THE REGIONAL PHYSICAL FRAMEWORK PLAN

Vision, Roles and Goals

 

   Vision

In the next thirty (30) years,  Bicol Region is envisioned to be

 

one Region achieving accelerated economic growth and equitable social development and rational distribution of population among sub-regional areas through sound management of natural resources.

   Goals and Objectives

 

   To help achieve this vision,  land use and physical planning at the regional and sub-regional levels shall focus on the attainment of this goal:

 

   Rational use and allocation of land and physical resources.  This goal can be achieved if production lands, i.e. agriculture, mineral-rich, industry and tourism areas, are used according to the land use suitability.  It will also mean keeping protection lands in their right state to be able to provide an effective life support system to Bicolanos. Infrastructure support facilities will be placed in strategic areas that will promote economic and social development while not compromising environmental health.

 

   Corollary to the above goal, the following objectives shall be pursued:

1. To attain environmental stability and ecological integrity. 

2. To attain sustainable use of protected agricultural areas. 

3. To provide efficient and effective infrastructure facilities and utilities for economic integration and for an equitable access and delivery of services.

   Roles of Bicol Region

   Geothermal Energy Producer.  The Bicol Region, having three dead volcanoes and power generating plants with aggregate generating capacity of 512.574 MW, shall continue providing ample amount of electricity to the Luzon Grid for distribution to the island group.  Other potential sources of geothermal energy shall be explored. 

 

   Agri-Industrial Center.  The agriculture resource-base of the Bicol Region is potent for the development of agri-based industries.  Non-traditional products from traditional commodities, i.e. coconut, abaca and pili shall be developed through science and technology.  Likewise, non-traditional crops, of high commercial value will be developed into agri-industries. 

 

   Food Basket of Luzon.  With the improved climatic condition in the Region coupled with large areas for agricultural expansion, production of food crops will be intensified to get a larger market share of the needs in Luzon regions.  Food commodities include:  rice, vegetables, rootcrops, fruits, fishery products, pork, chicken and beef. 

 

   Mineral-Based Production Center.  Mineral-based activities in Bicol shall cover exploration, extraction and value adding activities that will lead to the development of vertically and horizontally integrated mineral-based industries.

 

   Ecotourism  Destination.  The presence of unique and diverse wildlife in Bicol makes it a primary destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

 

   South Luzon’s Gateway to the Visayas and the Pacific.  Bicol’s strategic location at the southern tip of Luzon, makes it south Luzon’s gateway to the Visayas.  The presence of  Legazpi and Tabaco Ports, both catering to international vessels,  bring Luzon close to having trade and tourism relations with other countries in the Pacific.

 

   Spatial Development Strategies

 

   Bicol shall continue to adopt its spatial strategy utilizing the integrated     area development approach coupled with the urban functions for rural development (UFRD) approach to regional development and constraints.  

 

   The IAD approach aims to

1. accelerate growth in depressed and lagging areas;

2. increase local government units’ and peoples’ participation in planning, implementation and monitoring of plans and programs;  and

3. distribute equitably the developmental gains among people and areas.

   The UFRD approach to regional planning recognizes the need to increase the access of rural population to basic services and facilities, and the need to specifically locate investments to create an integrated regional settlements system in order to:

1. strengthen markets for agricultural goods and other rural resources;

2. widely distribute services such as health, education, technical inputs for agricultural production and other socio-economic amenities;

3. create new rural employment opportunities;  and

4. decrease the rate and alter the pattern of rural to urban migration.

   The combination of these two approaches gives rise to an effective spatial integration of the rural and urban areas

Planning Units

 

   In this strategy, a network of sub-regional planning and programming units dividing the region into smaller and more manageable units was identified.  At the sub-regional level, a province is an IAD unit.  Each IAD has sub-integrated area development (SIAD) units that are clusters of municipalities grouped according to homogeneity of physical resources, economic activities, proximity and accessibility to each other, and concentration of services and facilities (Figure 4.01)

Network of Settlements

   A network of settlements shall be developed with Metro Naga and Metro Legazpi as the primary growth areas; the capital towns as secondary growth centers; and SIAD centers as tertiary growth centers (Figure 4.2).

 

   The various services required of an expanding population in the less urbanized and rural municipalities will be catered by the more urbanized and identified secondary centers and or tertiary centers backed up, if necessary, by the primary industrial/service centers of Metro Legazpi and Metro Naga. 

 

   The two island provinces and the two sub-islands of Masbate will continue to strive to be self-sufficient in basic social services due to its increasing population while maximizing the use of their agriculture, mineral and tourism resource bases.   The respective secondary and tertiary growth centers shall be developed to serve as an efficient market and/or marketing intermediary.

 

Development Drivers

 

   The region’s development drivers are related to the roles of Bicol, namely:  geothermal power generation; intensified agricultural production, especially for food and raw materials for industry; mineral extraction and processing; and ecotourism. Trade shall also be a development driver as profitability, that will redound to greater family income, shall be determined by the marketing system.

Figure 4.01 Settlement Map (IAD/SIAD Hierarchy)

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Figure 4.02 Settlement Map
(Growth Centers cum Built-Up Areas)

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   The way we manage ecological balance and biodiversity shall have a great impact on the state of the life support system of  the Bicolanos as well as the state of  ecotourism in the Region. 

   Transportation and digital communication infrastructure shall play a major role in making these effective development drivers that will ultimately lead to poverty reduction.   Physical and digital infrastructure support shall be strategically located to effect:

• economic integration of production (agriculture, mineral and industrial areas)  with consumption areas;

• greater access to basic social services especially by rural areas, the island provinces and the islands of Masbate, and of  other municipalities with island barangays;

• greater accessibility of ecotourism destinations  and

• integration of Bicol Region with the rest of the country through intermodal transportation

   Intra-regional Economic Integration

   Intra-regional economic integration shall be achieved through the improvement in physical access and access to information in all areas.

 

   Physical access shall be improved through an intermodal transport network among cities and municipalities that will:

• Reduce cash and non-cash hauling/transport cost of farmers/fisherfolks in bringing their produce/catch to trading centers;

• Reduce cash and non-cash hauling/transport cost of middlemen in the performance of their assembling function;

• Facilitate access of rural population to basic social services, i.e. schools and hospitals

   Information related to marketing, basic social services, employment, government services and requirements and the like shall be made available by allowing digital infrastructure to cover the whole region.  Partnership with the private sector, especially the telecommunication service providers need to be forged in establishing landline telecommunication lines in the rural areas.

   Interregional Economic Integration

   The Bicol Region shall have interregional economic relations with most of the regions in Luzon and some regions in Visayas and Mindanao. Major areas of interregional relations are agriculture, agri-industry, trade and tourism.

 

   Transportation and information infrastructure shall play a critical role in making effective and efficient interregional linkages in these areas. Intemodal transportation shall be improved. Regular routes along the Philippine nautical highway shall include the Bicol Region. The following shall be the major transport strategies:

• Provision of roll-on roll-off facilities in ports in strategic locations to transport a greater amount of goods in and out of these areas;

• Improvement of land transport infrastructure which connect production areas to these ports;

• Upgrading of the rail transport system that will extend to Matnog, Sorsogon.  Feasibility of extending it to other parts of mainland Bicol, i.e. Camarines Norte,  shall be studied;

• Upgrading of airports and work for increased air traffic to and from Bicol airports

The Plan Components

 

   Protection Land Use

 

   Scenario by Year 2030. By the year 2030, the Bicol region shall have at least attained a 40:60 ratio of forest cover to alienable and disposable lands.  Its forest cover shall have been rehabilitated and restored to its original condition, protecting the region from the effects of drought, flood, erosion and landslide. Further, its forest cover shall have served as a source of clean water for domestic and industrial purposes. Figure 4.03 presents the Proposed  Protection Land Use Map.

