Quezon City, Philippines — PEMSEA welcomes Ms. Ma. Victoria Amurao as Finance Assistant. Victoria will provide general accounting services for the PRF Secretariat and Technical Services and provide administrative support in the areas of procurement, contracts monitoring, inventory, and others.

 

 

Makati City, Philippines — Petron Foundation Inc. (PFI) recently celebrated 15 years of fueling hope and helping realize the dreams of thousands of Filipinos by forging strategic alliances with the Department of Education (DepEd) and Habitat for Humanity Philippines, Inc. (HHPI). Over the past decade and a half, PFI has been at the forefront of Petron Corporation's efforts to provide sustainable solutions to some of the country's concerns. These include programs in education, environment, entrepreneurship, health, and livelihood.

 

 

Seoul, RO Korea — Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute announced that Dr. Kim Cheol Ho from the Climate Change & Coastal Disaster Research Department was awarded the 'KORDI prize of the month.'

 

Through domestic and international activities, Dr. Kim has contributed to developing marine research, and was recognized his achievement of raising awareness of the effect of the ocean on climate change among governmental and non-professional groups.

 

 

Mindoro, Philippines — Two marine protected areas in the Verde Island Passage (VIP) were recognized in a nationwide competition as among the best managed in the country, making it to the top ten circle in a field of 117 contenders.

 

 

 

Incheon, RO Korea — In anticipation of the 11th Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), IUCN state members Bangladesh, India, Japan and RO Korea showcased national efforts in meeting the Aichi Targets of the CBD Strategic Plan at the 5th Asia RCF in Incheon. The plenary session saw IUCN members sharing an interactive learning space through which examples of policy interventions and countrywide initiatives to protect critical ecosystems were disseminated and discussed.

 

 

Seoul, RO Korea — On September 26th, the Korea Ocean Research & Development Institute signed an MOU with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information on the joint use of science and technology information. The signing took place at the Seoul branch of KISTI.

 

 

Mindoro, Philippines — Bantay Dagat and Philippine National Police operatives caught a group of fishers doing illegal fishing in the waters of Calapan City over the weekend.

 

The apprehending team arrested eleven fishers engaged in compressor fishing, an illegal acitivity which causes destruction of marine resources and poses health risks to fishers. Confiscated from the violators were three boats, compressor equipment, fine mesh nets, and live aquarium fishes estimated to be worth PhP3,000.

 

 

Tianjin, PR China — The IOC/WESTPAC Coordinating Committee for the North-East Asian Regional-Global Ocean Observing System (NEAR-GOOS) concluded its 14th Session in Tianjin, China, 8-9 September 2011 with kind host of the National Marine Data & Information Service of China. The meeting reviewed the current operational status of NEAR-GOOS data exchange network, identified existing deficiencies and came up with suggestions on several concrete actions to be taken over the next intersessional period in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the network.

 

 

Busan, RO Korea — On 3-5 October 2011, the 13th Global Meeting of Regional Seas was held in Busan, RO Korea, hosted by NOWPAP.

 

Representatives of 10 Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans, UNEP Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Branch and GPA (Global Programme of Action for the Protection of Marine Environment from Land-based Activities) Coordinating Office participated in the meeting. The major issues discussed included: