ORIENTATION REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE October 21-22, 2014 – Quezon City

Basis for RAC Creation

Per Article 5, Section 3 of FPE’s Bylaws:

•The Board of Trustees shall organize a Regional

Advisory Committee (RAC) •One RAC each for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao •Created out of regional consultative groups •Composed of NGOs, POs, academic institutions

and other development and environment groups

Roles of RAC

•Advise the Board in policy making, program development, nomination of incoming board, and

governance •Serve as FPE’s link with the broader constituency in the regions other than its project partners •Serve as a forum for collaboration and cooperation

on national and regional environmental concerns

Term and Composition • The FPE BOT shall have the sole discretion to

determine the number, term and composition of the RAC

• The RAC shall not be eligible for nomination to the BOT during his/her incumbency

• There will be 15 members per RAC • Nominated at the RCG meetings

• Confirmed by the FPE Board of Trustees

• Reg 1: Ilocos Provinces, La Union, Pangasinan • CAR: Cordillera Administrative Region • Reg 2: Cagayan Valley • Reg 3: Central Luzon • Reg 4: Southern Luzon • Reg 5: Bicol • National Capital Region (NCR) • 15th member - from the region with the

biggest coverage or most centrally located

RAC Luzon: 2 members from each of

the 7 regions

Composition | Sub-regional Groupings

• Western Visayas • Central Visayas • Eastern Visayas

RAC Visayas: 5 members from each of the 3 regions

Composition | Sub-regional Groupings

• Camiguin-Bukidnon-Misamis Oriental (1) • Caraga: Agusan, Surigao and Dinagat Provinces (2) • Lanao Provinces (2) • South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos City (2) • Maguindanao-North Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat (2) • Davao: Davao and Compostela Valley Provinces (2) • Zamboanga del Norte-Misamis Occidental (2) • Zamboanga del Sur-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi (2

RAC Mindanao: 8 members from

each of the 8 bioregions

Composition | Sub-regional Groupings

Nomination and Confirmation

Nominees must be: • individuals with environmental perspective • representatives of NGOs, POs, academic

institutions, or other environment and development groups

Nomination in absentia is considered, provided that a letter from the absent RAC nominee that signifies his/her interest to serve is presented during the RCG

Terms of Office • Two years • Eligible for one re-election immediately thereafter • Former member may be elected again - should

have interval after 2 consecutive terms • At least 3 incumbent members shall be retained to

facilitate transition • Each RAC shall define its own internal policies to

effect transition

Representation

• Membership qualification is set by FPE

• Once confirmed by the FPE BOT, RAC shall

represent the interests of his/her region

• Member shall vote in his/her individual capacity

• Member organization may participate in RAC activities, but cannot decide on the issue of replacement of a RAC member

Succession, Resignation and

Replacement

Member replacement shall be nominated by the

remaining members from the original list of

nominees from the RCG meetings subject to the

Board’s final confirmation.

Operating Guidelines Structure

Coordinator

• one per region

• selected by the members

• convenes and chairs the RAC meetings

• disseminates copies of proceedings to members

through the Regional Unit

• term is co-terminus with his/her term in the RAC

Operating Guidelines Meetings

• Minimum of two regular meetings and a national

meeting in one year • One regular meeting shall be scheduled back-to-

back with an FPE Board meeting

• Sub-regional meetings may be held at the option

of the regional committee • Not to be convened if the regular RAC members

do not compose the majority

Operating Guidelines Meetings

• Maximum of two absences shall be ground for

disqualification of a member

• If an alternate shall be sent to the meetings due to

unavoidable circumstances, notice should be sent to

FPE through the Regional Coordinator within

reasonable time

• Notice of absence should be sent at least a week

before the meeting

• BOT attendance shall be upon the request of the RAC

Operating Guidelines Representatives to Meetings

•Member is allowed only one alternate of his/her choice,

to be submitted to FPE

•Alternate is allowed to vote in behalf of the official

member but a written authorization from the RAC

member concerned is required

•It is the RAC member’s responsibility to update the alternate on issues concerning the RAC and FPE

•It is the alternate's responsibility to give a written report

to the RAC member

Disqualifications from Membership

Grounds include, but are not limited to:

• Transfer of operations/residence to areas outside the

region

• Movement to a conflicting field of specialization/interest

• Misrepresentation of FPE in other meetings, forums or

conferences

• Grave misconduct (e.g. dishonesty)

• Disqualification shall be through a consensus decision

of the RAC and subject to due process

Decision-making Process

• Consensus or voting, depending on the sensitivity of

the issue at hand

• Decisions in relation to RAC advisory and nominating

roles the Board shall remain as the ultimate decision-

maker

• With regard to its role as a voting body for

amendments to the FPE Article of Incorporation and

By-Laws, each region shall have one vote and a

majority of two votes shall be valid as one RAC vote

Coordination

• RAC national meeting shall be convened by FPE

• Regional meetings shall be the initiative of the RAC

themselves

• Members can directly communicate with FPE on

related concerns (and vice-versa)

• Members consult/ communicate with one another on

regional FPE-related matters

• FPE shall appoint a National RAC Coordinator from

within the ranks of its employees

Capacity Building

FPE will involve RAC members in capability-building

programs to help enhance their knowledge and skills,

particularly on:

• Biodiversity conservation and sustainable

development

• Community-based resource management

• Environmental advocacy

• Para-legal and meta-legal training

• Media training

• Conflict management

Accessing Funds from FPE

• Membership in the RAC shall disqualify the NGO/PO

and academe represented from accessing FPE funds,

except for Small Grants, subject to FPE policies and

procedures

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