 

   All of Bicol’s 17 proclaimed protected areas will have organized their respective Protected Area Management Boards (PAMBs) in their fully functional roles and ensuring that the Protected Area Plans are effectively implemented. Existing mangrove forest reservation covers shall have increased and endemic flora and fauna shall have been protected and rehabilitated,

 

   The three protected areas under the responsibility of the National Power Corporation (NPC) that are critical for power generation shall have non-contributory directly and indirectly to environmental degradation.

 

   Environmental Impact Assessments of all proposed road sections traversing classified forestlands shall have been fully imposed by the DENR as a pre-requisite for the approval of such projects.  Existing roads and other infrastructure facilities and utilities within classified forestlands shall have also been assessed as to their environmental impact.

Figure 4.03 Composite Protection Land Use Map

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   Mining operations in the forestlands shall have been strictly regulated and conducted with due regard to protection, development and utilization of other surface resources. Mining laws, rules and regulations of the DENR shall have governed the location, prospecting, exploration, utilization or exploitation of mineral resources in forest reservations.

 

   Local Government Units (LGU) instead of the DENR shall have maintained its responsibility of identifying areas suitable for sand and gravel extraction and limiting issuance of permits considering impact assessment of the area.

 

   Watersheds shall have been well-managed and protected.  Denuded areas   of existing proclaimed watersheds shall have been immediately reforested.

 

   Policies and Strategies

 

   Policies and strategies shall address major issues and concerns on Protection Land Use such as:

• non-demarcation of boundaries of protection areas;

• resolution of conflicts within protection areas;

• disaster mitigation, use of resources and its impact to protection areas;

• information, education and communication (IEC) campaign

   Policies supporting international covenants and agreements such as the Rio Earth Summit and the implementation of the key Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) shall be considered.  Policies and strategies shall be supportive of the following areas of concern:

forest and biodiversity resources management;

coastal and marine resources management;

mineral resources management;

environmental management;

land management; and,

water resources management.

Forest and Biodiversity Resources Management

• Proclaimed natural parks, national parks, natural biotic areas, protected landscapes and seascapes and bird sanctuaries, wilderness areas, marine parks and other areas to be identified, such as marine parks, seashores parks and other areas with outstanding biodiversity shall be subjected to the Integrated Protected Areas System.

• The DENR shall define boundaries of proclaimed natural parks, game refuge, natural park, protected landscape natural biotic area and bird sanctuaries and other areas to be identified under the Integrated Protected Areas Systems. Protected Areas shall not be subject to any human activity such as hunting or fishing or any activity of commercial nature.

• Implementation of massive information, education and communication  (IEC) campaign on the protection and rehabilitation of biodiversity in the region through coordination and networking with stakeholders such as the academe, government institutions, agencies, religious groups and non-government organization/people’s organization and private sectors and media.

• Delineation of boundaries of all classified forestlands with their boundaries marked clearly on the ground with concrete monuments at interval of more than 250 meters or any other visible and practicable signs in accordance with existing land survey standards to ensure non-encroachment into forest lands. Likewise, boundaries of ancestral domains shall be delineated and demarcated.

• Development of protected areas that have potential for eco-tourism.

• The Bicol Natural Park shall be reverted back to forest, since it serves as watershed of the surrounding agricultural areas particularly Libmanan-Cabusao area.  Logging within the area shall be strictly prohibited.

• Aside from existing proclaimed watersheds, some other areas of the region such as Mt. Masaraga in Albay, and three other areas in Camarines Norte will be recommended to be proclaimed as such. The DENR shall initiate moves for the proclamation of such areas.

• Settlement within protected areas will be strictly prohibited. Relocation and ejection of informal settlers and  dismantling of any infrastructure introduced therein shall be immediately undertaken. Relocation and ejection of informal settlers shall be spearheaded by the DENR in coordination with the DAR, DPWH, DSWD , other line agencies, local government units and non-government organizations.

• In resolving land use conflicts within protected areas, between NIPAS and NON-NIPAS, the NIPAS shall prevail.  Management schemes outlined in the NIPAS Act shall be given priority.

• Classified forestlands with slopes 50 percent-above and areas with elevation of 1,000 meters above sea level shall be considered as permanent forests. All areas falling under these categories shall be permanently covered with forest vegetation. All existing forest covers in these areas shall be enriched and maintained by the DENR. All areas falling under the same categories but without existing forest covers shall be subjected to immediate reforestation or afforestation as the case may be and will be placed under the management of the DENR.

• Protected areas with qualified tenured migrants shall be issued Protected Area Community Based Resource Management Agreements (PACBARMA’s).

• Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADCT) for identified CADC areas shall be issued to ensure protection of the area from settlements encroachment. Ancestral Domain shall be delineated and demarcated and tenurial instruments will be issued.

• Denuded areas classified as forestlands and which are presently utilized for agricultural purposes shall be subjected to a detailed inventory and assessment by the DENR in coordination with DA and concerned LGUs. All areas certified by the DA to be suitable for agricultural use shall be subjected to agro forestry and rainforestation and may be leased through stewardship contracts while those remaining and found not suitable shall be subjected to reforestation activities.

Coastal and Marine Resources Management

Mangrove forests and swamplands bordering numerous inlands that protect the shorelines from the destructive force of the sea during high winds and typhoons shall be properly demarcated on the ground by the DENR. These areas shall at all times be maintained and protected as mangrove covered areas.

Mangrove forests covered by Proclamations of reservation shall likewise be defined with boundaries, particularly those proclaimed under Proclamation No. 2151 and 2152.

Strips of mangrove or swamplands of at least 20 meters wide facing lakes shall be properly demarcated and should be maintained with forest. These areas should not be disposed and alienated and at all times shall not be clear cutting operations.

In storm surge and typhoon prone provinces in the region like Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, and Albay, river bank protection is increased to fifty meters in both sides of the river and mangrove belt in these areas facing seas, oceans, lakes and other bodies of water are increased to one hundred meters.

Mangrove areas which are already developed for fishpond purposes shall be strictly inventoried and should be subjected to environmental impact assessment.

Fishponds which are located within reserved mangrove forests and are not productive shall cease to operate and revert back the area to the BFAR whether covered by fishpond lease or not, not utilized, developed or have been abandoned for five years shall be reverted back to mangrove forest category.

No fishpond development shall operate whether it falls within mangroves suitable for fishpond development or alienable and disposable areas unless it has undergone environmental impact assessment and are found to be ecologically sound.

As a national policy, fishpond developments are not allowed within mangroves declared as reservations.

Mineral Resources Management

• Mining operations in the forestlands shall be strictly regulated and conducted with due regard to protection, development and utilization of other surface resources.

• Location, prospecting, exploration, utilization or exploitation of mineral resources in forest reservations shall be governed by mining laws, rules and regulations of RA 7940, the Mining Act.

• Sand and gravel extraction within the banks of rivers shall be strictly regulated by the DENR. Critical conditions of river banks due to excessive extraction should be stopped.

• The DENR shall carefully identify areas suitable for sand and gravel extraction and limit issuance of permits considering impact assessment of the area.

Environmental Management

• Environmental Impact Assessments of all proposed road sections, road right of way and telecommunication facilities traversing classified forestlands shall be submitted to the DENR for review and approval as a pre-requisite for approving the project.

• Existing roads and other infrastructure facilities and utilities within classified forestlands shall likewise be assessed as to their impact on the environment.

• All road sections and infrastructures found to be contributory to environmental degradation shall be permanently closed.

• Settlements shall not be allowed within identified environmentally critical areas (areas with slopes greater than or equal to 50 percent and with elevations of 1,000 meters or more above sea level).

