A Timor-Leste contingent recently participated in a hands-on field training session on marine protected areas (MPAs) management held in two coastal towns in the province of Cebu in the Philippines on August 19-28, 2013.

The field training and learning visit was part of Timor-Leste’s Coral Triangle Initiative National Plan of Action on marine protected areas. The Timor-Leste team visited the towns of Argao and Boljoon in Cebu and interacted with local government officials and Philippine experts who conducted most of the field training sessions.

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved a project on September 30, 2013 to support the Capturing Coral Reef and Related Ecosystem Services Project, with US$4.5 million in grant funding provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). This regional project will design innovative models for valuing mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef ecosystem services to inform policy and decision-making for improved environmental stewardship of these critical resources.