FPE RAC Mindanao Turn-over Ceremony and Meeting last November 4-5, 2014 Mandaya Hotel Davao City

1. Regional Advisory Committee (RAC)
Operational Guidelines

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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.

5. • 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.

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.

12. 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)

13. 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

14. www.fpe.ph