• Road constructions within classified forestlands, other than those critical areas, shall only be allowed if found to be non-contributory directly and indirectly to environmental degradation.

• Prior to construction of infrastructure facilities, hazard maps prepared by the PHILVOCS and PAG ASA shall be referred to in determining the vulnerability of an area to natural hazards.  Geologic, hydrologic and engineering evaluations shall be conducted subject to established standards. Identification of hazard prone areas shall be given priority by concerned agencies.

• LGUs shall initiate ground marking and putting up of warning signs and proper risk information in areas that are prone to environmental hazards such as severe flooding, erosion, landslides, and known fault lines.

Land Management

• Pasture and grazing land areas shall be maintained with sufficient and high yielding varieties of forage grasses and legumes to improve soil water absorption capacity, minimize soil compaction and erosion and increase soil nutrient.

• Insufficient forage covers of existing pasture and grazing lands particularly in Masbate shall be supplemented with trees or such other vegetative cover as may be deemed necessary. Proposed and existing pastures shall undergo Environmental Impact Assessments and shall be managed under the policy of equitable access to natural resources.

• Cancelled pasture permits and leases shall be placed under appropriate and sustainable development and management.

• Any forest land 50 percent or over in slope shall not be utilized for pasture purposes. Areas falling under such category may be allowed only if certified by the DA as to soil suitability and by the DENR as to slope and topography. At least ten percent of forest cover of all pasture and grazing areas shall be maintained.

Water Resources Management

• Boundaries of proclaimed watersheds in the region shall be well- defined on the ground by the DENR. Watersheds shall be well-managed and protected in order to regulate water in the area. Denuded areas of existing proclaimed watersheds shall be immediately reforested.

• Integrated Water Resources Management shall be adopted in watershed areas to   improve the water supply, quality, and forest cover   of watersheds. A River Basin management approach shall be adopted in the Bicol River Basin area.

Major Programs and Projects

 

   To attain environmental stability and ecological integrity, the following programs and projects should be implemented.

• Full Implementation of NIPAS

• Improvement of wildlife habitat through reforestation, captive breeding, establishment of sanctuaries

• Full implementation of Biodiversity Monitoring System (BMS) in all Protected Areas

• Full implementation of Fishery Laws

• Boundary delineation of forest lands in all provinces, except Catanduanes

• Implementation of CBFM program – PACBARMA issuances to qualified tenured migrants

• Operationalization of PAMBs

• Development of Eco-tourism sites and establishment of facilities supportive to ecotourism

• Assessment and detailed reconnaissance in detailed phase

• Detailed Geohazard mapping for local planning and disaster management

• Conduct of advocacy of protection of environment at all levels.

• Information, Education Campaign (IEC) activities through Dalaw-Tao program, lectures symposium and production of IEC materials.

Production Land Use Plan

 

   The overriding concern of the production land use plan is to provide adequate and accessible space for sustainable food crops production, industrial crops production for agri-processing, forest and mineral extraction, industry and eco-tourism.

 

   Scenario by Year 2030

 

   Agricultural lands for all uses will have totaled 1,149,944 hectares by the year 2030.  This will represent 64.45 percent of the total regional land area.  Rice will have been grown within 192,432 hectares of fully irrigated and flood protected lands.  A total of 30,019 hectares of corn lands will have been preserved and maintained.  More than half or 630,570 hectares of the total agricultural lands will have been developed as multicropped coconut areas. Abaca will have been maintained within 24,794 hectares in Sorsogon and in the island province of Catanduanes.  Sugarcane areas in Camarines Sur and portions of Albay will have totaled to 3,135 hectares.  Other areas will have been planted with important crops e.g; 386 hectares for banana and 604 hectares for pineapple. Diversified crops will have utilized a total area of 11,087 hectares. Agroforestry areas with pili as the dominant crop will have occupied 114,583 hectares.  Improved pastures planted to fast growing grasses and legumes and constituting 111,899 hectares will have been found in Masbate.  Fishpond areas will have totaled to 3,814 hectares. (Figure 4.04)

 

   With all the necessary support infrastructure and other logistic facilities and services in place, it is envisioned that by the end of the planning period, all the approved economic zones in the region are fully operational and the projects under the Regional Growth Center Program (specifically the Bicol Regional Agri-Industrial Center (BRAIC), the Legazpi-Irirga-Naga-Daet Growth Corridor and Provincial Industrial Centers) are all implemented.  The region will have a vibrant SME sector that is deemed to provide a strong domestic supply base (manufacturing and services) for globally-competitive.

Figure 4.04 Proposed Production Land Use Map

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• Those areas with slopes of 18 to 30 percent and presently vegetated with grasses, shrubs, second growth forest, fruit trees and abaca have to be maintained as agroforest areas.  New cropping systems and crop combinations will be introduced in those areas.  The following crops are recommended: abaca, bamboo, pili, other fruit bearing trees  and fast growing hardwoods.

• In areas with 8 to 18 percent slope, crops requiring minimal cultivation will be encouraged.  Diversified field crops are recommended for intercropping. Soil control measures like terracing, buffer strip cropping, contour tillage and other variations of the sloping agricultural land technology will be introduced.

• For production lands with slopes of 0 to 8 percent, intensive crop production will be encouraged.  Those areas are mostly planted to rice, corn and coconut.  Intensive farming systems will require the development and introduction of new farming systems that will preserve land fertility and maintain productivity. 

   The identified prime agricultural lands have to be protected from conversion to other land uses.  These prime lands, which are fully-irrigated are mostly planted to rice.  Considering the need to address the deficit in rice production, these prime rice lands must be intensively cropped.  The use of inbred rice varieties coupled with appropriate farming technologies has to be fully introduced to rice farmers.  Rice lands within the 0 to 3 percent slope category and totaling 192,432 hectares will be fully irrigated and protected from flooding by the year 2030.  These rice areas will be declared as prime lands and shall be protected from conversion to other uses.  Cropping intensity will be 2.5 times a year as the available irrigation water will be sufficient year round.  New organic farming technologies will be introduced to the farmers.  The major rice producing areas will be the alluvial plains within the Bicol River Basin Area in Albay and Camarines Sur and the Irosin-Juban Valley Area in Sorsogon. 

 

   Corn areas will be within the slope category of 0 to 8 percent.  The major corn cluster areas will be located within Camarines Sur, Albay and the island province of Masbate. The corn cluster areas will have a total area of 30,019 hectares.  For the corn areas within the 3 to 8 percent slope category, soil conservation measures will be adopted in order to prevent soil erosion.  Existing areas devoted to white corn production have to be protected from unnecessary conversion. Next to rice, white corn is the other staple crop of the region more particularly in the province of Masbate. Yellow corn cluster areas will also be protected and production will be intensified to cater to the needs of the livestock and poultry industries.

 

   For coconut, the following production and spatial planning strategies will be pursued:

• There shall be a massive replanting of senile and unproductive plantations.

• Integrated farming systems in the form of intercropping, multiple cropping and relay cropping will be introduced to coconut farmers.  Integration of livestock raising under coconut will be introduced using improved grasses and legumes.

• Coconut producing areas have to be protected from indiscriminate cutting of trees.  The aging coconut groves requires for a massive replanting of coconuts within the next 30 years.

• Promotion of multiple cropping technologies within monocropped coconut areas will be vigorously pursued.   Coconut areas within the 0 to 8 percent slope will be intercropped with short season and cultivated cash crops like vegetables, root crops, spice crops, pineapple, upland rice and corn.  Those coconut areas within the 9 to 18 percent slope will be recommended for intercropping with biennials and perennials that require minimal tillage.

