The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Coastline Protection and Development Program, under its Program Leader Engr. Ramer P. Bautista, PhD, held the Mindanao Regional Stakeholders Dialogue from 17-18 April 2024 at Hotel del Rio, which is directed towards Capacity Building, Policy Review, and Innovative Legislation Towards Coastline Protection and Development for a Sustainable Future.
The UPV Coastline Protection and Development Program is a multi- and trans-disciplinary program that seeks to advance and implement a more nuanced understanding of coastline protection and integrate existing related programs to harness the various development capabilities and collaborations.
Dr. Clement Camposano, Chancellor of UPV, gave a welcome message and emphasized the importance of stakeholder consultations and capacity building initiatives in coastline protection.
To explain the program further, Engr. Bautista presented its rationale and overview. The program is designed to establish and strengthen partnerships for integrated coastline protection, resilience, and sustainable development and stakeholder engagement; conduct policy review and development of a policy compendium that contributes to coastline protection and resilience, and to the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the country; conduct science- and evidence-based capacity development; and develop and promote proposed legislation creating the Philippine National Center for Coastline Protection, Resilience, and Sustainable Development.
The establishment of the the Philippine National Center for Coastline Protection, Resilience, and Sustainable Development will enable UPV to offer data collection and management, create coastal resource management plans, vulnerability assessment, disaster risk reduction strategies, climate change action plans, project monitoring, NBS or GGI applications, policy crafting and revisions, and coastal research and development projects.
The recently concluded dialogue was the second of a three-part series, which started with the Visayas stakeholders meeting last 9 February, 2024 at Diversion 21 Hotel. The third and final dialogue will be attended by national stakeholders and is slated to happen some time in June this year.
Various stakeholders presented their coastline protection and development initiatives during the dialogue. Mr. Darren Q. Monreal (DENR 10), Ms. Marie Ann D. Finalla (BFAR 12), and Commander Marilyn Jaal (PCG-Coast Guard District BARMM) made up the national government agency (NGA) cluster.
The academe cluster was composed of Ms. Annie B. Gonzales (Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology), Ms. Sheryl Yanez (University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines), and Dr. Mahid M. Mangotarum (Mindanao State University - Marawi).
Meanwhile, Environmental Planner Mark Anthony Lawn (Provincial Government of Davao Oriental), Ms. Flora Monica T. Belinario (Rare Philippines/ Municipality of Del Carmen), and Ms. Kimberly A. Magdugo (Macalajar Bay Development Alliance) represented the LGU cluster.
An open forum followed after the presentations of each cluster. Serving as moderators were Dr. Wilfredo L. Campos (NGA cluster), Prof. Jessica Dator-Bercilla (academe cluster), and Prof. Jorge S. Ebay (LGU cluster).
The presentation from civil society society organizations (CSOs) took place on day two of the dialogue. The presenters were Ms. Angela Nina R. Ingle (Ingle Trust Foundation of Davao), Mr. Sheen Alexandre Tato (VSO Philippines), and Ms. Maria Josella Pangilinan (Wetlands International Philippines). The open forum that followed was moderated by Prof. Josephine Firmase.
The two-day dialogue was hosted by Mr. Aljohn Toretta from the UPV Division of Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences. (With sources from the UPV Coastline Protection and Development Program Committee)
