PALAWAN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN (PSDSAP) And PALAWAN RESEARCH AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA PALAWAN COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Our Palawan The Scientific Journal of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Feature Article This article is also available on-line at www.pkp.pcsd.gov.ph Palawan Sustainable Development Agenda 2016-2030: “Palawan and Puerto Princesa City’s Blueprint for Its Green Economy” SUMMARY To serve as “blueprint” to Palawan and Puerto Princesa City’s “green economy”, and consistent to the United Nation’s New Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030), the Palawan Sustainable Development Agenda (Palawan Agenda 2016-2030) and its corresponding Palawan Keywords: Sustainable Development Strategy and Action Plan (PSDSAP 2015-2020) Palawan was formulated to envision “A Good and Dignified Life Enjoyed by Palawan, Sustainable through the Pursuit of an Ecologically-Balanced and Biodiversity-Centered Development Economic Development Supported by Green Jobs and Sustainable Energy”. Agenda It is made up of four components to attain its vision: i). Environmental/ ecological stability and continuous formation of natural capital; ii). Economic Palawan wealth created and equitably distributed; iii). Social and cultural capital Research protected, developed, and enhanced; and iv). Rights-based governance in Agenda place to facilitate sustainable development. In response to the call for action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and Palawan prosperity, and to support the attainment of sustainable development in Sustainable Palawan and Puerto Princesa City, the PCSD adopted the Palawan Sustaina- Development ble Development Agenda (PSDA 2016-2030) through Resolution No.16-566 Strategy and on 18 November 2016. It will serve as “blueprint” for Palawan Green Action Plan Economy, as well as basis for identifying research and sustainable development thrusts and priorities in Palawan and Puerto Princesa City. A longlist of priority researches identified by key academic institutions in collaboration with PCSDS is an integral part of the Palawan Sustainable Development Agenda. Compiled by Jenevieve P. Hara and Keith Anthony S. Fabro Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff Puerto Princesa City, Philippines [email protected] ©2016 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development 1 INTRODUCTION What were done? Our world today is encountering Consultations on Palawan Sustainable immense challenges in terms of sustainable Development Strategy and Action Plan development. But looking at the positive light, The Palawan Council for Sustainable challenges pave the way to greater opportuni- Development Staff led a series of multi- ties. On 25 September 2015, the United stakeholders consultations in 2014 and 2015 to Nations adopted a set of goals replacing the determine and identify the applicable core Millenium Goals to end poverty, protect the themes for the formulation of the Palawan planet, and ensure prosperity for all under the Sustainable Development Strategy and Action New Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda Plan (PSDSAP). The dual strategies of the plan 2030). Each SDG has specific targets to be are: to maximize the benefits derived from the achieved over the next 15 years. In order for the environment and natural resources, and to goals to be reached, all sectors need to do their prevent or minimize the negative impacts from part: government, private sector, civil society introduced activities. and the community. The 3-step PSDSAP process is consul- In Palawan, the growing population and tative and participatory. It took into account the unprecedented development going on necessi- concerns of all relevant sectors of society, and tates more compelling efforts in charting the the environment. The ten (10) goals or out- course to sustainable development and which comes as shown below, were based on the core needs to be done as a matter of urgency themes which have corresponding sustainable (PCSDS, 2015). Being recognized as the outcomes and targets that satisfy the Palawan Philippines’ last ecological frontier and a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): declared Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme, Palawan needs 1. Forest and Watershed: Sustainable to pursue various efforts on conservation and Management of Forests Ensured and inclusive development. Degradation of Water Quality of Likewise, the Strategic Environmental Freshwater Ecosystems Prevented Plan (SEP) for Palawan stipulated that “[The 2. Coastal and Marine: Resilient and State] shall support and promote the Productive Coastal and Marine Ecosys- sustainable development goals for the province tems Achieved through proper conservation, utilization and 3. Biological Diversity: Loss of Palawan development of natural resources to provide Biological Diversity Prevented optimum yields on a continuing basis..”