• Sloping agricultural land technologies (SALT) will be introduced to the farmers.  Identified intercrops within this slope category will include banana, papaya, citrus and improved grasses and legumes for cut and carry livestock growing.

• Coconut areas within the slope category beyond 18 percent will be recommended for intercropping with permanent fruit bearing trees and plantation forest species.  Pili as a native crop to the region will be vigorously and aggressively promoted as an intercrop within this slope category.

• For coconut areas with slopes greater than 30 percent, indigenous fast growing forest species like mahogany and narra will be introduced.

   Existing abaca areas will be preserved from disease infection.  In the absence of new areas for its expansion, abaca intercropping will be undertaken in highly suitable monocropped coconut areas.  Abaca producing areas will be located away from corn producing areas in order to protect them from possible disease infection, corn being an alternate host of abaca disease vectors..  Catanduanes and Sorsogon shall remain as the major abaca producing provinces. 

 

   Sugarcane production will be mostly located in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Albay.  The sugarcane growing areas are located within the 0 to 8 percent slopes.  This facilitates the harvest and transport of the raw cane to the sugar central. 

 

   Planting of pure stands of banana will be located in Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.  These areas are slightly rolling lands within the slope categories of 9 to 18 percent.  Tissue cultured banana seed pieces will be distributed to farmers in order to ensure supply of disease free planting materials.  Commercial scale pineapple production will be centered in Camarines Norte.  These areas can be found in 0 to 18 percent slope category lands.    

 

   Pili, the flagship commodity of the region, shall be planted as intercrop in coconut areas.  New agroforestry farming systems will be developed and introduced to pili farmers.  Asexually propagated pili planting materials will be mass produced in order to meet the demands of the farmers. As pili production will continue to increase, research activities will be devoted to new products and by-products of the pili nut.  Research in prolonging the shelf life of pili will have to be vigorously pursued. 

 

   Pasture areas mostly located in the province of Masbate will be planted to improved grasses and legumes.  Pasture carrying capacity will be increased to 3 animals per hectare of land.  New technologies on pasture management will be introduced to pasture land leasees.

 

   For all the above policies and strategies, research and development of cost-effective technologies will play a significant role in increasing production and productivity of the region’s major crops.  Such researches will have to be in the fields of integrated pest management, appropriate farming systems to reduce if not mitigate soil erosion; use of organic fertilizers, biological pest control, other environmentally sound soil management techniques, and development of new varieties resistant to pests and diseases.

 

   Consistent with its role as an agri-industrial center, the region shall strengthen its domestic base through the Industry Cluster approach.  It shall promote forward and backward linkages, information sharing between and among production sectors and more focused development of infrastructure support system to reduce transaction costs.  

 

   In the implementation of the Regional Growth Center Program in Bicol, an assessment of the program must be given priority by decision makers both at the regional and local levels.  Issues, problems and constraints that had affected the implementation of the program must be addressed during the short term.  As the RGC Program is guided by the objective of a market-oriented industrial dispersal policy, changes in the location of industrial center is allowed to respond to the economic and political environment of the area.  As such the choice of industrial location should favor a site that contributes to industrial dispersal, but such dispersal should not compromise the viability of the industries themselves, or in the process lead to the inefficient use of resources. 

 

   Dispersal is desirable given the assumption that spreading the location of industries allows a larger number of the population to benefit from the employment, income, and other desirable economic impacts of such industrial activities.  Industrial activities in the regional center can be focused on agro-industrial processing that builds on the value-added chain based on Region V’s agricultural resources.  PAICs can link up with the BRAIC by providing production inputs or by hosting smaller scale activities.

 

   At the local level, location of the PAICs and economic zones should be guided by: local development and land use plans; land suitability; existing and potential industrial sites and support infrastructure; and environmental impacts.

 

   The question of where industrial facilities should be located, assuming that there is sufficient demand and that the types of industries have already been identified, may be guided by the following:

1. Compatibility with the overall settlement growth pattern and strategy, and with the local land use plan;

• In identifying future industrial sites, some specific considerations include: (a) the relationship of industrial site with adjoining and other relevant land uses; (b) availability of appropriate skilled labor; (c) capacity of the community to provide housing and other service requirements; and (d) potential market for the outputs to be produced from the site;

• Zoning regulations should also be reviewed with respect to new technologies that allow greater land compatibilities with adjacent land uses. Some flexibility in the development of industrial areas should likewise be anticipated such that shifts in the market for industrial and other land uses can be accommodated. Mixed use developments should also be considered and encouraged where there is sufficient land area for an integrated industry-based community;

• Industrial ecology should be promoted. This requires the clustering of industries that have backward linkages wherein the wastes or by-products of one industry can be utilized by another industry. Clustering would also allow cost-sharing schemes in the construction and operation of waste-water treatment plants;

2. Local land suitability analysis should be pursued to identify lands suited for specific industrial requirements, including required expansion areas. Marginal agricultural lands should be prime candidates for industrial expansion.

3. Industrial activities must be banned in SAFDZs, NIPAS areas, and other similarly protected areas, and hazard-prone areas that have been identified to be too risky for industrial activities to take place (e.g. fault lines, erosion-prone areas, permanent volcanic eruption danger zones).

4. There should be sufficient infrastructure support facilities (power, water, and waste disposal), especially those that allow, accessibility to markets, sources of production inputs (including labor), and to key transportation facilities such as ports, airports, and highways; and

5. Social and environmental impacts must be considered.

   Industrial activities shoud also be treated as catalysts to industrial development in an area, rather than as exclusive sites for production activities. While RAIC, PICs, or ecozones enjoy scale and agglomeration economies from the collective presence of several industries, industries can locate in other parts of a settlement, as a group or individually, provided that they conform to the aforementioned considerations.

 

   Solicit the inputs and participation of the private sector and other stakeholders in planning for industrial sites.

 

   Whether at the regional or local level, land suitability must complement market compatibility in order to ascertain the viability of a proposed industrial site. Although the feasibility of a specific industrial activity is best determined by its proponent-investor, physical planners should be guided by private sector inputs regarding preferred locations and other requisites to the development of industrial sites.

 

   Similarly, affected communities in the development of RAIC, PAICs and other proposed industrial sites should also be involved in the planning and implementation of the projects to ensure that social concerns area advocated are addressed.

 

   The strengthening of the region’s economy shall be anchored on a productive and efficient micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).  In line with this, the region shall pursue a comprehensive approach to MSMEs development through the following strategic interventions:  financing, market access, technology transfer and productivity, human resource development and advocacy for enabling environment.  

 

   Business activities and projects indigenous to each municipality of the region shall be developed and expanded through the One Town One Product (OTOP) Program.  The OTOP shall support the MSMEs to manufacture, offer, and market distinctive products or services using indigenous raw materials and local skills and talents.

   The growth of ICT shall be encouraged as an economic activity. Their locational preferences shall not be prematurely constrained while infrastructure support and other appropriate incentives shall be provided.  Development of ICT in the region shall focus in the cities of Legazpi and Naga as the main ICT hubs of the region.  Other LGUs shall be encouraged to prepare their areas for ICT by creating a local environment conducive to ICT operations, such as providing the necessary infrastructure support system and strengthening their marketing, financing, operational management and technology enhancement.

 

Major Programs and Projects

 

   Rice Intensification Program

   The Rice Intensification Program aims to increase the production of the staple crop.  The program has several components, namely: rice seed system, irrigation and water management, post harvest facility assistance, extension services and training, and technical support services.  The use of hybrid seeds will be aggressively pursued in order to increase production.  Organic farming technologies on rice will be introduced to farmers. In order to ensure a year round supply of irrigation water, existing irrigation systems will be rehabilitated while rainfed and potential rice areas will be provided with irrigation facilities.  

