Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) Operational Guidelines

PoPolicy Objective

• FPE shall create the Regional

Advisory Committee to serve

as FPE’s link with the regions

and to provide advice to the

Foundation’s Board of Trustees on particular matters.

BOT Mandate

The BOT shall organize one Regional Advisory Committee (RAC)

each for for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao created out of regional

consultative groups, composed of non-government organizations,

people's organizations, academic institutions and other development

and environment groups, which will be tasked to nominate

members of the FPE Board and advise the Board in the following:

•Policy-making

•Program development

•Governance

Operating Guidelines

1. Label – The term “region” shall refer to the island-wide areas of

Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The RACs in each of the three major island regions shall be called

RAC-Luzon, RAC-Visayas and RAC-Mindanao

2. Composition – Each RAC shall have 15 members. A member

of the RAC shall be a duly elected nominee of the regional

consultative group, composed of NGOs/POs and academe in

the regions. Membership is subject to the final decision of the

BOT.

• Nomination in absentia shall be allowed provided that,

in the absence of a RAC nominee during the RCG, a

letter signifying his/her interest to serve shall be

considered.

• Nominees to the RAC must be individuals with

environmental perspective and must be representative

of NGOs, POs, or the academe.

• Government persons may be invited to the RCG

meetings but may not be nominated as RAC

members.

RAC Mindanao has two (2) members from each bioregion except

CamBuMisOr:

• Davao-Compostela Valey 2

• Caraga 2

• South Cotabaot-Sarangani-General Santos 2

• Maguindanao-North Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat 2

• Zamboanga Norte-SurMisOcc 2

• Zamboanga City-Sibugay-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi 2

• Lanao Provinces 2

• Camiguin-Bukidnon-Misamis Oriental 1

Structure

• Each regional RAC shall select among themselves a

Coordinator.

• He/She shall call and chair the RAC meetings, and disseminate

copies of proceedings to members.

• The RAC Coordinator’s term shall be co-terminus with his/her

term in the RAC.

• Sub-committees may be created by each RAC as may be

needed.

Meetings

• The RACS shall have a minimum of two (2) regular meetings and a

national meeting in one year. Sub-regional meetings may be held

at the option of the region.

• BOT attendance in RAC meetings shall be upon the request of the

RACs.

• One of the RAC regular meetings shall be scheduled back-to-back

with the FPE Board meeting.

• In cases of absences, a maximum of two (2) absences shall be

ground for disqualification from the RAC.

• If unavoidable, an alternate may be sent to the meetings, but

notice shall be sent to FPE through the RAC Coordinator at least a

week before the meeting.

DDisqualifications

A RAC member may be disqualified from the committee

membership on several grounds:

• Transfer of operations/residence (refers to areas outside the

region or province)

• Movement to a conflicting field of specialization/interest

• Misrepresentation of FPE in other meetings, fora or conferences

• Grave misconduct (i.e. dishonesty)

Disqualification shall be valid only through a consensus decision of

the RAC with due process.

Coordination

• It shall be FPE’s responsibility to convene the RAC

national meeting while meetings shall be upon the

initiative of the RAC themselves.

• A national RAC Coordinator shall be appointed from

within FPE.

• A Regional Coordinator Alternative (or Vice Coordinator)

shall also be appointed

Accessing Funds from

FPE

• Membership in the RAC shall disqualify the NGO/PO and

academe represented from accessing FPE funds, except

Small Grants, subject to FPE policies and procedures.

Decision Making Process • The decision-making process may take the form of a

consensus or voting, depending the sensitivity of the

issue at hand.

General Provisions

RAC shall serve as a forum for collaboration and cooperation on

national and regional environmental concerns. These can be

operationalized through, but not limited to, the following

mechanisms:

• Writing or updating each other (information-sharing)

• Study/exposure trips (e.g., FPE sites)

Capability Building

FPE will involve RAC memdbers in capability building

programs to help enhance their skills particularly on:

• Biodiversity conservation and sustainable development

• Community-based resource management

• Environmental advocacy

• Para-legal training

• Media training

• Conflict management

• Meta-legal

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