Alabang, Muntinlupa City — In its Annual General Meeting today, Malampaya Foundation Inc. Chairman Rufino Bomasang delivered the following report for the year 2016:
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD’S 2016 REPORT
In 2016, Malampaya Foundation’s 11th year since inception, we continued to implement programs aimed at fulfilling our vision to be “The model and leading foundation in the upstream energy sector enabling socio-economic development of communities and environmental protection in areas where Malampaya operates.”
First off, let us ask ourselves, what is a model and leading upstream energy foundation? We crafted this vision in 2010, there was a different set of trustees then. I am the only remaining trustee from the genesis of this foundation and I believe we have remained faithful to this vision, in spite of challenges in the industry. I have personally seen that we have gone way beyond what is required to provide added value to communities in the operating areas of Malampaya, both offshore and onshore.
And we continue to undertake our mandate faithfully to present. To demonstrate this, allow me to highlight our 2016 major achievements for major programs:
Marine Biodiversity Conservation Program
• In 2016 a total of 7,284.5 hectares of new marine protected area (MPA) was established in Brgy. Marcilla, Coron, Palawan. MPA size in MFI program sites increased from 584 hectares in 2012 to a total of 20,319 hectares by end of 2016;
• Adoption of 9 regulations/policies (3 in Mindoro, 7 in Palawan);
• 11 new conservation agreements forged (Mindoro 2, Palawan 9);
• 9 conservation agreements renewed (Mindoro 6, Palawan 3);
• Over 3,000 schoolchildren, community members and teachers educated about the ecosystem through IEC’s and youth camps;
• MFI Focal MPA site in Ranzo, Pinamalayan awarded as Best-managed MPA in Oriental Mindoro. Eight (8) MFI focal MPA sites were in top 10 posts with Gloria MPA winning the Grand slam award;
• 5 MPA sites in Palawan are frontrunners in the Calamian MPA Network search for Best Managed MPAs;
• 4 Bantay Dagat Teams in MFI program sites were in top 5 posts of Best Performing Bantay Dagat Teams in Oriental Mindoro;
• Average MPA Management Effectiveness scores in MFI program sites increased from 25.75% in 2012 to 64.72% in 2016;
• 3 new MPA guardhouses constructed for use by community-based volunteer enforcers;
• 30 coral nursery units established for purposes of coral rehabilitation (Palawan – 16, VIP – 14);
• 2,450 trees (1,850 – terrestrial, 600 mangrove) kept in home-based nurseries established in Palawan;
Social Enterprise Development and Community-based Skills Trainings (LAMBAT, SIKAP, Project GANDA, ENVIRO-FARMING)
• About 800 direct beneficiaries from livelihood trainings, inputs, livelihood support, mentoring, technical support;
• Approximately 1,459 jobs created through employment and self-employment;
• There are 62 ongoing livelihood incentive/income-diversification projects in Palawan and Oriental Mindoro coastal communities;
• Environment-friendly enterprises as conservation incentives provided to partner POs;
• Self-sufficiency and savings realised from skills learned (e.g. boat engine and small engine or motorcycle maintenance, building or construction skills, etc.);
• Ecotourism Projects in Puerto Galera, El Nido and Coron are the top earners with a total of over PhP2M income generated, with some P150,000 already re-invested for conservation actions;
• A total of PhP5.3M worth of income / benefits generated from social enterprise project incentives since 2013;
• 250 children benefit from conservation incentive profits in the form of Balik Tangkilik initiative of MFI People’s Organization partner in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro
Bridging Employment through Skills Training (BEST)
• In 2016, we benefitted 976 vocational scholars under the BEST program, with almost 50% immediately employed after training, and 80-85% overall eventually getting employed as of the last monitoring. If you recall, some 533 BEST graduates from years 2013 and 2014 ended up working for the supply chain of Malampaya;
• This coming year, we have made it standard for all our BEST trainings to include values formation and personal excellence workshops to enhance our scholars’ development.
Shoreline Communities Onwards to Resiliency (SHORE)
• We received another regional Gawad Kalasag award as Best Civil Society Organization in the search for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Humanitarian Assistance, this time from the Office Civil Defense 4-B;
• This recognition is endowed as we continue to build grassroots capacity with local governments to prepare coastal communities to respond to emergencies and calamities—this is in the context of our country being in the ring of fire, thereby prone to many kinds of natural disasters that are increasing in intensity and frequency.
In 2016, we were also able to leverage some P9-9.3 million worth of counterpart from our different partners for our flagship programs. We value our partnerships because it is through partnerships we are able to attain our achievements in the midst of many challenges in this uncertain world. We plan with them, we implement with them, we face difficulties and celebrate successes with them.
I salute the foundation’s staff who are in the frontline of making things happen with our partner communities in spite of the many challenges and risks, on dry land and stormy seas, limitations and obstacles that they need to weather tirelessly.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you and congratulations.
(Sgd)
RUFINO BOMASANG
Chairman
Malampaya Foundation Inc.
