The DENR-CENRO Calauag has facilitated a consultative meeting with LGUs and other stakeholders on July 27, 2023, to form the management body for Lamon Bay Marine Protected Area Network (MPAN) and safeguard efficiency in its management towards sustainable development.

Based on the DENR Administrative Order No. 2016-26, a Marine Protected Area (MPA), in its generic term, includes all declared areas governed by specific rules or guidelines in order to protect and manage activities within the enclosed area: such as Locally-Managed MPA (LMMPA); National Integrated Protected Areas System MPA (NIPAS MPA); and Fishery Refuge and Sanctuaries.

In addition, MPAN is a group of adjacent individual MPAs under a common management system based on all or any of the following: physical, biological, governmental, and socio-economic connectivities.

This promotes a holistic approach among stakeholders and concerned government and private entities to create synergy on the plans and projects without disturbing the natural flow of life in coastal and marine ecosystems.

In the recently concluded consultative meeting, the stakeholders of Lamon Bay agreed to establish an MPAN Management Board. The Board will directly supervise two (2) divisions, the Technical Secretariat and the Planning and Administrative Group, to be headed by CENRO Calauag and PENRO Quezon, respectively.

Six (6) committees under the divisions were formed, namely: 1) Law Enforcement; 2) Information, Education, and Communication; 3) Monitoring and Evaluation; 4) Livelihood; 5) Legal; and 6) Research and Development. Of which, the stakeholder representatives concurred on the chairmanship of each committee for 1) Quezon Provincial Government–Environment and Natural Resources Office (Quezon PG-ENRO); 2) Tanggol Kalikasan; 3) CENRO Calauag; 4) LGU Lopez; 5) Quezon Provincial Government Office–Provincial Legal Office; and 6) Southern Luzon State University (SLSU), respectively.

However, the chairmanship of LGU Lopez in the Livelihood Committee is temporary since there is pending approval from the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) regarding their chairmanship for the said committee.

DMO III Melinda Gordo presented the next steps for the MPAN of Quezon Province.  Among these steps are the connectivity study and the preparation of the Lamon Bay Management Plan which are both proposed targets for CY 2024.

DMO III Gordo added that there are four (4) stages stipulated in the MPAN roadmap, and the Network is still in its first stage or the “establishment” while the next stages are “strengthening,” “sustaining,” and “institutionalizing.”

Meanwhile, PENRO Quezon Chief of the Technical Services Division, Chief Admin Officer (CAO) Julieta P. Narte expressed her utmost gratitude to the participants for showing their interest in managing the Lamon Bay by giving priority to their respective fish sanctuaries. She further emphasized that having a “network” in terms of management, conservation, and protection of coastal and marine resources is significant for the success of the goal and objectives of the MPAN.###

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Parent Category: News & Events
Category: Press Releases
Published: 13 September 2023