ANNUAL PROJECT REPORT Project Title: GEF/UNDP/Scaling up The
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ANNUAL PROJECT REPORT Project Title: GEF/UNDP/Scaling Up the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) Project Start: September 1, 2014 Project Completion Date: August 30, 2019 with approved one (1) year extension until August 31, 2020 Funding Agency: Global Environment Facility Loan/Grant No. Project ID/Output ID 0087725 1 A. Executive Summary Overall, the implementation of the GEF/UNDP/PEMSEA Project on Scaling Up the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA) of East Asia (SDS-SEA) in the Philippines is on track in meeting the required outcomes until project completion in August 2020. Some of the notable achievements in 2019 include: Component 1: completion of the National State of Oceans and Coasts of the Philippines: Blue Economy Growth. The NSOC of the Philippines, which is currently undergoing final technical review of relevant national agencies, presents an assessment of the contribution of the coastal and marine areas to the national economy, the status of ocean health, as well as highlighting the country’s initiatives towards sustainable blue economy. The NSOC highlights the significant contribution of ocean-based and ocean-related industries and economic activities, which in 2016 alone was placed at US$ 11.9 billion of total gross value added. Component 2: ICM scaling up target for the Philippines fully achieved. The ICM scaling up target of the Project, which is 20% of the country’s coastline covered by ICM program implementation has been exceeded, i.e., 26.85% of the Philippines’ coastline is covered by ICM based on the results of the Third Party Assessment. The 10% increase from baseline target for management effectiveness has also been achieved in the Province of Guimaras based on METT ratings for 2016, 2017 and 2018 and analyzed in 2019. Component 3: web-based RB-IIMS completed. In partnership with DENR, the development of web-based river basin integrated information management system (RB- IIMS), including training of trainers and roll-out trainings for Regions 1, 3, 10 and CAR were completed this year. The web-based RB-IIMS will be implemented as the national database platform for priority river basins across the country. The delivery of required outputs for the project was facilitated through the engagement and collaborations with national government agencies (e.g., DENR for NSOC publication and web- based RBIIMS development, BFAR for Macajalar Bay EAFM Plan) and academic institutions (e.g., UP Visayas for habitat assessment in Guimaras, Romblon State University for habitat assessment in Tablas Island and SOC report preparation; UP-Marine Science Institute for nutrient load model application in Batangas Bay watershed; Cavite State University and De La Salle Dasmariñas for the Joint Cavite Water and Solid Waste Summit). Some of the challenges encountered for this year’s implementation include the slow down of activities in the ICM sites as a result of the election ban and the changes in leadership after the election. The limitations in the number of local personnel, and data availability and accessibility (e.g., Romblon) also resulted in some delays in the delivery of project outputs. Consultation 2 meetings with the local government to identify strategies and engagement of relevant partners have been undertaken to speed up project implementation. B. Accomplishments by Project Outputs/Components/Activities B.1 Component 1: Partnerships in Ocean and Coastal Governance Component 1: Partnerships in Ocean and Coastal Governance focuses on: a. organizing and conducting consultations, awareness building and collaborative planning forums at the national and local levels involving decision-makers, planners, public and private sector stakeholders and coastal communities; b. improving understanding and building consensus on the importance of coastal and ocean policy; c. promoting the integration of relevant targets into medium term development plans and regulatory frameworks, including policy/regulations aimed at reducing vulnerability of coastal communities and resources to climate change and severe weather conditions; and d. delineating and initiating programs at the national and local levels to transform policy into actions and investments. B.1.1 Outcome 1: A self-sustaining, country-owned, regional mechanism governing and managing large marine ecosystems (LMEs) and coastal waters, rebuilding and sustaining ecosystems services and reducing the impacts of climate change on coastal populations in the East Asian Seas region. Activities under Outcome 1 are designed to facilitate the collaborative and joint planning with PEMSEA Partners and regional and subregional organizations, resulting in signed