The Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is conducting a capacity building for Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) members for better conservation and management of protected areas in the Cordilleras.
The three-day capacity building seeks to educate the new PAMB members of protected areas in the region, especially those new elected officials from local government units, about relevant environmental rules and regulations.
The activities stresses on the strict implementation of the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, the guidelines on Special Land Use Agreements within Protected Areas, and guidelines in the preparation of Manual of Operations for PAMB.
At present, all protected areas in CAR, except for the Cassamata Hill National Park, have their Manual of Operations. That of the Cassamata Hill National Park is already for finalization, approval and adoption.
Senior Ecosystems Management Specialist Linda Claire Pawid from the Conservation and Development Division said that with the activity, the members of the PAMB of different protected areas in the region will be more efficient in their operations and effective in terms of making informed decisions in managing the protected areas, and in implementing environment and natural resources laws.
The activity was participated by 30 PAMB members with five representatives each from the two protected areas in CAR namely the Mt. Pulag Protected Landscape and Banao Protected Landscape; and the initial components – Upper Agno River Basin Resource Reserve, Lower Agno Watershed Forest Reserve, Marcos Highway Forest Reserve, Mt. Data National Park, and Cassamata Hill National Park.
