MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

TO PROMOTE MARINE PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT

AS A MEANS TO CONSERVE MARINE ECOSYSTEMS
through the
MARINE PROTECTED AREA SUPPORT NETWORK (MSN)

The following parties have entered into this Memorandum of Understanding on this
_____ day of June 2014:
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Department of
Agriculture (DA), represented by Atty. Asis Perez, Director, with office address at
Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, hereinafter referred to as DA-BFAR;
Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR), represented by Dr. Mundita Lim, Director, with
office address at Visayas Avenue, Quezon City, hereinafter referred to as DENRBMB;
Bureau of Local Governance Development (BLGD) of the Department of
Interior and Local Government (DILG), represented by _______________,
Director, with office address at __________, and hereinafter referred to as DILGBLGD;
Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research
and Development (PCAARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST), represented by Dir. Patricio S. Faylon, Executive Director, with office
address at Paseo de Valmayor, Timugan, Economic Garden Los Baos, Laguna
4030, and hereinafter referred to as DOST-PCAARRD;
Philippine National Police Maritime Group
Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc. (CCEF), represented by
___________________, Executive Director, with office address at 301 PDI
Condominium, Banilad, Cebu City, and hereinafter referred to as CCEF;
Conservation International Philippines, represented by Mr. Enrique A. Nuez,
Country Executive Director, located at # 6 Maalalahanin St. Teachers Village,
Diliman, Quezon City, a licensed Philippine branch office of Conservation
International (CI) Foundation with principal place of business at 2011 Crystal
Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, Virginia, USA 22202, and hereinafter referred to as CIPhilippines;
De La Salle University Br. Alfred Shields FSC Ocean Research Center,
represented by Br. Ricardo Laguda FSC, President and Chancellor, with office at
MSN Memorandum of Understanding
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2401 Taft Avenue, Manila 1004, and hereinafter referred to as DLSU SHORE
Center (As amended, June 2014);
Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries (ECOFISH) Project,
represented by Dr. Geronimo Silvestre, Chief of Party, with office address at Suite
102, CTC Building, 2232 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, and hereinafter referred to
as ECOFISH (As amended, June 2014);
Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
represented
by
_____________________,
with
office
address
at
_____________________, and hereinafter referred to as GIZ (As amended,
June 2014);
Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, represented
by ___________________, Chief Operating Officer, with office address at 2 nd Floor
Santos and Sons Building, 973 Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Quezon City, and
hereinafter referred to as Haribon Foundation;
League of Municipalities of the Philippines

Marine Environment and Resources Foundation, represented by Dr. Gil S.

Jacinto, with office address at MSI Building, Velasquez St. UP Diliman, Quezon
City, and hereinafter referred to as MERF;
Mindanao State University-Naawan, represented by _________ with office
address at ____________, and hereinafter referred to as MSU-N
Mindanao State University-Tawi Tawi College of Technology and
Oceanography, represented by___________ with office address at SangaSanga, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi, and hereinafter referred to as MSU-TCTO (As
amended, June 2014);

PAMANA Ka Sa Pilipinas, represented by ___________________, President,

with office address at _____________________, and hereinafter referred to as
PAMANA KA;

RARE-Philippines Representative Office, represented by Ms. Raquel Tirona,

Senior Director, with office address at 1310 N. Courthouse Rd. Suite 110,
Arlington, Virginia, USA, and hereinafter referred to as RARE-Philippines;
Reef Check, represented by ________________, , with office address at
_______________________, and hereinafter referred to as Reef Check;
Resources, Environment and Economics Center for Studies, Inc., represented
by Noela C. Lasmarias, President, with office address at Suite 405, The Tower at
Emerald Square, J.P. Rizal St. corner P. Tuazon Blvd., Project 4, Quezon City
1109, hereinafter referred to as REECS;

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Silliman University Angelo King Center for Research and Environmental

Management (SUAKCREM), represented by Dr. Angel C. Alcala, Director, with
the office address at Bantayan, Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, and hereinafter
referred to as SUAKCREM;
Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, represented by Dr.
Michael A. Tan, Chancellor, with office address at Velasquez St. UP Diliman,
Quezon City, and hereinafter referred to as UP MSI;
World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines, also known as Kabang Kalikasan
ng Pilipinas (KKP), represented by ________________, President, with office
address at _______________________, and hereinafter referred to as WWFPhilippines/KKP);
The McKeough Marine Center, Xavier University, with office address at
Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City , represented herein by
__________________ , hereinafter referred to as XU-MMC.
Zoological Society of London - CMRP Philippines (ZSL), represented by Mr.
Glenn R. Labrado, Country Manager, located at 48 Burgos St., La Paz, Iloilo City,
a licensed Philippine country office of the Zoological Society of London with
principal office Regents Park London NW1 4RY UK, and hereinafter referred to as
ZSL-Philippines (As amended, June 2014);
Background:
WHEREAS, the DA through the BFAR is mandated to prepare and implement a
comprehensive national fisheries industry development plan that shall contain the
guidelines and specific programs for the sustainable management of the municipal
and commercial fisheries sector;
WHEREAS, the DENR through the BMB is the Philippine Government agency
mandated to conserve, protect, develop and manage the country's natural
resources, which include among others, the protected areas and their associated
wildlife;