   The specific objectives of the Rice Intensification Program are: 1) to attain regional food security; 2) to reduce poverty incidence among rice farmers; 3) to increase net farm income; 4) to ensure sustainability of the resource base; and 5) to enhance people empowerment.  Critical to the success of the program will be the all-out support of local government units. It is expected that rice production in the region will reach 3.6 million metric tons by the year 2030.

   Corn Intensification Program

   The overall goal of the Corn Intensification Program is to increase productivity and production of quality corn for human consumption, feeds and industrial uses, as well as improve farmer’s incomes and quality of life.  The program’s specific objectives are: 1) to increase average corn productivity from 0.8 MT/ ha. to 4.0 MT/ha;  2)  to increase farmers’ adoption of the yellow corn hybrid technology; 3) .to produce quality corn and decrease post-harvest losses by 5 percent through timely and proper harvesting, shelling, drying and storage techniques; 4) to increase the income of corn farmers by insuring at least 50 percent return on the investments and by improving productivity of labor; and  5) to insure corn-based farming systems technology development and transfer system.

  

   The program shall be implemented through the development of corn cluster areas as the basic production module. The farm cluster shall be a contiguous prime corn area of at least 400 hectares. The program components will include: provision of credit facility, acquisition of post-harvest facilities, extension and training, marketing assistance, and technical support services. It is expected that total corn production for the region will have reached 240 MT by the year 2030.

 

   Abaca Rejuvenation and Expansion Program

   The program intends to protect, rehabilitate and expand the abaca areas   of the region.  Existing abaca lands will be protected from further disease infection.  The objectives of the program are: 1) to increase abaca fiber production as a raw material input to handicraft making, pulp and paper and other industry uses; 2) to increase average yield per hectare of abaca thereby increasing farmer’s net income; and 3) to control if not eradicate the viral diseases of abaca.  Buffer zones will be established in order to curtail the spread of the abaca diseases.  Disease eradication will be conducted in abaca-infected areas through community participation.  Thereafter, replanting of rogued plantations will be done using disease- free tissue cultured seedlings. 

   Abaca will likewise be intercropped within suitable coconut areas.  It will also be used as a companion crop within reforestation areas.  Old plantations will be rejuvenated using better yielding varieties.

   Coconut Replanting and Multi-Cropping Program

   The existing coconut lands of the region are already aged and low- producing.  For the next thirty years, senile trees must be cut and replaced with high yielding varieties.  Further, the productivity of coconut lands is low due to monocropping.  The coconut replanting and multi-cropping program intends to rehabilitate and increase coconut land productivity and production.  The objectives of the program are: 1) to maximize utilization of the coconut lands of the region; 2) to increase the net farm income of coconut farmers through the introduction of high yielding varieties and multicropping; and 3) to provide for the raw material needs of the coconut-based agri-industries of the region like geo-textile making, virgin coconut oil production, coconut wine, vinegar and coco-based handicrafts making.

 

   The strategy of implementation will center on the establishment and promotion of coconut model farms.  A "model coconut farm" is a cluster of small but contiguous farms owned and/or operated by small coconut farmers totaling 15 to 20 hectares, within the Strategic Agriculture and Fishery Development Zone (SAFDZs). It will have the following features:

• Fully intercropped with cash and commercial crops such as corn, legumes, bananas, root crops, fruit trees and agro-forest products;

• With 10 heads of cattle for fattening, 5 heads of carabao as work animals and breeding, 250 chickens and 10 hogs for meat production;

• Adequate water supply for irrigation, livestock use and/or for aquaculture production;

• Organized and viable cooperative undertaking entrepreneurial ventures; and

• Essential production and processing facilities such as irrigation facilities, farm implements, fiber extractor, and multi-purpose dryer operated by coconut farmers.

   The model coconut farmer shall be provided with the necessary knowledge, values and skills to develop his farm not only as a producer but also as an entrepreneur through actual experience and training.

 

   Other High Value Commercial Crops Development Program

 

   The overall objective of the high value commercial crops program is to increase production of the following crops in the region: sugar cane, banana and pineapple.  Intensive cropping of sugar cane in Camarines Sur would be needed to meet the needs of its sugar mill.  Banana and pineapple shall be produced for desserts. 

 

   Model farms for the above commodities will be established in strategic locations.  Technical assistance to farmers will be provided through extension and training.  Production inputs, loan assistance and credit facilities shall also be given.

 

   Agro-Forestry Program

 

   The agro-forestry program intends to increase the production of selected fruit trees and fast-growing timber species in the region. The long-term objective of the program is to increase the plant density and to cover the open production lands. Pili as the flagship commodity of the region will be promoted for planting as intercrop to coconut areas with slopes within the 18 to 30 percent.  Forest tree species will be recommended in lands having slopes greater than 30 percent.  The program will require the full cooperation of national government agencies that are concerned with crops and the local government units.  Seedlings will be mass-produced and distributed to farmers.  Nurseries will be established in strategic areas to provide upland farmers with quality planting materials. Private land owners in upland areas will be encouraged to go into agro-forestry.

 

   Pasture Development Program

 

   The pasture development program intends to improve the carrying capacity of the region’s pasture lands from the present one animal head per hectare to 2.5 animal heads per hectare.  This will be carried out through the planting of improved grasses and legumes.  The program shall provide technical assistance to pasture lease agreement holders through the provision of planting materials like grass cuttings and legume seeds.  Credit facility for the development of pasture lands shall also be provided.

 

   Fishponds Development Program

 

   The program intends to increase fresh water fish production through the improvement of fishpond management.  New technologies on fishpond culture will be provided to fishpond lease agreement holders.  Provision of loan assistance for fishpond development will be provided to fishpond owners.

 

   Regional Growth Center Program

 

   The program aims to disperse industrial activities to areas outside Metro Manila thereby, encouraging investments in the countryside.  The RGC Program includes the establishment of the Bicol Regional Agri-Industrial Center and Provincial Agri-Industrial Centers in the different provinces of the region.  It includes implementation of infrastructure to ensure that firms in those centers would be competitive vis-avis those located in Metro Manila and in other regions.

 

   Legazpi-Iriga-Naga-Daet Growth Corridor

 

   The project aims to strengthen linkages among the provinces of Region V and other regions to optimize the use of resources and encourage complementation of local development strategies.

 

   Special Economic Zones

 

   A Special Economic Zone or ECOZONE refers to selected areas which are highly developed or which have the potential to be developed into agro-industrial, industrial, tourist, recreational, commercial, banking, investment and financial centers whose metes and bounds are delimited by Presidential Proclamation. 

 

Settlements Development

 

   Scenario by Year 2030

 

   Based on the assessment of the prevailing situations in the region, it is envisioned that by the end of the planning period, 2000-2030, the following objectives would have been achieved:

• To effect a rational distribution of the population

   This can be realized through the provision of services and economic facilities especially in identified growth areas so as to encourage and spur the movement of people in still less-habited areas. 

 

   It is also proposed that an aggressive and responsive population management program be implemented in all sectors of society.

• To achieve equitable distribution of the fruits of development among sub-regional areas

   The highly polarized growth of the cities of Naga and Legazpi, although proved to have served its purpose, provided negative effect to neighboring areas.  Some areas no longer grew, were highly dependent on these cities for most of its economic activities.  Some areas have been merged and/or have grouped/organized together to achieve a common purpose.

   With the classification of Masbate and Camarines Norte provinces as one of the poorest provinces in the country, efforts must be done in order to alleviate these conditions.  Emphasis should be made on the following:  ensure provision of and access to employment opportunities; enhance revenue generation and promote the efficient use of resources; and develop agri-industry systems that are suited to the areas.

   In terms of delineation of areas in the region, the definitions used during the past RPFP were adopted.  These are listed below:

• Politico-administrative boundaries.  The smallest political unit considered is the barangay.  Each province was considered as a single IAD;

• Natural boundaries and resource homogeneity.  Where natural boundaries do not conflict with No. 1, the same were used considering further the physical resource homogeneity of the area;

• Commonality of dominant socio-economic activities.  Municipalities whose dominant socio-economic activities are common or are inter-related were grouped together in sub-integrated area development (SIAD) unit;

• Functionality.  In terms of spatial linkages, i.e., urban-rural linkages, the neighboring municipality, the province, the region;

• Flow analysis.  Population movement and commodity flow;

• Hierarchy of municipalities within each province or the centrality function of each municipality relative to the province/region;

• Contiguity.  Physically, non-contiguous areas will pose more problems in program/project implementation; existing SIAD delineation (particularly in the BRBDP program provinces), current conflicts were corrected; and

• Population distribution levels and trends of urbanization.  Pinpoints key growth/potential areas.

   Redirection of Population Growth

 

   Urban centers whose further growth may be encouraged include all the identified secondary and tertiary growth centres of all SIADS.  These will be given priority considering their designated functions.  Functions still not present within these centres shall be provided to maximize their functionality. 

   Urban centres whose growth must be restrained /discouraged include:

• All settlements within the proclaimed reservations areas.  Affected settlements of Tiwi, Malinao, and Manito, all of Albay and part of Sorsogon City (areas covered by then-Bacon) in Sorsogon province will be allowed expansion outside the peripheries of the reservation areas suitable for settlement purposes;

• All settlements within the danger zones of Mayon Volcano, Mts. Bulusan and Iriga which are all active volcanoes; and those lying along active fault lines.  Consonant to these, frontline agencies especially those in the services and infrastructure sectors shall be prohibited from implementing projects that serve to negate the importance of this policy, i.e., the expansion of the current level of education facilities, power supply connections, provision of pipe water supply, etc.;

• All settlements lying within historical tsunami areas – affected barangays along Sorsogon Bay; and

• All urban centres which are surrounded by prime agricultural rice lands.  These are the poblaciones of Oas, Libon, Baao, Ocampo, Sangay, Pili, Bombon and Calabanga.  Some barangays of these municipalities can have urban expansion as indicated in the proposed settlement map.

Infrastructure Development

   Basically, the infrastructure plan is based on the development challenges, issues and concerns confronting the development of the region.  These could be achieved through spatial development strategies and supporting policies and with corresponding programs and projects. The spatial development strategies and policies are categorized into general and specific.

 

   General Development Strategies and Policies

 

   The national level spatial development strategies and policies are also deemed appropriate at the regional level. These are broadly categorized as follows: a) Strategic Role of Infrastructure; b) Food Security and Agrarian Reforms; c) Protection and Disaster Mitigation; and d) Local and Private Sector Participation. The details are shown below.

Strategic role of infrastructure

• Prioritize and implement infrastructure projects that support the policy of national dispersal through regional concentration;

• Promote inter-modal transportation systems, taking into account compatibility, economic feasibility, comparative advantage and linkages of desired transportation modes to facilitate smooth transfer of people and goods between designated transfer points;

• Prioritize and implement infrastructure projects that allow increased access to basic social and other development services while catering to productive sectors and market-based industries;

• Ensure compatibility of infrastructure with local land use and development plans, giving priority to projects with the most strategic impacts;

• Protect infrastructure right-of-way.

Food Security and Agrarian Reform

• Prioritize and implement strategic rural/regional infrastructure that support food security and agrarian reform objectives by enhancing local production and market linkages.

Protection and Disaster Mitigation

• Promote infrastructure compatibility with NIPAS and other protection areas, mitigating potential negative effects of infrastructure projects, while ensuring the operational efficiency of such projects and protecting them from the harmful encroachment of other activities;

• Incorporate disaster mitigation principles in Infrastructure development; and

Local and Private Sector Participation

• Promote local and private sector participation in infrastructure planning, decision-making and implementation.

   Spatial Development Strategies and Policies Specific for the Region

 

   The overall strategy of the plan is geared towards restructuring the infrastructure requirements of the region.  It shall provide infrastructure support services to the three other plans within the planning horizon of 3–10 years period.  The required interregional linkages, particularly those among urban centers shall be maintained in order to increase access to alternative product sources and markets, allowing for increased competition and greater economic integration. 

 

   To achieve these objectives, the regional priorities resulting from the various workshops are: (1) Railways; (2) Power, Electrification and Irrigation; (3) Roads and Bridges, Airports, Ports, Water Supply; and (4) Communication.

 

   General Strategies and Policies

 

   The order of priority of physical development shall be:

• maintenance of existing infrastructure facilities to extend the life span of the project and thereby generate more productive use of assets;

• construction of additional and/or new structures.

   The type and scale of new infrastructure facilities shall be consistent with or in support of the desired spatial pattern for a specific plan period. Likewise, infrastructure shall be used to induce or effect the realization of the desired spatial pattern.

 

   The location of new infrastructure shall as much as possible, avoid disturbing critical ecosystems.  In cases where this does not apply, appropriate mitigation measures shall be incorporated in the project design.

 

   Existing infrastructure facilities found to be improperly located .i.e. threatened by environmental hazard or impinge upon critical ecosystems shall be made to conform to the policies established under Protection Land Use.

 

   The provision of infrastructure facilities in environmentally critical areas will have to be studied closely.  Any proposed project in any of these areas as defined in the Protection Land Use Plan shall be subjected to environmental impact assessment.

 

   The construction of roads and bridges, communications and other infrastructure and installations within the identified environmentally-critical areas by government and private institutions shall be undertaken with the least impairment of the resource values therein.  The objective is to avoid or reduce damage or injury to the resource value.  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall likewise be involved in the planning and establishment of these infrastructure facilities.

 

   Maintain and/or rehabilitate existing infrastructure facilities in production and settlement areas to facilitate socio-economic activities.             

 

   Upgrade and/or provide new infrastructure facilities in the identified expansion areas for production and settlement. 

 

   Upgrading and/or new construction shall be supported by an appropriate study indicating the economic viability, social desirability and environmental impact assessment.  The latter shall apply only to critical projects defined under Proclamation No. 2146.

 

   The design of infrastructures shall be based on engineering design and best practices and shall conform to the National Building Code.

 

   Specific Strategies and Policies

 

   The transportation network of the region shall be so designed to link the growth poles, production areas and other strategic development areas. 

 

   The plan for the transport sector is to create an intermodal transportation system that will link the four (4) modes of transportation. Local and international traffic shall be opened for the air and sea transport. Air transport development will involve the upgrading of existing airports into international standards while ports development will consider the provision of RORO facilities in areas covered by the nautical highway. The local sea traffic will involve travel to and from neighboring barangays and municipalities using local ports. For land transport, roads and railways shall be upgraded to accommodate the increasing traffic demand.

Roads Transport

 

   The mode of improvement for road sections shall be based on the Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT).  Road sections with an AADT of 550 shall preferably be concreted.  Otherwise double bituminous surface treatment shall be preferred for road sections with an AADT between 360 and 550; gravel for road sections with an AADT between 160 and 360; and earth for road sections with an AADT below 160. Horizontal and vertical alignment, drainage facilities and other related structures shall conform to the AASHTO standards. Existing road densities in the primary growth centers shall be increased to at least 1 km/sq.km.                                                

 

   The above conditions shall be applied to the priority road sections that support the nautical highways, growth poles and production and tourism areas.

 

Railways

 

   The railway transport services will be developed through the upgrading of its physical facilities. Efficient, cheap and safe train service in the mainline south of the PNR shall be in operation up to Matnog, Sorsogon.  Additional new rolling stocks shall be provided based on passenger and cargo traffic, if deemed necessary, the operation of the PNR shall be privatized.

