A series of multi-stakeholder consultations and workshops to draft and review the Act ensured full stakeholder participation and fostered compliance with regulations. The Internal Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Act has since been reviewed and updated several times and now includes policies on ecosystem research, tourism and management plan for the buffer zone. It was communicated to the public through outreach activities. Trainings and information campaigns promoted awareness and understanding of the global significance of this biodiversity hotspot.
- National and international NGOs have provided the initial funds and technical know-how
- Good understanding of the problems and management options already existed
The TRNP Act institutionalized the representation of a wide sector of society in the policy-making body, the Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board (TPAMB), enabling stakeholders to articulate their concerns and influence rule-making. Tubbataha has demonstrated that with sensitively negotiated stakeholder agreements local communities do not need to bear the burden of no-take protected areas, but rather, can be their main beneficiaries.