ILOILO City – The best practices of Guimaras in International Coastal Management (ICM) will be showcased as the island province will host the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Forum on November 29 this year.
The PNLG forum, which will be held in Andana Resort in the municipality of Nueva Valencia, will gather Environmental Ministers and chief executives of member countries to discuss issues and concerns relative to the implementation of the ICM.
The PNLG event will also provide an opportunity to delegates to visit the different eco-tourism sites of the province, particularly its Marine Protected Areas under the ICM Program.
Included in the list of these sites to be visited is the crowned jewel of the province – the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve which was cited as the most outstanding National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the country, according to Guimaras PIO.
The PNLG has 45 regular members from nine countries in the East Asian region and two associate members.
Guimaras was established as one of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) parallel sites for ICM implementation in 2008, making the province as one of the youngest members of the PNLG.
The ICM program ensures the protection of the province’s ecosystem while accelerating its socioeconomic development.
Guimaras Public Information Office reported that with the successful implementation of ICM as a key developmental strategy, the province won in the Excellence in Local Governance (EXCELL) Awards for the Environmental Governance category in 2017.
EXCELL award is being given by the Department of the Interior and Local Government to recognize the local government unit’s best practices, achievements, and innovations in areas of governance, administration, social services, economic development, environmental management and local legislation.
The forum is part of the three-day 2018 East Asian Seas Congress to be held on November 27-30 at the Iloilo Convention Center, Iloilo City.
More than a thousand participants are expected to attend the event which is a collaboration of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines and PEMSEA. (PIA/PN)
