MINUTES of the December 14, 2000
Special Meeting of the
NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Held at the Computer Room, Marine Geological Survey Division,
3/F J.C. Fernandez Bldg., Mines and Geosciences Bureau
North Ave., Diliman, Quezon City

ATTENDANCE

PRESENT:

1.	Mr. Roberto de Ocampo		-	NATIONAL MUSEUM
2.	Mr. Gabriel Santos, Jr.		-	PNRI
3.	Mr. Danilo B. Estacio			-	PTA
4.	Mr. Eduardo S. Tan			-	NIA
5.	Dr. Jose Antonio Socrates		-	Resource Person
6.	Mr. Angel A. Bravo			-	Executive Secretary
7.	Mr. Reynaldo L. Villela		-	Asst. Executive Secretary
8.	Mr. Joel A. Natividad			-	MGB - Secretariat
9.	Mr. Danilo M. Octaviano		-	MGB - Secretariat
10.	Mr. Leopoldo T. Virtucio		-	MGB - Secretariat

P R O C E E D I N G S:

I.	CALL TO ORDER AND APPROVAL OF THE PROVISIONAL AGENDA

The December 14, 2000 special meeting of the National Committee on Geological Sciences (NCGS) on the St. Paul Limestone Formation declaration commenced at 2:00 P.M. 

II.	DISCUSSION MATTERS

A.	St. Paul Cave Declaration

The group identified letters of request that have to be written prior to the survey activities, namely:
Request for use of video equipment addressed to PTA and PAWB
Request for use of video editing machine addressed to NM
Request for logistic support in Palawan addressed to NIA, NPC and Puerto Princesa/Palawan LGU

The strategy to be adopted by the NCGS will be to initially send a reconnaissance team to the St. Paul Limestone Rock Formation. The team will be made up of geologists and researchers from NIA, PAWB, PTA, NM, MGB and PNRI. The team will undertake initial traverses and establish sites where the video and photo equipment will be set-up by the video coverage team. 

Dr. Socrates will coordinate the activities of the reconnaissance and video coverage teams in Palawan. Dr. Socrates suggested that the NCGS prepare an official communication to request for helicopter support from the AFP in Palawan to give the reconnaissance team a better view of the traverses. Dr. Socrates informed the group that he will also be able to assist the NCGS in this matter.

The tentative date for the fieldwork of the reconnaissance team is on the first week of  March. This initial fieldwork will last approximately two weeks. The second phase will then commence in April with NCGS representatives and the video coverage team undertaking the photo and video shoot around the St. Paul Limestone Rock Formation and inside the underground river. This second phase will last no more than one week.

The target date for the unveiling of the monument marker will be on 4 December 2001, the 2nd anniversary of the declaration of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park as a UNESCO "World Heritage Site". The target site for the location of the monument marker is approximately 10 kms. from the beach of St. Paul Bay (refer to attached map).

B.	Project Proposal for Possible UNESCO Funding

	Dr. Socrates presented "A Project Proposal for Possible UNESCO Funding" to the group. A copy of the proposal is attached herewith. The project involves the construction of a platform designed to house a natural history museum/educational pavilion covering approximately 500 sq.m. Additionally, the platform will showcase a geology center with a scale model of the St. Paul Limestone Rock Formation and longitudinal model of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River. The National Geological Monument Marker for the St. Paul Limestone Rock Formation will also be placed on this platform. 

As further envisioned by Dr. Socrates, the floor of the platform will be made up slabs of different rocks found in Puerto Princesa. A rock garden containing decorative stones from the rivers and beaches of Palawan will eventually surround the platform. Detritus of the St. Paul Formation could be part of the rock garden and platform floor.

	As proposed, the NCGS will be responsible for the construction and installation of the monument marker (~P100,000 to P150,000), while the UNESCO will shoulder the construction of the platform (initially ~P150,000). Dr. Socrates wrote the proposal last 11 December. As of 13 December, the UNESCO has approved $3,500 for his proposal.

	The NCGS, through the Ways and Means Sub-Committee, will request PTA for the funding of the marker construction. Other funding sources will also be identified by the Ways and Means Sub-Committee. According to Dr. Socrates, the City Government of Puerto Princesa will most likely offer support for this project 

III.	ADJOURNMENT

There being no other matters to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 4:30 P.M.					

Prepared by:					

(SGD) Mr. Leopoldo T. Virtucio
					Technical Assistant, Secretariat

Noted by:

(SGD) Mr. Angel A. Bravo
Executive Secretary