Section 5Sec./Art. 5

Management Plan. - The Protected Area Superintendent (PASu) shall prepare the management plan in consultation with the appropriate offices of the DENR and local experts who may donate their services including but not limited to people's organizations, nongovernment organizations, local government units and other government agencies. The management plan shall be reviewed, approved and adopted by the PAMB and certified by the Secretary of the DENR. Such certification is mandatory if the plan conforms to all laws and rules and regulations issued by the DENR of national application. In no case shall the DENR be allowed to revise or modify a management plan without prior consultation with the PAMB.

Within one (1) year from the effectivity of this Act, a Management Plan shall have been put into effect following the General Management Planning Strategy provided under the National Integrated Protected Area Systems (NIPAS) Act and according to the procedure herein set forth. It shall contain, among others, the following:

(a)The category of the protected area;

(b)Period of applicability of the plan;

(c)Key management issues;

(d)Goals and objectives of management in support of Section 2 hereof;

(e)Site management strategy;

(f)Major management activities such as but not limited to enforcement of laws, habitat and wildlife management, sustainable use management, infrastructure development and maintenance, fire and pest control;

(g)Zoning;

(h)Visitor management programs; and

(i)Waste management programs.

The PASu in coordination with all concerned offices shall prepare all successor plans. One (1) year before the expiration of the period of applicability of the plan in effect, the PASu shall cause publication of notices for comments and suggestions on the next successor plan in a newspaper of local circulation and the posting of such notices in the provincial, municipal and barangay halls and in three other areas frequented by the public. Public hearings may be conducted on the successor plan upon the written request of any interested party. A finalized plan shall be made available for public perusal at the Office of the PASu upon its approval by the PAMB.

The zoning of the protected area shall give primary consideration to the traditional zones used and recognized by the Ivatans and tenured migrants unless such uses are deemed detrimental to biodiversity and the protection of the natural characteristics of the protected area.

The plan shall be in a language understandable in the area, plainly written and available for perusal to the general public at the PASu office.