CEBU PROVINCE, Philippines – To clearly define the functions of the Central Cebu Protected Landscape-Protected Area Management Board (CCPL-PAMB), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s office in Region 7 spearheaded action creating functional committees that would wield responsibility over Cebu’s declared protected areas.

Of the CCPL-PAMB’s71 members, 44 or joined a general assembly called by DENR-7, creating eight functional committees each of which was assigned a chairman. The attending majority was seen as the biggest turnout of attendance in the history of CCPL-PAMB meetings. Meetings by the body, hence, are expected to be called once every quarter instead of two meetings a year.

DENR 7 Regional Executive Director Maximo O. Dichoso, who presided over the general assembly, said that the CCPL-PAMB will be preparing a revised CCPL Management Plan attuned to existing needs, environmental protection requirements and a delineating of boundaries in the ground to be completed, hopefully within the year.

“With the approval of CCPL-PAMB members, we have created functional committees to handle specific, clear and more defined functions and responsibilities to expedite or accelerate programs and projects to be carried out within the protected areas,” Dichoso said.

The CCPL, under Republic Act No. 9486 approved last June 7, 2007 covers a consolidated area of 28,312 hectares consisting of the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve, Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park and the Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve located in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Toledo and Danao, and in the municipalities of Minglanilla, Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Balamban.

Dichoso said the committees shall study and conduct surveys and prepare the management plan for the protected areas in coordination with pertinent offices even as an updated Management Plan will also include areas or zones for strict protection and multiple-use.

“Currently, we have delineated 34 kilometers and we intend to cover the whole area within CCPL for actual ground delineation with the help and assistance of the business sector,” the DENR official said.

He also pointed out that the protection, conservation and management of CCPL is a collective and joint effort among local government units, non-government organizations, business sectors and other stakeholders through the PAMB, with the DENR only sitting in the Board as the latter’s chair, providing technical assistance and administrative support.

The eight committees approved by the CCPL-PAMB are Research and Policy chaired by Renato de Rueda of the Cebu Biodiversity Conservation Foundation Inc.; Project and Infrastructure, with Socorro Atega of Cebu Uniting for Sustainable Water as chair; Conflict and Legal Services, headed by Joy Caceres of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center; Capacity-Building and Promotion headed by Aida Granert of the Soil and Water Conservation Foundation; Monitoring and Evaluation, headed by Junie Montenegro of the Cebu Provincial Planning and Development Office; Economic and Social, chaired by Jessie Cubijano of the Philippine Business of Social Progress; Ways and Means, headed by Armando Paredes of the Metro Cebu Water District; and Natural Resources and Law Enforcement, headed by Jose Gapas of the Mag-uugmad Foundation. Each committee will have a maximum of five members to include the chairman and vice chairman.