agreements in support of sustaining PEMSEA and SDS-SEA implementation. It also supports the periodic assessment of the SDS-SEA taking into consideration indicators and priorities that have been adopted at the national, LME, regional and global levels related to sustainable development of coasts and oceans (e.g., Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)) and building an ocean-based blue economy in the East Asian region. In support of PEMSEA’s sustainability, PEMSEA Partner Countries continue to facilitate in- country discussions to secure voluntary contributions to PEMSEA. To date, Japan, RO Korea, Singapore and Timor-Leste have signed the 2019 cost-sharing agreements with PEMSEA and have transferred the funds to the PEMSEA Resource Facility (PRF). Annual voluntary contribution of Cambodia had been confirmed and currently being processed for transfer to the PRF. Consultation meeting with the Ministry of Natural Resources of China was conducted to discuss the continuing operation of China-PEMSEA Sustainable Coastal Management Cooperation Center and the utilization of China’s contribution to PEMSEA to demonstrate outputs and outcomes through 3 project-based approach and nature-based solutions, sharing of blue economy experience and approaches, and ICM scaling up beyond 2019. The Government of the Philippines through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) continues to support PEMSEA by hosting the PRF, including utilities, maintenance and repair of the office building. This year, the Philippines provided additional funding support by engaging PEMSEA’s monitoring and evaluation services. DENR also financially supported the conduct of the 23rd PEMSEA’s Executive Committee (EC) Meeting held on October 17-18, 2019 at Seda Hotel in Quezon City. Other options to support PEMSEA’s sustainability are also being explored. During the 23rd PEMSEA’s EC meeting in October 2019, an option for protocol instrument that establishes obligations to Partner countries to provide support PEMSEA was discussed. In terms of the periodic assessment of the SDS-SEA, the preparation of the regional State of the Coasts (SOC) report is well underway. The SOC reporting system aims to monitor the progress, impacts and benefits, and to continually improve the planning and management of SDS-SEA implementation. A regional SOC report has been drafted and is currently undergoing technical review to incorporate inputs from participating countries, partner organizations and regional programmes. B.1.2 Outcome 2: National and local governments adopt and initiate ocean policy and institutional improvements Actions under this specific Output support: 1) the review and assessment of national policy and legislation to identify institutional, technical and investment gaps and needs, in order to integrate and align sector-based regulatory and economic instruments with national ocean policy; 2) the re- filing of the ICM Bill at the 18th Congress; and 3) the publication and dissemination of the National State of Oceans and Coasts report. The consultative processes conducted for the GEF/UNDP/PEMSEA Project on Scaling up the Implementation of the SDS-SEA with national counterparts and stakeholders identified gaps and barriers in policy, institutional and individual capacities. At the national and local levels, common challenges impede the realization of the SDS-SEA, as well as the ultimate goal of a sustainable ocean-based blue economy. These include lack of intersectoral, inter-regional and interagency coordinating mechanisms and national coastal and ocean policies and strategies are not yet in place, 4 or are not fully understood and promoted across sectoral agencies and programs at the central level, and sub-nationally, resulting in continuing misalignment, conflict and duplication of effort In the Philippines, the National Marine Policy (1994) and Archipelagic Development Agenda (2004) were earlier initiatives to consolidate policies and actions on coastal and marine management, and were developed after extensive consultations, especially among government agencies responsible for activities in the coastal and marine area. However, both failed to provide the commitment or legal compulsion for stakeholder conformance. In addition, neither policy had a mechanism to ensure integration of coastal and marine priorities into the regular planning and budgeting process of sectoral national agencies and local governments. Executive Order 533 issued in 2006, adopting integrated coastal management (ICM) as the national strategy to ensure the sustainable development of the Philippines’ coastal and marine environment and resources, is an attempt to set the framework for integration, and develop a work program for implementation. An ICM Bill filed at the 17th Congress, which