Palawan
CRMP’s work in Palawan
focuses on San Vicente, 180 km from Puerto Princesa. Known to the outside
world primarily for its 14-km White Beach, San Vicente is, to CRMP,
a rich ground for instituting programs in coastal resource management.
This municipality northwest of Puerto Princesa City has four out of
the 165 fishing grounds found in Palawan: Imuruan Bay, Caruray, Pagdanan
and Jibbon Bay. With forest reserve areas covering 86.8% or 68,834 hectares
of the total land area of nearly 80,000 hectares and a coastline extending
to 120 kms, majority of San Vicente’s 20,000 residents depend on fishing
for livelihood.
Port Barton plan
renews interest in CRM
With the final draft of coastal resource management plan for Port Barton
completed, the rest of San Vicente is awaiting the entry of CRMP into
their areas. "We got fresh commitment from the local governments
to provide support and counterpart funding for CRM," Provincial
Coordinator Benjamin Francisco reported. "They want us to move
into their villages and replicate the process we have undertaken in
Port Barton."
Francisco said the Project will soon start CRM planning in the villages
within its learning area. "There is a need to develop the local
governments' skills in formulating ordinances and in CRM planning and
implementation," he noted. The Project expects to put in place
within the year the required CRM systems in the entire San Vicente learning
area.
Port Barton will remain a focus area, as CRMP continues to assist the
local government in implementing the CRM plan it helped lay out this
year for the community. A key component of this plan is the establishment
of a marine park, which the Project hopes people will help manage. "Our
focus in Port Barton next year is to encourage people to participate
more broadly in the management of the park," said Francisco. "The
community's enthusiasm [for the park] is high but constant coaching
is necessary, and people need to see tangible results or benefits from
their efforts."
Meanwhile, CRMP has identified two expansion areas in Palawan. These
are Cagayancillo, which covers the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park,
and Puerto Princesa City, particularly St. Paul's Park. "We will
design a small information, education and communication program for
St. Paul's Park, where the underground river is," said Francisco.
CRMP has already helped develop a management plan for the terrestrial
components of the park. §
