Section 6Sec./Art. 6

Management Plan. The Protected Area Superintendent (PASu) shall prepare the management plan in coordination with the appropriate offices of the DENR, technical experts, local communities and tribal experts who have experience in the particular cultures in the area. The Management Plan shall be reviewed, approved and adopted by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) and certified by the Secretary. Such certification is mandatory if the plan conforms to all laws, rules and regulations issued by the DENR of national application. In no case shall the Management Plan be revised or modified without prior consultation with the PAMB.

Within one year from the effectivity of this Act, a Management Plan shall be put into effect following the General Management Planning Strategy provided for under the NIPAS Act and according to the procedure herein set forth. It shall contain, among others, the following:

(a) Period of applicability of the plan

(b) Key Management Issues

(c) Goals and Objectives

(d) Site Management Strategy

(e) Major management activities such as, but not limited to enforcement of laws, habitat and wildlife management, sustainable use management, infrastructure development, visitor management program, and maintenance, fire and pest control, etc.

(f) Zoning

The PASu shall prepare all successor plans. Two (2) years 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. The proposed plan shall be made available to the public during the period for comment and a finalized plan shall be made available for public perusal at the Office of the PASu upon approval of the PAMB.

The zoning of the protected area shall give primary consideration to the traditional zones used and recognized by indigenous cultural communities and, whenever applicable, those that have been sustainably used by tenured migrant communities for an applicable length of time unless such uses are deemed detrimental to biodiversity and protection of the natural characteristics of the protected area.

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