A MESSAGE FROM OUR PARTNER

The NIPAS Law is one of the country's milestones in terms of conserving biological diversity and promoting sustainable development. Its enactment provided a shif in the management perspective particularly for DENR. Where before all the burden of management and decision-making lies with the Department, the NIPAS Act is innovative in that the administration and decision-making of a proclaimed protected area lies within a Management Board which is composed of the Local Government Units, indigenous and local communities and the non-government organizations chaired by the DENR.

While two decades of implementation somehow lessened the issues and challenges then, new challenges emerged such as the global climate change. The NIPAS Act has to be improved to address these pressing concerns, its provisions has to be dynamic and comprehensive enough to anticipate growing threats.

As such, we are very appreciative of GIZ for providing financial assistance in order to conduct a review of the NIPAS Act and Other Related Laws on the Establishment and Management of Protected Areas in the Philippines. The results of the Study and its accompanying recommendations will indeed be valuable for the Protected Area and Wildlife Sector to further improve our policy on the management of protected areas in the Philippines. The results of the Study may also be used as basis to further the advocacies on protected area management.

Meanwhile, we look forward to strengthened partnership with GIZ. Policies, no matter how comprehensive will always be futile without relevant sectors working together towards common goals and shared responsibilities.

Theresa Mundita S. Lim

Director Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau