TPAMB to Evaluate Management Effectiveness, Update Plan

Members of the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB) and partners are set to sit down to measure management effectiveness (ME) and review of the management plan of the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) and World Heritage Site on 9 to 10 December 2014. The gathering, which aims to scale the effectiveness of management efforts and review the responsiveness of the TRNP management plan to current challenges, will be held at Citystate Asturias Hotel. The evaluation process will be based on the goals and objectives of the TPAMB under three categories of indicators; biophysical, socio-economic, and governance.

This year’s workshop will be attended by Mr. Jon Day, formerly one of the top level managers of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) for more than three decades. With support from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Day will attend the MEE and management planning for Tubbataha as a resource person. His expertise and experience in marine protected area management is expected to come into play in ensuring that the ‘outstanding universal value’ (OUV) of the park is maintained. Mr. Day is currently head of Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies of the James Cook University in Townsville, Australia.

Management effectiveness evaluation is meant to be conducted every year, while the management plan is scheduled for review every three years. These activities are supported by the WWF-Philippines, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. and the UNESCO-World Heritage Centre.

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