WHEREAS, the DILG through the BLGD under existing laws exercises general
supervision over the local government units fully support the implementation of the
promotion of Marine Protected Areas Management as a means to conserve the
marine ecosystems;
WHEREAS, the DOST through the PCAARRD is mandated to formulate
strategies, policies, plans, programs and projects for aquatic resources research
and development, program and allocate government and external funds for
aquatic resource research and development, monitor and evaluate aquatic
resources research and development projects; and generate external funds;
WHEREAS, the Philippine National Police Maritime Group
WHEREAS, the CCEF is a non- government organization mandated to support
marine conservation with a focus on the management and protection of coral reef
MSN Memorandum of Understanding
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ecosystems and other coastal resources, which include among others, the
protected areas and their associated wildlife;
WHEREAS, CI through its Country Program Office Cl-Philippines, is a non-profit
public benefit corporation and non-government international organization whose
mission is Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field
demonstrations, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for
nature, our global biodiversity, for the well-being of humanity;
WHEREAS, the DLSU, through its SHORE Center is in a non-profit and
non-government organization that endeavours to mould Lasallian
Achievers for God and Country who will generate knowledge and
technologies to foster stewardship of God-given wealth of the seas and
coastlines, and provide the basis for community development and social
transformation, particularly among the youth and the poor (As amended,
June 2014);
WHEREAS, the ECOFISH Project aims to improve the management of important
coastal and marine resources and associated ecosystems that support local
economies through biological diversity conservation, ecosystem productivity
enhancement, and restoration of fisheries profitability in eight (8) marine key
biodiversity areas (As amended, June 2014);
WHEREAS, the GIZ ...... (As amended, June 2014)
WHEREAS, the Haribon Foundation is a non-profit and non-government
organization dedicated to biodiversity conservation in the Philippines; willing and
interested to support the country's wildlife conservation efforts and community
empowerment through the advancement of marine protected area implementation
in the Philippines;
WHEREAAS, the League of Municipalities of the Philippines
WHEREAS, the MERF.
WHEREAS Mindanao State University-Naawan
WHEREAS, the MSU-TCTO is an institution of higher learning created under
Republic Act No. 6060 with a mandate to develop academic programs for effective
exploitation and conservation of the fisheries resources in the Sulu Seas and
nearby waters, undertake researches in fish processing and culture, and in
oceanography for increased understanding of the country's territorial waters, and
adopt other programs and projects as may be necessary to promote the social and
economic development of the people (As amended, June 2014);

WHEREAS, PAMANA Ka Sa Pilipinas is a non-profit and non-government

organization whose mission is to have an effective alliance that brings together
various institutions like non-governmental organizations (NGOs), peoples
organization (PO), the government, the academe, donors, media and the business
sector to respond to the needs of the member sanctuaries and the bigger
community of small fishers;

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WHEREAS, the RARE-Philippines is a non-profit and non-government

organization whose mission is to build capacity and social cohesion in local
communities to meet biodiversity conservation and social impact goals;
WHEREAS, the Reef Check ......
WHEREAS, REECS is an all-Filipino consultancy firm on environmental and
resource economics led by foremost experts in the field of resource economics
and natural resource management, all of whom have vast experience in field and
academic settings;
WHEREAS, the SUACKREM is a non-profit and non-government organization that
undertakes natural resources research and development work and assist local
communities in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) especially in marine sanctuaries
and provides policy advise the local and national concerns;

WHEREAS, the UP MSI is a non- profit and government organization mandated

todevelop personnel in marine sciences, assist the University of the Philippines to
generate information for optimal and sustained use, management and
conservation of the marine environment and its resources and develop marine
technologies for economic development;

WHEREAS, WWF Philippines or Kabang Kalikasan ng Pilipinas (KKP) is a nonprofit, non-government organization mandated to stop and reverse the
accelerating degradation of the Philippine environment and to build a future with
Filipinos in harmony with nature;
WHEREAS, MCKEOUGH MARINE CENTER (XU-MMC), is the research arm on marine and
aquatic researches of Xavier University, a non-stock, non-profit corporation and existing under the
laws of the Philippines. Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan, a Jesuit University in

Cagayan de Oro City.

