MFI Signs Historic Conservation Agreement with North Palawan Coastal Community, People's Organization

Taytay, Palawan - Malampaya Foundation Inc. (MFI) today signed with Barangay Tumbod, Malampaya Sound Protected Land and Seascape (MSPLS) Protected Area Office and Samahan ng mga Nagkakaisa sa Kaunlaran ng Barangay Tumbod its first Conservation Agreement (CA) aimed at enhancing protection, conservation and management of protected zones within the MSPLS through a pioneering marine-based livelihood incentive system.

The CA is a legal conservation tool which seeks to bind members of the community, local government, non-government/people's organizations, government agencies to achieve conservation goals by incentivising community-based conservation actions, among others. The agreement likewise includes provisions for technical assistance in establishing strict marine protected zones, capacity building in coastal resource management and enforcement strengthening, education, sanitation management and marine resource monitoring.

The marine-based livelihood incentive system being done by MFI in partnership with Western Philippines University Palawan, seeks to undertake environment-friendly mariculture of invertebrates that have high commercial value, at the same time seeks to re-populate wildlife species that have been over extracted and exploited in recent decades.