MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 128
MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 128 -
CREATING THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON TUBBATAHA REEF NATIONAL MARINE
PARK
WHEREAS, Proclamation No. 306 dated 11
August 1988, declared the Tubbataha reefs and surrounding waters of the
public domain in Central Sulu Sea, Province of Palawan, as a national
marine park otherwise known as the Tubbataha Reef National Marine
WHEREAS, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) declared the Park as among the World's Heritage
Areas on 11 December 1993 due to the exceptional and universal value of
its cultural and natural sites which require protection for the benefit
of all humanity;
WHEREAS, there is need for a coordinated and integrated mechanism to
ensure the development and protection of the Park in accordance with
the objectives of Proclamation 306 and the thrusts of UN/UNESCO World
Heritage Committee;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by the
powers vested in me by law, do hereby order:
Section 1. Creation of the Presidential Task Force on
Tubbataha National Marine Park. — The Presidential Task Force on
Tubbataha National Marine Park is hereby created to serve as the policy
and program coordinating mechanism for the area.
Sec. 2. Composition. — The Presidential Task Force
on Tubbataha National Marine Park shall have the Secretary of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Chairman of the
Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) as its Chairman and
Co-Chairman, respectively, with the following as members:
Secretary,
Department of Tourism
Secretary, Department of Budget
and Management
Commander, Naval District IV,
Philippine Navy
Governor of Palawan
Mayor of Cagayancillo
The DENR and PCSD shall also jointly identify NGO representatives to
the Task Force based on the involvement of said organizations in the
existing government initiatives for the Park. Provided, however, that
private sector representatives in the Task Force, at any given time,
shall not exceed more than one-third of its total membership.
Sec. 3. Functions and Responsibilities. — The
following shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
a.
Formulate and recommend to the President all policies pertinent to the
management, development, and preservation of the Park;
b. Review all
existing policies, programs and projects, researches and studies as
well as other initiatives on the Park and formulate the Master Plan
which shall integrate the same to ensure the coordinated and sustained
development and preservation of the area;
c. Formulate
and implement the appropriate Action Plan to address the immediate
issues and concerns on the Park including:
o
rehabilitation and expansion of the existing Park station, lighthouse,
research house and pertinent infrastructure towards strengthening the
management and protection of the area;
o
establishment of a sustainable system to ensure round-the-clock
monitoring and protection of the marine and wildlife resources of the
Park;
o formulation
of a system to accredit divers and their activities in the area;
o adoption of
mechanisms to regulate activities in the areas through the permit
system and collection of fees;
o formulation
of funding programs and schemes to finance the timely implementation of
the Master Plan, Action Plan and government initiatives in the
Park;
d.
Coordinate and facilitate resolution of issues and concerns affecting
the Park subject to the approved Action Plan;
e. Submit
quarterly reports to the President on its activities and developments
in the area; and
f. Perform
such functions as may be assigned by the President.
Sec. 4. Technical and Administrative Support. —
The Presidential Council for Sustainable Development shall provide
technical and secretariat support to the Task Force. Whenever necessary
to efficiently discharge its functions, the Task Force may tap the
support and assistance of concerned local government units, government
agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations
(GOCCs).
Sec. 5. Conduct of Meetings. — The Task Force
shall meet at least every two months to assess the progress of
government initiatives affecting the Park, particularly the
implementation of the Master Plan and Action Plan for the area.
Sec. 6. Timeframe. — The Task Force shall submit
to the Office of the President, for approval, the framework for the
development and preservation of the Park not later than 30 August 1995.
Based on the approved framework, the above Master Plan shall be
completed and operational by the end of December 1995. The Action Plan
to address the immediate concerns on the area shall be in place within
thirty (30) days from the date of this Order.
Sec. 7. Funding. — The operational cost of the
Task Force shall be sourced from available program funds of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, including the
budgetary outlay of One Million Pesos (P1.0 M) for the rehabilitation
and expansion of the Park's station, lighthouse and research
house.
Sec. 8. Effectivity. — This Memorandum Circular
shall take effect immediately.
DONE in the City of Manila,
this 20th day of July in the Year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
ninety-five.
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