 

Sea Transport

 

   On water transport development, priority shall be given to national ports and other seaports identified in the nautical highway. To achieve more efficient port services, other port appurtenances and facilities shall be based on the type of cargo handled and the projected volume of passengers and cargoes.  The traffic flow and influence areas shall also serve as the bases for ports development in particular on the establishment of RORO facilities for the identified ports included in the nautical highway (Figure 4.05).

 

Air Transport

 

   The strategic framework is based on having effective and efficient airport runways and facilities within international standards.  The physical infrastructures would require: Construction of the New Legazpi Airport, upgrading of the existing airports to serve as gateways to regional centers and major tourist destinations and a Feasibility study of the Pamplona Airport in Camarines Sur.  The policies that need to be in place are: a) Ensuring compliance with international security standard; b) Promoting the integration with global markets and considering the need to develop more international gateways; and c) encouraging airline industry to restore domestic flights for the inter-provincial and inter-regional flights as shown in Figure 4.05.

 

Water Resources

 

   The strategy shall incorporate the fundamental elements of integrated water resources managements. These elements involve: 1) strong coordination among water users, 2) water conservation, 3) social, economic and environmental value of water, and 4) demand management.

   Water Supply

 

   The provision of safe, potable and sufficient water supply for domestic, commercial and industrial use shall taken into account the following: (a) the targeted human settlements/cluster of households, number of population served; (b) and willingness and ability of water associations to share in the responsibility of installing and maintaining a system.

 

   Level I, a point source, usually a protected well (shallow/deep well drilled driven) or developed spring, with one water outlet but without any distribution system and has a coverage of 250 meters radius from source and has effective serviceability of 15 to 25 households.  These are adopted in rural areas where houses are thinly scattered. Generally, there are no water treatment provided, in some areas however, disinfections are conducted periodically.

 

   Level II water supply is communal faucet system consisting of a point source, a reservoir, a piped distribution network and communal faucets. The water sources are usually drilled/driven wells or spring. Water treatments are not also provided except for periodic disinfections by local authorities. A simple communal piped water system with communal faucet for 4 to 6 households.  Each communal faucet has an effective area within 25 meters radius and the system average effective service is 100 households, will be generally be used in rural areas or  semi-urban areas where houses are clustered densely enough to justify a pipe water distribution system.

 

   Level III, piped water system with individual connections, will generally be adopted for densely populated barangay centers and urban areas.  Preferably, the source for gravity type II and Level III system should be within 2.5 kilometers from the beneficiary centers.  Level II system will be federated into a Level III when the serviced settlements satisfactorily satisfied the minimum requirements for a Level III system.  This system has a source, reservoir, piped distribution network and individual household connections where water treatments are provided through a drip type chlorination system.

Figure 4.05 Sea and Air Flow Map

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   Irrigation

 

   It shall focus on the maintenance, rehabilitation of aged and damaged irrigation facilities and appurtenant structures and on  the construction of new irrigation facilities targeting the 50% of the total potentially irrigable areas. Moreover, it shall implement the volumetric water pricing system.

           

   The construction of irrigation projects shall be in full support of Republic Act No. 6978 (AFMA) thus ensuring the promotion of rural development for an accelerated program within ten-year period.

 

   Flood Mitigation

 

   Flood mitigation structures are important to safeguard the population, settlement and agricultural areas. But because of the huge investments required, an integrated flood mitigation and drainage program throughout the region should be prepared coupled with disaster management programs. The structures shall be so designed to give importance to the upstream and downstream impacts.

 

Power/Energy

 

   The power/energy policies shall initiate institutional reforms to ensure transparency and accountability, if not eradicate administrative impropriety. Such reforms should: a) pursue the streamlining of the ECs to reduce system losses to single digit, b) allow the private sector through investment management contract (IMC); c) address NPC losses by loan restructuring d) privatize Transco and NPC generation plants in an optimal manner; e) privatization of existing NPC-SPUG areas.  The other energy/power policies shall focus on: ensuring sufficient and reliable power supply and system efficiency improvement; prioritizing projects that address energy generation for sufficient power supply; exploring the use of new and renewable energy sources; 100% electrification of all the barangays; and resolving water allocation issues on hydropower.

 

Communication

 

   The strategies for the development of the digital infrastructure includes regulatory and legal reforms outlined as follows:

• Promoting and strengthening the independence of regulatory powers of the NTC;

• Promoting price settings to balance cost recovery, externalities and consumers willingness and capacity to pay. Adoption of cost-based pricing for telecom sector- lower national/international charges;

• Setting/clarifying legal regime on voice over the internet protocol (VOIP) – Executive Order on VOIP;

• Continuing work with mobile phone producers to disperse cell sites to un-served areas to connect the region and the entire country.

Social Infrastructures

 

   School Building

 

   The school building program shall provide adequate and convenient classrooms through the following strategies: (a) rehabilitation and/or improvement of  partly damaged or not well maintained but economically repairable classrooms to maximize the use of existing structures; (b) replacement of aged or severely dilapidated classrooms; (c) construction of new classrooms to accommodate the annual increment in enrollment, maintain an average occupancy rate of about 40 to 50 pupils per room, and provide accessible educational facilities to small and isolated barangays, and (d) provision of non-academic school buildings.

 

   Health Facilities

 

   The planning design for the location and bed capacities of hospitals shalll follow a hierarchal order consisting of 10 beds for municipal hospital, 25 beds for district hospitals, 50 beds for regional hospitals and 250 beds for medical centers.  The health centers and equipment shall be upgraded to conform within standards and/or minimum requirements. 

 

   To balance the distribution of health facilities, the primary health care facilities and services shall be provided in the rural areas.  These facilities shall be based on accessibility to the users, number of population served, health practices in the rural communities, health status of the population and socio-economic situation.

 

   Government Buildings Facilities

 

   The maintenance, improvement and new construction of buildings will be the responsibility of the respective concerned entities.  RA 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 tasks LGUs with the responsibility of developing their respective areas through their own resources, national government buildings from the generated savings of the agency.

 

   Solid Waste Management Facilities

 

   DENR Administrative Order 98-49 and 98-50, encourage LGUs to adopt the sanitary landfill method as the proper means of waste disposal. It requires LGUs to put up or upgrade their existing open dumping sites to specified levels taking into account their technical feasibilities. A 2.60 hectare of land per 100,000 population is recommended for sanitary landfill projects.

 

Long-Term Infrastructure Projects

 

   The proposed infrastructure projects shall put into operation the desired spatial pattern.  The major proposals, categorized according to sub-sector,  are presented as follows:

 

   Regional Transportation Network

 

   By the end of the planning period, an inter-modal transport system shall be in place in the region. The inter-modal transport system will feature improved roads, strategic ports with RORO facilities, upgraded railways and airports. Adequate facilities required for safe and comfortable transportation of people, goods and services from end to end of the system will be provided.  The network will link the production and processing areas to the primary and secondary growth centers of the region, as well as to other regions. At the same time, it shall help increase the influx of local and foreign tourists. 

 

   Effective provision of the basic land transport linkages will involve the construction/improvement of national secondary, provincial, city, municipal, barangay, and farm to market roads and bridges. 

