Palawan
Conservation Corps
(Promoting Environmental Conservation Through Youth and
Community Empowerment Since 1999)
Palawan Conservation Corps (PCC)
was founded on 1999 at Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines
by Marnee Comer and Jason Selwitz who were a former Peace Corps Volunteer assigned in the Province of Palawan. PCC put into reality with
the helped of the City Government of Puerto Princesa headed by the City Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn who funded the residential
program of PCC since 1999, and a representative from other sectors such as; Palawan NGO Network Incorporated (PNNI),
Local Government Unit (LGU), Peoples Organization and the Academe.
Since 1999, the PCC has been the only organization
in Palawan (and the first in the Philippines) dedicated to empowering
marginalized youth in rural Puerto Princesa, Palawan to restore and conserve their unique
natural resources through a holistic approach. In 2004 TESDA recognized the efforts
of the Palawan Conservation Corps with the prestigious Kabalikat Award for its contributions in the promotion and enhancement
of technical vocational education and training (TVET) in the country.
The PCC has developed
over 296 Out-Of-School Youth from over 12 different rural barangays of Puerto
Princesa City in environmental
education, marketable skills, life skills, and community organizing skills. This
was done through its 3-6 month Residential Program for the Youth. During this
time, youth participated in experiential learning projects in trail building, bioengineering, plant cultivation, organic farming,
among others, while developing an Educational Nature Park at the site.
The youth lived, studied,
and practiced their skills at the camp-site (City Rural
Agricultural Center), which was lend
to the PCC by the City Government of Puerto Princesa through Mayor Edward S.
Hagedorn. Many of these youth have since returned to their
respective barangays with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to help restore their environments but without the additional
resources to implement any projects.