WHEREAS, ZSL, through its Philippines Country Office, is a UK-based

international scientific, conservation and education charity whose mission is to
promote and achieve the world-wide conservation of animals and their habitats.
(As amended, June 2014);
WHEREAS, the Parties note that:
-

The Philippines lies within the global center of marine biodiversity and is
recognized for its ecological significance, having among the richest species
assemblages, communities, and habitats on earth;

The total net benefits from coastal and marine ecosystem goods and
services amounted to over Php 24 billion in 2006 alone (Padilla 2009);

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Marine ecosystems have rapidly deteriorated due to over-harvesting of

fishery resources, deliberate or indiscriminate coastal development that
have destroyed habitats, dumping of wastes or pollutants;

The total damages of coastal resources from overfishing and habitat

degradation in 2006 alone reached Php 5.7 billion (Padilla 2009);

Marine protected areas (MPAs) help mitigate or reverse these degradation

trends by regulating habitat conversion, overfishing and other illegal and
destructive activities, among others.

WHEREAS, the Parties recognize that:

-

There are national policies and priorities in relation to the National

Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS Act or R.A. 7586) and the
Fisheries Code of the Philippines (R.A. 8550) that encourage the effective
management of MPAs, marine reserves and the like, and contribute to the
Philippine Development Plan;

The Philippines has committed to various international obligations, such as

the Convention on Biological Diversity, Aichi Targets of having 10% of
critical areas protected and the Coral Triangle Initiative, among others;

There is a need to integrate the efforts and initiatives among various

government agencies, non-government organizations and other
stakeholders in order to arrest the decline of the coastal and marine
ecosystems and species populations;

Effective MPA systems in the Philippines will be crucial for significantly

reducing the rate of biodiversity loss, a target agreed to by governments at
the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and adopted as
part of the Strategic Plan of the Convention on Biodiversity;

A collaborative effort offers opportunities for complementary actions at the

national, regional, provincial and local levels; where availability of resources
from stakeholders at various levels can be matched with the type and
degree of needs, thus ensuring greater efficiency and effectiveness of
conservation measures;

FINALLY, the implementation of the Philippine Marine Sanctuary Strategy

(PhilMarSaSt), which seeks to ensure that marine reserves and sanctuaries
promote the integrated management of coastal and marine ecosystems in the
Philippines to contribute to the sustainable development of coastal communities,
adopts the principles of coordination and collaboration.
NOW THEREFORE, the parties are one in collectively AFFIRMING their intention
to establish a mutually beneficial cooperation on the conservation and sustainable
management of biodiversity in the Philippines through the enhancement of MPAs,
and have agreed to the following:
I. THE MPA SUPPORT NETWORK (MSN)
Subject to the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) dated 25,
November 2005, constituting the MPA Support Network (MSN), the parties, using
all means and resources within their disposal, agreed to formally adapt a workplan
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that considers the vision, mission, and goals under the Philippine Marine
Sanctuary Strategy (PhiMarSaSt) that was formulated through a series of
nationwide consultations. The MSN aims (1) to facilitate the sharing of lessons and
good practices in MPA management; (2) to sustain adaptive management through
progressive reviews and updates of the MPA database and information systems
and (3) to provide support to local MPA initiatives to improve MPA management.
The parties hereby agree to continue to jointly plan, explore and undertake
practicable programs and projects in specific areas of marine protected area
management by expanding the scope and membership of MSN. (As amended,
June 2014).

II. AREAS OF COOPERATION

In particular, the Parties, as the MSN, shall take necessary steps to encourage,
facilitate and promote cooperation in areas, such as, but not limited to:
1. Maintaining systems for coordination at the local, provincial and national
levels to improve MPA management effectiveness that seeks to protect
threatened marine species, ensure viable populations of important fisheries
and conserve critical habitats;
2. Maintaining a functional integrated network of priority marine protected
areas to ensure ecological integrity of key biodiversity areas;
3. Establishment and maintenance of effective platforms for sharing of
data/information, best practices, and lessons learned as well as linking of
existing databases for mutually beneficial interests through any available
means;
4. Development of sustainable financing mechanisms to support costs of
conservation and resource management while maintaining and preserving
the natural resource base;
5. Mobilization of resources and/or leveraging of funds to support its
operational activities and programs;
6. Development of a research agenda that will help improve understanding of
MPAs, identify strategic conservation actions, condition of coastal and
fishery resources, and other information that can serve as basis of
management decisions;
7. Development of effective communication, education and outreach programs
and strategies to enhance understanding and build constituencies for MPA
management and overall conservation of coastal and marine resources. (As
amended, June 2014)
III. OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES
1. The MSN shall meet regularly, each succeeding meeting schedule to be
agreed upon in the previous one. Each meeting shall be hosted by a Party
in turns. The host Party shall make the necessary preparations and preside
over the meeting;
2. Technical working groups and regional, provincial or local working groups
may be formed as needed to address specific concerns. The outputs of
these groups shall be reported to the MSN;
3. Each Party shall own the intellectual property rights in respect of any
research results, technological development, and any products and
services development, which were solely and separately developed by that
Party, even if it was prepared or developed in support of agreed activities.
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4. The MSN shall not engage in activities that are contrary to its objectives.
(As amended, June 2014)
5. The parties shall not use MSN nor MSN data for profit.(As amended, June
2014)
IV. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
The UPMSI shall serve as the Secretariat for the MSN and shall call meetings,
manage data, coordinate activities and represent MSN at other meetings, among
other tasks until amended, revoked or cancelled in writing by other parties. (As
amended, June 2014).
The said trust fund or some variation thereof shall be administered, maintained
and monitored by MERF as the designated institution tasked by the Parties as
responsible for the MSN fund management function until amended, revoked or
cancelled in writing by the parties. (As amended, June 2014).