 

   The highways and road sections to support the nautical highway (Figure 4.06)  RORO development,  follow:

• Central Nautical Highways

• San Remigio Port, San Remigio, Placer, Masbate (RORO)

1. Placer, Masbate – Aroroy, Masbate Road

2.  Malinta –Lagta Baleno road

• Aroroy Port, Aroroy, Masbate (RORO)

1. Placer, Masbate – Aroroy, Masbate Road

2. Malinta –Lagta Baleno road

• Claveria Port, Claveria, Masbate (RORO)

1. Claveria – San Pascual, Masbate Road

2. Boca Engano, Masbate – Claveria, Masbate road

• San Pascual Port, San Pascual, Masbate (RORO)

1. San Pascual -Claveria, Masbate Road

• Pasacao Port, Pasacao, Camarines Sur (RORO)

• Pantao Port, Pantao, Libon, Albay (RORO)

1.  Libon-Marocmoc – Pantao Road

•  Eastern Nautical Highways

• Codon Port, San Andres, Catanduanes (RORO)

1. Catanduanes Circumferential Road

• San Vicente Port, Caramoan, Camarines Sur (RORO)

1. Ocampo-Tigaon-Goa-Lagonoy-Presentacion-Garchitorena-Caramoan-Guijalo

2. Tinambac Siruma Road

• Sangay (Nato) Port, Sangay, Camarines Sur (RORO)

• Cataingan Port, Cataingan, Masbate (RORO)

1. Cataingan – Aroroy, Masbate Highway

• Aroroy Port, Aroroy, Masbate (RORO)

1. Aroroy – Cataingan, Masbate Highway

The MTPDP priority projects:

• Mabolo Bridge

• Ocampo-Tigaon-Goa-Lagonoy-Presentacion-Garchitorena-Caramoan-Guijalo Road, Camarines Sur,

• Tinambac-Siruma Road, Camarines Sur,

• Cam. Sur-Tiwi-Legaspi-Manito-Sorsogon Road,

• Ligao-Pio Duran Road, Albay,

• Pilar-Donsol Road, Sorsogn

Foreign Assisted Projects (FAP) national roads:

• Libon-Marocmoc-Pantao Road

• Ligao-Pioduran Road

• Catanduanes Circumferential Road

• Lagonoy-Presentacion-Caramoan-Garchitoren-Guijalo Road

• Masbate-Milagros Road

• Sorsogon-Bacon-Manito Road

• Putiao-Pilar-Donsol Road

• Daang-Maharlika via Abuyog-Gubat-Ariman Road

Figure 4.06 Philippine Nautical Highway

 

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Local roads proposed by the LGUs for the improvement

• Improvement of 77.302 kilometers Provincial roads and 409 linear meters of bridges

• Improvement of 68.654 kilometers City roads

• Improvement of 41.992 kilometers Municipal roads and 8 linear meters of bridges

• Improvement of 432.207 kilometers Barangay roads and 28 linear meters of bridges

Tourism infrastructure support roads

• The access roads to major tourism destinations envisioned in the Regional Tourism Master Plan: (1) road sections in the third district of Camarines Sur, first and second district of Albay, and Catanduanes (2) road sections proposed by LGUs directly leading to the tourism areas.

• Improvement of existing roads leading to the existing airports and the proposed New Legaspi City airport.

• Improvement of existing roads and bridges leading to different ports particularly in the Third District of Camarines Sur, Albay, Catanduanes, and Masbate.

• Improvement and construction of roads leading to the PNR

Railways

• The railway program includes, 1) upgrading and improvement of physical facilities of the PNR Mainline South, 2) PNR extension to Matnog, Sorsogon, 3) Provision of additional rolling stocks

Water Transport

• Improvement of existing facilities of the eight (8) PPA operated ports and completion of Pantao Port.  The eight ports are: (1) Legaspi City Port; (2) Tabaco Port; (3) Pasacao Port; (4) Virac Port;  (5) Masbate Port; (6) Bulan Port; (7) Matnog Port; and (8)) San Andres Port.

• Establishment of RORO in the identified ports included in the central and eastern nautical highways, as follows.

• Provision of RORO facilities complementing the nautical highway, the Trans-Visayas Inter-modal Transport Network Project. These ports include Pilar Port in Sorsogon, Aroroy and Mandaon Ports in Masbate. The technical viability of these ports shall likewise be determined to be undertaken by DOTC  - PMO ports; and

•  Improvement of local ports to support the inter-island transport and complement the central, and eastern nautical highways. These ports include ports in Ticao Island, Masbate, namely: (1) San Jacinto port (2) Talisay Port, San Fernando, (3) San Fernando Port, (4) Batuan and Burgos (Lagundi) Ports, Batuan and 5) Balud Port, Masbate. The feasibility of these ports shall also be determined by DOTC – PMO Ports for inclusion in their Local Port Development Program.

Air Transport

• Upgrading of existing airports to serve as gateways to regional centers and major tourism destinations, and

•  Fund sourcing for and implementation of the construction of the New Legaspi City Airport

• Establishment of a domestic airport of international standard at Pamplona, Camarines Sur.  (The FS is now being undertaken by the DOTC)

Communications

•  In addition to the policies, programs and projects, the DOTC-line agencies need to improve their buildings and facilities  to effectively perform the regulatory reforms in the industry

Power / Energy

   Projects that are geared to sufficient energy generation and effective power supply are presented below with their respective locations indicated on Figure 4.07 and Figure 4.08.

• Rehabilitation of generating units to their original efficiency

• Development of other geothermal energy sources through promotion of geothermal exploration

• Development of new and renewable energy sources,

• Implementation of the Luzon-Catanduanes interconnection project,

• Regional industrial center transmission lines,

• 40 MW Tanawon Geothermal Power Plant, and

• Rapu-Rapu Diesel Power Plant.

Figure 4.07 Proposed Power and Energy Projects

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Figure 4.08 Prioritized Barangays for Energization

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Water Resources Development

   Water Supply

   The provision of safe, potable and sufficient water supply for domestic, commercial and industrial use will cover the following programs and projects:

• Improvement of 15 water district projects  (Level III water supply system), LWUA proposal

• Construction of 170 Level II water supply system as per LGU proposals

• Construction of 1,033 Level I water supply system as per LGU proposals, and

• Construction of 16,920 units of Level I, DPWH proposal

   Irrigation

 

   Physical improvement of the existing coverage area and construction of new projects to increase area coverage will be implemented through specific programs and projects as follows:

• Rehabilitation of irrigation facilities covering 18,247 hectares, FAPs (NIA-Assisted). Includes RBWMP, on THIRIS, 3542 hectares.

• Rehabilitation of irrigation facilities covering 3,968 hectares, FAPs (DAR-Assisted)

• Rehabilitation of Irrigation Facilities covering 40,882 hectares (Locally Funded)

• New construction of irrigation facilities covering 1,560 hectares (Locally Funded)

   Flood Control

   Flood control development will promote and adopt Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principles, with the following programs and projects:

• Implementation of  the Bicol River Basin Watershed Development Projects

• Implementation of  the locally funded flood control projects of DPWH.

• Mayon Volcano Hazard Urgent Mitigation Project or the Comprehensive disaster prevention around Mt. Mayon

Figure 4.09 Composite Land Use Map

(+) Click to Zoom

Social Infrastructure

   The region proposes the social infrastructure programs and projects as follows:

   Schools

• Establishment of elementary schools in Barangays without elementary schools (BWOES) (21 Barangays out of 135 under the SONA commitment and construction of 38 elementary school in school-less barangays)

   School Classrooms

• Classroom construction ( 2818 for elementary schools and 1,712 for secondary schools)

• Classroom replacement (3,141 for elementary schools and 542 for secondary schools)

• Classroom repair  (14,167 for elementary schools and 1,788 for secondary schools)

   Health Facilities

• Repair / improvement of hospital buildings

• Construction of Barangay Health Stations

• Repair / Improvement of Main Health Centers

   Government Buildings

• Repair / improvement / construction of government buildings and facilities

   Solid Waste Management

• Establishment of solid waste management in areas with more than 100,000 population by their respective LGUs

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