Palawan Tropical Forestry Protection Programme

Programme Components

[Office of the Co-Directors]

Programme Management Office

Restructuring the Functional Departments.

Based on the lessons from its own experiences and building on what has already been achieved, the Programme, as a result of new logical framework, defined an output-oriented departmental structure: public awareness; community and livelihood; land use planning; sustainability; co-ordination; management information services (MIS); and finance and administrative services. Along with the re-organization is the setting up of appropriate policies to strengthen the functions of each department.

Public Awareness Department. PAD supports the Tribal Learning Centre/Community Learning Centre programme and is involved in substantial training and capacity building, often meeting needs defined by other departments. The department produces video, print and internet products serving the Programme and organize public relations activities to enhance its image.

Community and Livelihood Department. A major review of completed, current and proposed micro-projects began in October 2001 and further activities will be informed by their analysis. The aim is to focus on the "donor" communities, supporting the Tribal and Community Learning Centres and bringing shape and cohesion to future livelihood micro-projects in partnership with LGUs, NGOs and people's organizations.

Land Use and Planning Department. The department has begun reviewing Management Plans for the priority catchments to ensure that they are effective tools for planning and handover. Publication of CMP manuals would confirm this and allow stronger capacity building of partners in PCSDS and LGUs.

Sustainability Department. Palawan benefits from the Filipino tradition of strong social and political institutions. The new department ensures that planning and other outputs meet the requirements and capabilities of these institutions, and works with PCSDS, LGUs, stakeholder organizations and donor communities in order to define training needs.

Co-ordination Department. PCSDS is central to natural resource management in the island and successful handover needs planning, facilitating and monitoring. The department will tackle the co-ordination issue head-on, as a departmental responsibility in close partnership with PCSDS.

Management Information Services Department. Raw and diffuse data is not as useful as knowledge shared. In order to hand over effective outputs and activities, PTFPP needs to monitor and manage its own information and make it accessible. In the context of Palawan Database, MIS builds a new computerized database and local area network (LAN) and consolidate Geographic Information System (GIS) and the library. Importantly, monitoring activities begin to be more meaningful so that conservation strategies can be "evidence-based" rather than optimistic.

Finance and Administrative Department. The department maintains policies and procedures for budgeting and accounting, procurement and asset management, administrative and personnel structures and engineering, transport and property management. Extension under the new system will not change their responsibilities but will enable preparation for a planned and phased handover, rather than a simple closing of books and disposal of hardware.