V. SUSTAINABLE ARRANGEMENTS
There shall be no financial obligations on Parties upon entering into this
agreement although the parties may contribute to support specific activities. The
MSN may, at a later time, decide to develop a means to financially support MPAs
in the Philippines through a trust fund or some variation thereof.
VI. REVISIONS, MODIFICATIONS AND AMENDMENTS
This MOA may be revised, modified or amended, in whole or in part, in writing by
consensus of the Parties. Any revision, modification or amendment agreed to by
the Parties shall be in writing and shall form part of this MOA. Such revision,
modification or amendment shall come into effect on such date as may be
determined by the Parties. Any revision, modification or amendment shall not
affect the rights and obligations arising MOA prior or up to the date of such
revision, modification or amendment. (As amended, June 2014)
VII. SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
Any dispute or difference between the Parties concerning the interpretation and
implementation of any of the provisions of this MOA shall be settled amicably
through consultation and negotiations among the Parties.
VIII. EFFECTIVITY, ACCESSION AND WITHDRAWAL
1. Effectivity.
(a) This MOA shall take effect on the date of the signature of the last named
party and shall remain in force for ten years with a mandatory review after five
years from effectively date or until such time that the parties agree in writing to
dissolve the agreement (As amended, June 2014);

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2. Accession.
(a) Accession to this MOA and membership in the MSN is open to any
interested agency or organization willing to abide by the terms stated herein
including all amendments agreed upon prior to accession.
(b) Membership in the MSN is likewise open to any interested party who may
be recognized, invited, and/or accepted through consensus by majority of
the existing members of the MSN (As amended, June 2014).
(c) The interested party, agency or organization shall notify, in writing, all
parties of its intention to be bound by the agreement.
(d) The accession takes effect fifteen (15) days from notice, provided that no
party objects;
3. Withdrawal.
(a) Any Party may withdraw from this MOA after the third (3rd) year from the
date it took effect.
(b) The withdrawal shall take effect three (3) months after the receipt of
notification to all other parties of the withdrawal.
(c) Any withdrawal by any Party from this MOA shall not affect the
implementation and completion of ongoing activities andlor programs,
which have been agreed upon by the Parties prior to the date of such
withdrawal from this MOA.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties after having been duly
authorized by their affiliations have signed this Memorandum of Understanding on
the date and place stated above.
DONE on this _____ day of June, in the year 2014 at ________________,
Philippines

For DA-BFAR:

For DENR-BMB:

Atty. Asis Perez

Director

Dr. Mundita Lim

Director

For DILG-BLGD:

For DOST-PCAARD:

Director

Director

For PNP-MG

For CCEF:

Dr. Aileen Maypa

Executive Director
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For CI-Philippines:

For DLSU-SHORE Center:

Mr. Enrique A. Nuez

Country Executive Director

Br. Ricardo Laguda FSC

President and Chancellor

For ECOFISH:

For GIZ:

Dr. Geronimo Silvestre

Chief of Party

Director

For Haribon Foundation:

For LMP

Chief Operating Officer

For MERF

For MSU-Naawan

_______________________
Dr. Gil S. Jacinto
President
For MSU-TCCTO

For PAMANA Ka:

________________________
Chancellor

President

For RARE-Philippines:

For Reef Check:

Raquel Sanchez Tirona

Senior Director
For REECS:

For SUAKCREM:

Noela C. Lasmarias
President

Dr. Angel C. Alcala

Director

For UP-MSI:

For WWF-Philippines:

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Dr. Michael Tan

Chancellor

President

For XU-MMC

For ZSL-Philippines

Fr. Mars P Tan SJ

Director

Mr. Glenn R. Labrado

Country Manager

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