Tanggol Kalikasan through its Senior Legal Adviser Atty. Asis Perez together with Sally Bulatao, the consultant and Efrelyn Escultura, the program officer for livelihood had a meaningful visit and meeting with Palawan Governor Victorino Dennis Socrates about the RESTORE-WPS Project for the Livelihood component. 

In attendance also were BFAR’s Provincial Fisheries Officer of Palawan, Mario Basaya and Atty. Christian Jay V. Cojamco, Provincial Information Officer. 

The objectives of the meeting are as follows:

  1. to identify enabling policies that will enhance the development of enterprises and livelihoods in coastal communities; 
  2. to touch base with provincial and municipal leaders on their development perspective and programs towards upscaling ongoing economic activities;
  3. to gather inputs on priority economic programs of the province and municipalities that aim to strengthen the stake of coastal communities and establishments in the protection and responsible use and development of marine resources.

They also presented the emerging strategies such as:

  1. Identify value chain segments to be connected (drying and powdering, powdering and standards for various applications) 
  2. Modify measure of results in terms of enterprises rolled out or enhanced rather than the count of inputs (research should lead to enterprise, infra should connect the enterprises, bridge raw material suppliers and processors)
  3. Target incentives to bolster investment in priority areas. Identify priority products and processes (investments in Kalayaan and Agutaya. Investments in product standards to broaden applications, investments in connectivity in communication and transport.

The project is supported by the USAID thru the Gerry Roxas Foundation.