Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) will be conducting a Regional Integrated Coastal Management (Level 1) Training of Trainers on 21-29 October 2008 in Manila and Batangas, Philippines. The training course will be participated in by 25 individuals from academic and research institutions and government agencies from five countries, namely, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The training is part of PEMSEA's strategic approach for an integrated coastal management (ICM) capacity development program in support of PEMSEA participating countries' commitment to place 20 percent of the region's coastline under an ICM program by 2015. It is also hoped that the training will be a springboard for the creation of a resource pool of ICM experts and trainers for the countries and the East Asian region.

The eight-day training course is specifically designed:

1. To enhance the participants' knowledge and skills on the ICM concept, process, practices and application;
2. To familiarize the participants with the Framework for Sustainable Development of Coastal Areas (SDCA); and
3. To develop a core team of ICM trainers using the newly developed ICM model courses of PEMSEA. The training course will have classroom sessions, a field visit to a model ICM site in Batangas, and mock training sessions for participants.

The upcoming training course will be the first of a series of ICM training courses in the region using the new ICM model training course developed by PEMSEA.