TropicalCoast 4th new indd

19

Tropical Coasts

Figure  4.  Marine Threatened Species Perception Map for the Verde Island Passage MBCC.

partner-base of the area.  But what 

lessons have been learned in this 

process? After the first three years 

of implementing the SSS, some of 

these lessons include: 

1. Stakeholder assessment is 

critical in identifying the 

mode of partner engagement 

particular to a specific 

situation.  Working under 

the premise that not all 

partnerships are the same, 

stakeholder assessment is 

an integral step in partner 

engagement. Establishing clear 

objectives or conservation 

targets is essential. Stakeholder 

mapping assesses the different 

players in a given area as well 

as available manpower or 

expertise. For the  SSS, formal 

partnership engagements  are 

made through Memorandum 

of Understanding/

Agreement (MOU/MOA) or 

grant agreements. Informal 

partnerships are likewise 

promoted to support formal 

arrangements. 

2. Integration meetings 

serve as effective feedback 

mechanisms that promote 

interaction among partners 

and provide direction to 

project implementation. 

Convergence meetings held 

in each corridor enabled 

exchanges among stakeholders 

and project implementers, 

served as mid-term project 

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20

July 2008

Figure  5.  Marine 

Resource Use Perception Map for the Verde Island Passage MBCC.

evaluations and allowed for 

necessary adjustments in 

implementation strategies. 

 

The Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape 

Congress held towards the 

end of the project’s Phase 1 

provided a venue to share 

project results, lessons learned 

and plans for the next phase of 

conservation interventions. The 

convergence meetings and SSS 

Congress allowed partners and 

other stakeholders to look at 

the bigger picture and see how 

their respective outputs feed 

into the overall goal of the SSS, 

thus strengthening the holistic 

approach in implementing 

conservation actions in the 

seascape. Complemented 

with site visits and regular 

communication with partners, 

these formal meetings became 

an integral part of project 

monitoring and evaluation. 

3. Local government units (LGUs) 

are critical public sector 

partners for on-the-ground 

conservation and natural 

resources management 

efforts.  Conservation projects 

implemented by different 

sectors have identified the 

LGUs as the most critical 

public sector partner for 

on-site interventions. The 

SSS experience showed that 

LGUs were granted significant 

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21

Tropical Coasts

References

Conservation International-Philippines. 

2007. Proceedings of the Workshop on 

“Engaging the Private Sector in Marine 

Conservation: Defi ning Priorities for the 

Philippines,” held on 26-28 November 

2007 in Tagaytay City, Philippines. 

Conservation International-Philippines, 

Quezon City, Philippines.

Rosales, R.M.P. 2007. “Engaging the Oil 

and Gas Industry Towards Marine 

Biodiversity Conservation in the Sulu-

Sulawesi Seascape Area.” Conservation 

International–Philippines, Quezon City, 

Philippines.

authority over a broad 

range of issues through 

the Local Government 

Code of 1991 and other 

policy instruments. The 

last five years saw an 

increased commitment 

and investment in 

natural resource 

management by LGUs. 

These partnerships, 

though short-term 

and co-terminus with 

the SSS, were able to 

build long-term results, 

i.e., strengthened 

local capacity and an 

enabling environment. 

Like other government 

agencies, limited 

resources and different 

views regarding the 

balance between 

conservation priorities and 

development remain one of 

the major challenges facing 

conservation work in the 

country and in the region. 

4. Partnering with private 

corporations that have 

corporate social responsibility 

portfolios is a major future 

resource for expanding 

stakeholder support base and 

fund source for both species 

and habitat conservation 

initiatives. Local, provincial 

and national governments are 

limited by annual allocations 

which are inadequate to 

support planned activities, 

leaving meager funds for 

actual conservation needs. 

NGOs may have resources at 

certain periods but do not 

have the mandate to lead local 

and national conservation 

objectives. Private corporations 

as drivers of local, national 

or regional economies are 

resources for sustainable coastal 

and marine conservation. 

Their participation is crucial 

in changing industry practices 

towards more marine 

environment-friendly practices 

as well as supporting marine 

conservation action at all levels. 

5. Matched funds and fund 

leveraging from partners 

serve as catalyst in 

establishing ownership and 

outcomes achieved by the 

SSS. Of the US$1,526,068.02 

total grants awarded in 

Indonesia, Malaysia and the 

Philippines, grantees were able 

to provide match funding of 

US$408,776.40 in implementing 

the different activities under the 

SSS external grants portfolio. 

Leveraged funds amounted 

to US$124,000 at the end of 

project implementation. The 

amount shows that partners 

value the conservation of the 

Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape and 

have taken the initiative to 

provide counterpart funding, 

and leverage additional 

resources to achieve maximum 

impact. Matched funds and 

fund leveraging are essential 

in grant-making and prove 

that partners have a sense of 

ownership on the achievements 

of the project and help ensure 

that results are being utilized 

to pursue conservation goals 

for the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape 

Project beyond  the project’s 

duration.

Training on Integrated Coastal Management for Local Government Units (of Verde Passage and 

Palawan), held in Batangas City on 16-27 October 2006.

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