Department of Environment and Natural Resources BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT BUREAU Biodiversity Management Bureau | Annual Report 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures . iii List of Acronyms . iv Volume I: Narrative Report . 1 I. Introduction . 2 II. Accomplishments 1. Policies formulated and approved . 3 2. Major Programs and Projects Implemented . 5 A. Establishing and Managing Protected Areas . 5 B. Monitoring of Existing Threatened Species Conservation and Management Programs . 6 a. Pawikan Conservation Program . 7 b. Philippine Raptor Conservation Program . 8 c. Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center . 8 d. National Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center . 8 e. Wildlife Regulation and Enforcement . 8 C. Promoting and Institutionalizing Ecotourism . 9 D. Managing Coastal Biodiversity and Wetlands Ecosystems . 9 a. Coastal Management and Conservation Program . 9 b. Wetland Management and Conservation Program . 11 E. Conserving Caves and Cave Resources . 11 F. Information and Education on Biodiversity and Nature Conservation . 12 G. Managing Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center . 13 3. Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Implemented A. NBSAP-BIOFIN . 13 B. BPP . 13 C. SGP5 . 14 D. NewCAPP . 14 E. PAME . 14 F. IAS . 14 G. MKBA . 15 H. SSME . 15 4. Gender and Development (GAD) Mainstreaming . 15 5. Other significant accomplishments/milestones/breakthroughs . 16 Volume II: Tables and Annexes . 18 Table 1: Physical and Financial Performance Report . 19 Table 2: Gender and Development Annual Report . 44 Annex A: Number of Visitors and Income Generated at NAPWC for CY 2015 . 47 ii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Meetings lead by BMB . 6 Figure 2. Philippine AHP of 2015 . 6 Figure 3. 5th ToT on the Application of the Wildlife Law Enforcement Manual of Operations . 7 Figure 4. Intelligence-led surveillance and enforcement operations in violation of R.A. 9147 . 9 Figure 5. CorVA Trainings . 10 Figure 6. 11th Senior Officials Meeting . 10 Figure 7. Awareness Campaigns conducted . 11 Figure 8. Participated/Conducted the following meetings/conferences/assessment in wetland management and conservation . 11 Figure 9. Conducted the following meetings/trainings re caves and cave resources . 12 Figure 10. Produced the following IEC materials . 12 Figure 11. Conducted the following GAD activities . 15 Figure 12. Conducted Learning event on Mainstreaming and Integrating Gender Tool in Biodiversity Conservation and Protected Areas in the following PAs . 15 Figure 13. BMB Gender Sensitivity Training . 16 Figure 14. Post Assessment Workshop on the conduct of learning events in the 4 regions . 16 Figure 15. Strategic Planning and Consultation Workshop on Biodiversity Conservation . 16 Figure 16. Monitored and evaluated the following Priority Sites under the Ecotourism Development Program . 17 iii LIST OF ACRONYMS ADB Asian Development Bank NBSAP-BIOFIN National Biodiversity Strategy and AHP ASEAN Heritage Park Action Plan – Biodiversity Finance ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations Initiative AWC Asian Waterbird Census NCIP National Commission on Indigenous AWP Annual Work Plan People BMB Biodiversity Management Bureau NESC National Ecotourism Steering Committee BMS Biodiversity Monitoring System NIPAS National Integrated Protected Area BPP Biodiversity Partnership Projects System CA Certificate of Appointments NP National/Natural Park CAWED Coastal and Wetlands and other NWRRC National Wildlife Rescue and Research Ecosystems Division Center CH Critical Habitat PA Protected Area CITES Convention on International Trade in PACBRMA Protected Area Community-Based Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Resource Management Agreement Flora PAFID Philippine Association for Intercultural CMD Coastal and Marine Division Development COP12 12th Meeting of the Conference of the PAMB Protected Area Management Board Parties PAME Protected Area Management CorVA Coral Reef Visualization and Enhancement Assessment PASu Protected Area Superintendent CSO Civil Society Organizations PCP Pawikan and Dugong Conservation CTI Coral Triangle Initiative Program CTI-CFF Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, PEF Philippine Eagle Foundation Fisheries, and Food Security PEIP Philippine Eagle Integrated Plan DMC DENR Memorandum Circular PEW Philippine Eagle Week FAPs Foreign-Assisted Projects PEWG Philippine Eagle Working Group GAD Gender and Development PL Protected Landscape GEF Global Environment Facility PMU Project Management Unit GIS Geographic Information System POGI Philippine Operations Group on Ivory GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für PPEI Philippine Poverty Environment Internationale Zusammenarbeit Initiative IAS Invasive Alien Species PRCP Philippine Raptors Conservation ICC International Coastal Clean-up Program ICCA Indigenous Community Conservation Pre-SOM Pre-Senior Officials Meeting Areas PWRCC Palawan Wildlife Rescue and ICM Integrated Coastal Management Conservation Center IDBD International Day for Biological RETA Regional Technical Assistance Diversity SBR Special Budget Request IOSEA Indian Ocean – Southeast Asian SC-MPAN Sub-Committee on Marine Protected IP Indigenous People Areas and Networks IPAF Integrated Protected Area Fund SGP5 Fifth Operation Phase of the GEF Small IUU Fishing Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported Grants Program in the Philippines Fishing SOM11 11th Senior Officials Meeting KBA Key Biodiversity Area SSME Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Eco-Region LCA Local Conservation Area TEZ Tourism Enterprise Zones MHRWS Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife TIWS Turtle Island Wildlife Sanctuary Sanctuary UNDP United Nations Development MKBA Marine Key Biodiversity Areas Programme MPA Marine Protected Areas WA Wilderness Area MR Marine Reserve WFR Watershed Forest Reserve NAPWC Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife WRC Wildlife Rescue Center Center WRD Wildlife Resources Division iv VOLUME 1: Narrative Report 1 Department of Environment and Natural Resources BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT BUREAU CY 2015 Annual Report I. Introduction The Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), as one of the staff Bureaus of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the lead agency tasked to conserve biodiversity, is mandated to protect the country’s biological diversity and to properly manage and conserve its resources as well as the ecosystem services they provide. For CY 2015, the Bureau continuously implemented activities based on its 3 major programs, namely: (1) Protected Area and Ecosystems Management and Protection; (2) Wildlife Protection and Conservation; and, (3) Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Conservation. The Bureau was also able to formulate policies and implemented programs which focus on the establishment of an integrated protected areas system and the conservation of biological diversity. Following the Bureau’s mandates, specific activities per program were accomplished. In particular, on the formulation and development of plans and policies, the Bill on the Expanded NIPAS Act was approved in the 3rd Reading of the Plenary at the Senate and passed the House Committee Level. Aside from this initiative, several policies that support the protection and conservation of protected areas (PA), critical habitats, and other conservation areas were developed. In terms of developing protected areas, technical assistance on the management of protected areas and other ecosystems were undertaken specifically on the designation and management of 2 PAs as ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) which were officially launched this year, namely: (1) Tubbataha Reef Natural Park; and, (2) Mt. Timpoong Hibok-Hibok Natural Monument. The Bureau also led the implementation of Ecotourism Development Program in about 22 PAs including the Mt. Makiling Forest Reserve in Los Baños, Laguna. It is hoped that these PAs including those already developed in the past years would contribute to the enhancement of ecosystem services in these areas and would continuously promote the unique and important landscape and seascape in the country. In terms of other ecosystems such as caves and wetlands, the Bureau pursued the implementation of programs, projects and activities in line with the implementation of the Caves and Cave Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9072) and the National Wetlands Action Plan. In particular, the Bureau facilitated the classification of additional 51 caves which gives a total of 415 caves classified as of December 2015. In terms of wildlife protection and conservation, BMB continuously monitored and provided technical guidance to Regional Offices and other clienteles in the conservation and management of threatened species, i.e. marine turtles, dugong, Philippine raptors, and in the designation and management of critical habitats in line with the implementation of the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147). The Bureau also intensified the regulation of wildlife collection and trade through among others, continuous capacitation and mobilization of the Philippine Operations Group on Ivory and Wildlife Resources (POGI), the Wildlife Enforcement Officers and other partners on wildlife conservation. In terms of coastal and marine biodiversity conservation program, the Bureau has been instrumental in implementing capacity building programs in the implementation of various programs on coastal and marine such as the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM), Coral Reef Visualization and Assessment (CorVA), Corals and Fish Assessment, Automated Rapid Reef Assessment System (ARRAS), and Coastal Integrity, Seagrass and Mangrove Habitat. Likewise, the