea Celebrates National Ocean Day with Special TV Feature of Xiamen ICM
Experiences
XIAMEN, PR CHINA -- As the Republic of Korea gears up for this years' National
Ocean Day in late May, it will include in its celebrations the airing of a special TV
feature on Xiamen's integrated coastal management (ICM) experiences and lessons
learned. The production is the first collaborative effort between PEMSEA, the Xiamen
Municipal Government and Masan MBC, a major Korean TV broadcasting company.
The special TV feature will highlight Xiamen's ICM program, particularly their success
in balancing economic development with environmental protection, a subject seen to be
of great interest for Korean viewers. The feature will also offer a glimpse of the
leadership and political support of the Xiamen Municipal Government in its ICM efforts,
giving viewers a contrasting look at how Xiamen's local government involves itself in
implementing ICM.
The Masan MBC production team visited Xiamen from 12-16 April and was impressed
by Xiamen's efforts in attaining the goal of sustainable development. Mr. Kim Chang-
Hwan, Chief Producer at Masan MBC, expressed his appreciation to the Xiamen
Municipal Government for allowing the TV production in Xiamen and providing all the
necessary logistics. He thanked the PEMSEA Regional Programme Office for providing
technical assistance and facilitating logistics, as well as the Xiamen TV station for
providing existing film footages.
With increasing Korean investments in PR China, it is also expected that the TV program
on Xiamen would promote Korean interest in investment opportunities participation for
the improvement of Maluan Bay, an enclosed body of water located in the northwest of
Xiamen's Western Sea area. The bay is facing environmental challenges that include ill-
placed aquaculture farms, deteriorating water quality and heavy siltation.
Danang Finds IIMS Software Useful and User-Friendly
DANANG, VIETNAM -- Representatives from various government agencies in Vietnam
participated in a PEMSEA Training Workshop on Integrated Information Management
System (IIMS) and found IIMS to be both user-friendly and very useful in integrated
coastal management (ICM).
The 19 participants enhanced their understanding of database management, the IIMS
software, the IIMS query system and the linkage between IIMS and Geographic
Information System (GIS). The training workshop was held on 12-17 March 2004 in
coordination with the Project Management Office of the Danang ICM Demonstration
Project.
During the training workshop, Department of Science and Technology Deputy Director,
Dr. Mai Duc Loc, encouraged the participants to learn as much as they can and reiterated
the importance of IIMS in coastal management. He also challenged the participants to
apply what they learned and hoped that IIMS be used not only for ICM but also in other
offices.
The participants also discussed the sustainability of IIMS. One of the measures identified
to sustain IIMS was to include it in the Computerization of Danang City Project, which
will be completed and operational in 2005.
A participant from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment commented
that IIMS will be useful in organizing their data, since at the moment their data is only
stored in hard copies.
IIMS is a relational environmental database management system that handles a wide
range of information on coastal and marine environmental planning, management and
assessment. When linked with GIS or Model Data, it may be used as a decision-support
system for policymakers, planners and managers.
PEMSEA ICM Efforts Recognized at Cebu Conference
CEBU, PHILIPPINES -- PEMSEA's efforts in integrated coastal management (ICM)
was cited during the Coastal Zone Philippines 2004 Conference held last 17-19 March, as
having made a major influence in the advancement of ICM in the Philippines and in the
region.
Over 200 participants representing several government agencies, local government units
(LGUs), the academe, international/regional organizations, non-government
organizations and people's organizations attended the conference to develop a
consolidated report on the state of ICM in the Philippines. The conference, with the
theme "Integrated Coastal Management in the Philippines: 20 Years of Experience," was
the first in bringing together ICM practitioners at the national level to discuss coastal
management issues, trends, and concerns.
PEMSEA Senior Programme Officer, Dr. Huming Yu, presented a paper sharing
PEMSEA's practices and experience in developing ICM. PEMSEA's experiences
showed that once established, ICM could be sustained and expanded as evidenced by its
ICM demonstration sites in Batangas, Philippines and Xiamen, PR China. Dr. Yu cited
that at its current stage, PEMSEA is focusing on the integrated management of
watersheds, estuaries and associated seas and that PEMSEA's ICM approach differs from
general coastal and marine environment or resource management in that it focuses on the
transboundary problems, which require interagency, cross-sector, multidisciplinary and
multisectoral stakeholder interventions.
Discussions among the participants proved lively and the conference was able to develop
a preliminary report on the state of ICM initiatives in the Philippines. The conference was
recognized as an effective venue not only for sharing experiences in ICM but also in
strengthening collaboration among the ICM practitioners in the country. The findings of
the conference will contribute to a country paper to be presented in the forthcoming
Coastal Zone Asia Pacific Conference to be held in Brisbane, Australia in September.
PEMSEA Welcomes New Staff
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES -- PEMSEA welcomes Ms. Anna Rita Cano, Mr. Jose
Luis Alvin Catalan, Ms. Yolwinda Macabeo, Ms. Elsie Merina, and Mr. Jose Villamor, as
new staff.
Ms. Anna Rita G. Cano is Communications Assistant. Gitz will be involved in the
production of PEMSEA multimedia and related programme information materials. Gitz
earned a degree in Communication Arts from the University of the Philippines in Los
Banos. She has extensive experience in writing, editing and publishing gained from
various publishing firms.
Mr. Jose Luis Alvin Catalan is Technical Assistant (Research Component). Alvin will
focus on research work particularly on the tradeoff between economic development and
ecological benefits and the transboundary impacts of national economic activities. Alvin
earned his Masters degree in Economics from De La Salle University. He has previously
worked on several projects related to coastal management. He held a full-time teaching
job at the University of Perpetual Help Dalta System prior to joining PEMSEA.
Ms. Yolwinda Macabeo is Receptionist/Clerk. Wendy will ensure that all visitors and
callers are extended the proper protocols, in accordance with the established office
procedures, and handle various clerical tasks. Wendy worked for the South Center Tower
Condominium Corporation as Building Receptionist/Admin Assistant. Wendy graduated
from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a BS in Secondary Education.
Ms. Elsie Merina is Secretary. Elsie will provide effective support services in terms of
correspondence writing, records management, engagements and travel coordination,
office housekeeping and such other administrative support services for PEMSEA's Ocean
and Coastal Governance Service. Prior to PEMSEA, Elsie worked as Administrative
Officer for the Intellectual Property Rights Group of EGTA/Development Alternative, a
USAID-funded project. She also worked for Societe Generale Manila Offshore Branch as
Senior Admin Assistant. Elsie has a degree in Management from the Silliman University.
Mr. Jose Villamor is RPO's Driver. Joey will be responsible for the driving and
maintenance of all PEMSEA vehicles ensuring safe and prompt transport of passengers
and cargos. Joey has 24 years of driving experience and used to drive his own taxicab for
4 years. Joey has a degree in Marine Transportation from the Philippine Merchant Marine
School. He also finished a short course on electronics.
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