Technical Services

Establishment and Operationalization of EMES

Actual field survey of the coral reefs of Brooke's Point was completed while the Coastal Resource Assessment Reports of its resources on mangrove, corals and seagrass, its resource condition maps and ECAN map for coastal marine areas were submitted to the LGU.

In Taytay Bay, actual field survey of its coral reefs had been conducted, and assessment report drafted. Three (3) assessment reports on coral reef, seagrass and mangrove were submitted to the LGU for comments.

The actual field survey of seagrass beds and mangroves had been conducted in San Vicente. Likewise, the mangrove resource assessment report was already drafted while the reef condition map was produced. The preparation of the seagrass report is still on going.

Actual field survey of the coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove resources of Quezon was already undertaken. Data processing and report writing have commenced. Data processing and report writing of the Rapid Rural Assessment (RRA) of the coastal areas of Quezon are on-going.

For the municipality of Dumaran, only actual field survey of its coral reefs, seagrass meadows and mangrove areas has been undertaken. Data encoding had been completed but processing of the report writing is still on-going. The RRA for Dumaran has also been conducted and data processing and report writing is on-going.

In all of the aforementioned municipalities, the coastal water quality data assessment and report preparation are still on going from the water samples collected from the surveyed sites. On the other hand, a survey instrument was also prepared for the conduct of RRA to reinforce the data to be generated from the succeeding bio-physical assessment of the coastal marine areas of the different municipalities.

Three reports from Dumaran were submitted to the LGU covering the corals, mangrove and seagrass. However, for San Vicente, a coral reef assessment reports was drafted.

Meanwhile, draft updated reports for forest and agricultural resources, water resources and coastal marine resources for consolidation in the Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation System (EMES) Annual Report for 2000 had been prepared. A survey methodology for monitoring wildlife in the province was also formulated.

Laboratory Operation

Analysis of 170 water samples were undertaken by the laboratory staff; the 60 samples were part of the environmental monitoring activities while the 110 samples were analyzed as per request of student researchers and other entities.

The staff participated in the preparation of Water Quality Assessment Report of Honda Bay and Puerto Princesa Bay which was conducted by SEARCA and ICLARM for the FRMP Project.

Water quality data of some rivers and CRA survey sites in Dumaran and Quezon were similarly generated. The laboratory provided also services on water quality analysis to Puerto Princesa Water District and students researches.

SEP Clearance System

Sixty one (61) projects were evaluated and submitted to PCSD for appropriate action.

Technical Evaluation of Issues/Problems referred to PCSD

Investigation of sand and gravel operations involving four quarry operators as referred to PCSD was conducted. Accordingly, corresponding investigation reports were prepared and meetings with the concerned operators were undertaken to discuss the results of the investigation.

Assistance to Other Operating Units

Orientation of DMO staff on project evaluation procedures with respect to the issuance of PCSD Clearance was conducted. This is in accordance with the transfer of project evaluation activities from TSD to the DMO's.

Technical assistance was provided to the on-going assessment of complaints involving pearl farm operations in San Vicente. Signing of MOA between Marine Aquarium Council of USA and PCSD regarding cooperation in the accreditation of ornamental marine live fish in Palawan was also facilitated.

In addition the staff were also involved in facilitating the conduct of the sustainability planning workshop in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Likewise, as team leader of the Palawan Sectoral Monitoring Team for the Malampaya Natural Gas project, preparatory activities were undertaken for the conduct of planning workshop as part of the team's institutional strengthening endeavor.

The staff were also involved in the evaluation of the proposed Hydrometallurgical Processing Plant Project of Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation and the proposal for consultancy services submitted by the three short listed firms pursuant to a JBIC funded project.