. The 4. Food Security: Optimum Fishery and law also stated that “It shall also promote and Agriculture Yields Ensured encourage the involvement of all sectors of 5. Tourism: Competitive and Sustainably society and maximize people participation Managed Tourism Products and (including tribal groups) in natural resource Destinations Achieved management, conservation and protection”. 6. Physical Infrastructure: Adequacy and Pursuant to the goals and objectives of Accessibility of Basic Infrastructure the SEP for Palawan (RA 7611) and in Services Enhanced, and Infrastructure consonance with the United Nations New Gaps Reduced Sustainable Development Goals (UN Agenda 7. Indigenous Peoples: Indigenous Peoples 2030), the Palawan Council for Sustainable Empowered and Poverty Among Them Development formulated the Palawan Sustaina- Reduced ble Development Agenda (PSDA), the corre- 8. Training, Education, Research, and sponding Strategy and Action Plan (PSDSAP), Monitoring: Sustainable Development and the Research Agenda (PRSDA). Its devel- Knowledge Produced and Internalized opment is consultative and participatory, 9. Social Services: Human Capabilities involving concerned national government Improved and Human Vulnerabilities agencies, private sector, non-government Reduced organizations, indigenous peoples, academe and 10. Sustainable Financing and Partnerships: people’s organization. Self-Reliant, Efficient, and Transparent Internal Fiscal System Instituted ©2016 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development 2 Workshop on Palawan Research and The ten (10) PSDSAP Sectoral Goals Sustainable Development Agenda and seventeen (17) New UN Sustainable On 10 December 2015, during the 2nd Development Goals (SDG) were the references Palawan Research Symposium, partner- used in crafting the Palawan SDGs. The institutions of the Palawan Knowledge baseline, target, timeline, frequency of Platform for Biodiversity and Sustainable monitoring, responsible agencies, and means of Development (PKP), met in a workshop to verification identified in the PSDSAP will identify, craft, and enhance the Palawan contribute toward developing a monitoring and Research and Sustainable Development evaluation mechanism for the SDGs. Agenda to align with the New UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN Agenda 2030). The PCSD Adoption of the Palawan Sustainable participants formulated a long term research Development Agenda and sustainable development goals for Palawan In response to the call for action to end for the period 2016-2030. The representatives poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all from the following institutions actively people enjoy peace and prosperity, and to participated in the workshop: support the attainment of sustainable Local government units, policy-makers, development in Palawan and Puerto Princesa and technical personnel from LGUs City, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Researchers and representatives from the Development (PCSD) recently adopted the higher education / academic institutions Palawan Sustainable Development Agenda Partners in the Palawan Knowledge Plat- (Palawan Agenda 2030) through Resolution form (PKP) No.16-566 during its 228th meeting on 18 Palawan Chamber of Commerce, Inc., PCC November 2016. This will serve as the -Puerto Princesa Chamber of Commerce, “blueprint” for Palawan Green Economy, as Inc., business and industry leaders, well as basis for identifying research and investors, and private sector sustainable development thrusts and priorities in Palawan and Puerto Princesa City. Figure 1. Palawan Research and Sustainable Development Workshop at Citystate Asturias Hotel, 2015. ©2016 Palawan Council for Sustainable Development 3 The Palawan Sustainable Development Agenda (13) goals (Figure 2) were drawn and The Palawan Sustainable Development established as components of the Palawan Sus- Agenda or Palawan Agenda 2016-2030 envisions tainable Development Agenda (Table 1). This “A Good and Dignified Life Enjoyed by will guide the national government agencies, Palawan, through the Pursuit of an Ecological- local government units, and civil society ly-Balanced and Biodiversity-Centered Eco- organizations to bolster their cooperation and nomic Development Supported by Green Jobs participation in reducing various forms of and Sustainable Energy”. Its implementation inequality, promoting equitable economic relies on the Palawan Sustainable Develop- growth, and protecting the natural resource ment Strategy and Action Plan (PSDSAP base of Palawan and Puerto Princesa, to 2015-2020) and the Palawan Research and ultimately achieve sustainable development. Sustainable