The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) approved the guidelines in the implementation of Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) in the province of Palawan during the 284th PCSD Regular Meeting on October 28, 2021.
Said set of guidelines was established in order to develop a standardized approach to PES in Palawan. Prior to the approval of the said guidelines, the discussion during the Environment and Natural Resources Committee meeting held on October 21, 2021, highlighted the importance of conducting valuation studies and willingness to pay survey to determine the fee to be collected.
The criteria for the areas for studies and pilot testing is set to be prioritized before conducting the aforementioned studies and validations, the sources of ecosystem services such as protected areas, watershed areas, coastal and marine areas, and so on would be identified.
The agencies involved in the planning, coordinating, collaborating and implementing various PES schemes with various public and private users and consumers of ecosystems goods and services (EGS) include the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Provincial Government of Palawan (PGP), City Government of Puerto Princesa (CGPP), and all municipalities in Palawan.
This PES implementation is an initiative of the PCSD to generate revenues from the use and consumption of ecosystems goods and services and augment national and local financial resources in protecting, restoring, developing, and managing the “sources” of the ecosystems goods and services.