GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

1. Ecosystem management
   Objective: To restore and maintain the ecological integrity and functions of the Protected Area. Zoning regulates the various ways of using or conserving an area. Each zone has its own guidelines. Proposed zones are classified as:
   • strict protection
   • restoration
   • multiple use
   • cultural
   • high impact tourism
   • low impact tourism, and
   • special zone

   A "sustainable use" zone may also be included and could provide portions for community forestry.

   Buffer zones lessen the pressure on resources inside the PA by creating more livelihood and other opportunities for the communities that depend only on the natural resources for their livelihood.

2. Protection and Law Enforcement
   Objective: To protect natural resources and biodiversity with the full cooperation and understanding of the stakeholders For more effective protection and law enforcement, the PA will initially be divided into a North and South sector, each served by four rangers. If more sectors are needed, additional rangers will be hired. The park rangers will supervise the "Bantay Bundok" (Forest watch) volunteer groups and indigenous chieftains who will be deputizedto assist in patrolling and law enforcement activities. Regional "Bantay Bundok" groups will be organized at a later stage. PAMB will develop a set of qualification standards for the selection of volunteers for the mobilization and for the "Bantay-bundok". The volunteers will be trained with financial assistance from the non government organizations operating in the area.

3. Research and Monitoring
   Objective: To institute a system of research and survey that will yield relevant information on management issues to be used in reviewing and updating Protected Area management. Priority surveys and studies will be conducted to support the zoning of the PA. Specially focused studies will also be done to facilitate management activities. Monitoring surveys will likewise be conducted to provide information on changes to environment and biodiversity. Routine monitoring will be done to check if residents, users and visitors adhere to the management regulations, and to gauge behavioral change. Rangers and Bantay Bundok groups will be involved in monitoring the PA.

4. Community relations: livelihood and IEC
   Objective: To involve the communities inside and adjacent to Mt. Isarog in PA management and provide incentives for those engaged in sustainable resource use activities.

   Two committees of the PAMB - Livelihood and the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) - will be responsible for guiding the PASU and staff in community relations work.

   The Livelihood Committee is responsible for the following:

   • Screen the livelihood programs implemented both by the government and non-government entities and check that these comply with sound sustainable development and PA management principles.
   • With the assistance of NGO s, coordinate or conduct barangay planning sessions to explain zoning regulations;
   • Draw-up Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) with the barangays; and
   • Attract outside national and regional programs that are complementary to the park's livelihood activities;

   The IEC Committee is tasked to:

   • Formulate an IEC strategy and program;
   • Coordinate all IEC activities of agencies or organizations involved in Mt. Isarog;
   • Inventorize materials and media to be used; and
   • Network with barangays to integrate awareness issues within barangay meetings and planning sessions

5. Tourism and visitor management
   Objective: To institute a visitor and tourism management program that showcases the ecological roles and functions of the PA, thereby generating income and contributions to the Integrated Protected Area Fund (IPAF) and job opportunities for the community.

   Tourism activities will be strictly regulated.

   • A low impact tourism zone will be set up for educational purposes and limited to a small number of select groups.
   • A high tourism zone will be set up both for educational and recreational purposes with possible income generating activities.
   • An impact assessment and carrying capacity study will serve as a basis for the PAMB to formulate guidelines and objectives for tourism sites.
   • The Visitors' Center located at Panicuason will provide information about:

   • Mt. Isarog as a PA
   • Flora and fauna in the PA
   • Interrelationships between the park and the communities lying around it

6. Regional Integration
   Objective: To ensure that provincial and regional development program support the protection and management of the PA and its buffer zones.

   Government and non-government organizations will be encouraged to plan and manage Mt. Isarog as an ecological unit. An Environmental Code for Mt. Isarog will thus be developed by a multi-sectoral group composed of the PAMB, local government units, NGO s, and other concerned local and national agencies.

   Multi-sectoral task forces (TafKas) representing the DENR, the Dept. of National Defense and the Phil. National police will be organized with each party contributing to the operational budget. Bantay Bundok groups and the Protected Area Office (PAO) will be encouraged to send representatives to the TafKas.

7. Institutional and managerial organization and administration
   Objective: The PAO has field and operational and networking tasks. The PASU manages field operations; coordinates related activities of the bodies; and is the chief technical advisor to the PAMB on PA operations.

   The PAMB determines PA policies and advises provincial and regional agencies operating within the PA and its buffer zones.

   The PAO staff, in particular the rangers, will be provided with specialized training in ecology, community relations and legal issues.

   The PAMB's job is also to develop and implement assessment decision procedures to guide their own planning and management capabilities.

   To facilitate task coordination and policy formulation, the PAMB will create six committees: Livelihood, IEC, research and monitoring, protection and law enforcement; tourism and finance. Each committee will have a minimum number of one PAMB member and a secretary (from the PA office). Occasionally, outside advisors will be invited. The committees will be convened on an ad hoc basis and give advice to the PAMB.

   Awareness programs will focus on the links between the PA and everyday life issues. Links between the PAMB and the barangays will be strengthened through a multi-sectoral group that will have representation in the PAMB.

   The PAMB will draw up a MOA with the holders of the Certificates of Ancestral Domain Claims to institutionalize their relations with the PAMB and PAO and prevent future misunderstandings.

8. Financial sustainability
   Objective: To generate funds through local, regional, national, and international publics.

   Short and long-term strategies will be drawn up to generate income to help fund the other activities under each strategy.

   The possible sources of funds are:

   • An Integrated Protected Area Fund (IPAF) to be derived from the income and contributions in cash or kind from PA resource users such as visitors, industries and other commercial enterprises. IPAF is a trust fund established in accordance with the NIPAS Act, to help sustain the management and operations of the PA.
   • A government contribution to be included upon Congressional Enactment of the area, for base operations such as for salaries of personnel and logistics.
   • Foreign donors.