8

Romblon Passage Integrated Coastal Resource

Management
Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc.

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T he Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. (SIKAT), or

Center for the Development of Indigenous Science and Technology, Inc., is a nonprofit
organization that promotes Community-Based Coastal Resource Management (CBCRM),
Appropriate Technologies, and advocates environment-friendly policies and programs at the
national and local levels. Established in 1991, SIKAT has been assisting small-scale man and
woman fishers in asserting their rights to the use and management of their natural resources.
SIKAT also influences government institutions to recognize community members as
significant partners in development programs.

To date, SIKAT has been implementing community-based projects and programs in the
provinces of Romblon and Zambales. Its national office, which is based in Metro Manila,
handles national advocacies and research projects.

In partnership with the municipalities of Romblon, San Agustin and Sta. Maria, SIKAT
implements the Romblon Passage Integrated Coastal Resource Management Program, which
is composed of the following components: (1) Community Organizing and Popular Education
(COPE), (2) Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management (FARM); (3) Policy Research,
Advocacy and Enforcement (PRAE), (4) Sustainable Livelihood and Microfinancing Support
(SLMS), and (5) Community-based Social Services (CBSS).

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108 The Case Studies

The Zambales Field Office, on the other hand, undertakes model-building on fisherfolk
settlement, wetland management, ecotourism development for Uacon Lake, and the
construction of community-managed potable water systems.

Disaster management, governance and gender are mainstreamed in the projects and
programs of SIKAT.

Summary of Practice

SIKAT aspires to develop empowered families and communities that are capable of
managing their natural resources, fulfilling their basic needs, and promoting equality and
protection of rights within a family. The management of Romblon Passage is a translation of
the institutional mission into action that addresses the environmental and social issues of
coastal settlers in Romblon.

Romblon Passage is a very productive ecosystem on which the majority of the island
dwellers are dependent for family income and household consumption. The degradation of
the marine habitat and over-extraction of fisheries products had resulted in the drastic decline
in fish catch and heightened poverty incidence among coastal settlers. These prompted SIKAT
to engage the different stakeholders, which include municipal fishers, small-scale commercial
fishers and different government institutions, in the management of Romblon Passage
beginning 2004. The goal of Romblon
Passage Integrated Coastal Resource
Management Program is to lessen the
vulnerabilities of and threats to small-scale
fishers and rehabilitate their marine
resources to restore their ecological, social,
economic and cultural functions. SIKAT
intends to achieve this by meeting the
following objectives: (1) to conserve
Romblon Passage and its marine ecosystems by establishing and maintaining community-
managed marine protected areas within the three municipalities bordering Romblon Passage
namely Sta. Maria, San Agustin and Romblon; (2) to organize and empower fisher
organizations and federations in ensuring the sustainability of Romblon Passage Conservation
and Management initiatives; (3) to develop Romblon Passage Integrated Marine Corridor
Management and synergize management and enforcement efforts in the three municipalities;
and (4) to enhance the institutional capacity of all partners for program implementation and
efficient delivery of services.
Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. 109

The Site

The province of Romblon is located in Luzon and is bounded by the island of Masbate in
the east, Mindoro in the west, Marinduque in the north and Panay Island in the south. It is
about 187 nautical miles or 169 air miles from Manila. Romblon is composed of three major
islands (Tablas, Sibuyan and Romblon) encompassing 17 municipalities and 219 barangays.
It is also known as the marble capital of the Philippines.

Romblon is one of the top 20 most

impoverished provinces in the country. It has
an average family annual income of PhP
73,396 and an average family expenditure of
Romblon Passage

PhP 54,698, the lowest in the MIMAROPA

Region1 (NSO, 2002). The poverty mapping
undertaken in 2003 by Peace and Equity
Foundation ranked Romblon as the 28th
among the poorest provinces in the country.
The social and economic conditions of
Romblon are reflective of the current state of
its environment. Resource use patterns are
highly influenced by the poverty incidence of
the province. At present, Romblon remains
dependent on its resource-based industries.
During the monsoon and typhoon seasons,
when sea routes going to the islands of
Romblon are inaccessible, local products
supply the food requirements of the islands.
In most cases, communities experience food
deficiency.

The major industries in the province of Romblon are agriculture, marble production and
fisheries. The agricultural areas are primarily found in the mainland of Tablas Island and
Sibuyan Island. Most of the products are locally consumed, and the prices of agricultural
inputs are dictated by proximity from mainland Luzon and weather conditions. The high cost
of agricultural inputs and low market price of products have resulted in underutilization of the

1MIMAROPA Region includes the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and

Palawan
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110 The Case Studies

limited agricultural areas. The production of marbles, on the other hand, has experienced a
drastic decline in demand from both global and local markets since the 1990s. This was
attributed to the availability of substitute materials such as tiles and granites. Given these
trends, there has been a notable shift in the economic activities of the province characterized
primarily by increased fishing pressure and overexploitation of marine resources in the major
fishing grounds of Romblon.

In 2003, total fish production in the province of Romblon declined by 3.17 percent, with a
total catch of 6,603 metric tons from about 646,808 hectares of municipal waters (NSCB Fact
Sheet).Fish production of marginal municipal fishers also went down by 6.5 percent (ibid.).
The province’s marine resources were slowly being depleted and fish production annually was
decreasing at an alarming rate of 5 to 10 percent due to the degradation of coastal resources
(ibid.).

The rapid growth of the population and fishing activities over the last decades has
seriously depleted the marine stocks of the province, particularly in Romblon Passage.
According to Green et al. (2003) Romblon Passage had been heavily exploited with 2 to 70
fishers per kilometer. This placed the Romblon Pass under the priority marine and coastal
conservation area (World Bank, 2005). Conservation International also identified Romblon
Passage and Tablas Strait under very high priority in biological importance and criticalness of
the area for conservation (Conservation International, 2002). At present, there are
approximately 6,146 registered fishers utilizing the marine resources of Romblon Passage
based on the fisherfolk registration in 2010.

Romblon Passage connects the major fishing grounds of Visayan Sea and Verde Island
Passage. It is bounded by three municipalities, namely, Romblon, San Agustin and Sta.
Maria. Romblon is a 4th class municipality while the other two municipalities are classified as
5th class municipality. The average distance of the passage is approximately 13 kilometers
(km). As such, under the Fisheries Code of the Philippines, municipal fishers of the three
municipalities have the exclusive right to use
and manage the Romblon Passage.

The islands and islets of Romblon and Tablas

bordering the passage serve as a sanctuary for
demersal and migratory marine species. The
narrow channel also provides an important
corridor for a large population of economically
important migratory marine species such as
San Agustin, Romblon yellow fin, skipjack and big-eye tuna. It further
Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. 111

harbors threatened and endangered species like sea turtles, whale sharks, dolphins, stingrays,
giant clams and other commercially valuable marine resources. The major marine ecosystems
include coral, mangrove and sea grass ecosystems, which may be found mostly in Carmen
Bay, coves, islets and nearshore areas.

Coral reefs are widely distributed near the shorelines, hosting diverse species of reef-
dwelling fishes. Mangrove areas are mostly seen in Romblon Bay, Carmen Bay and adjacent
areas. Some, however, have been converted into resorts to accommodate the large influx of
tourists in Romblon. The remaining mangrove sites, on the other hand, are vulnerable to
threat arising from the demand for settlement areas; encroachment on foreshore areas is a
prevailing problem in Romblon Passage, and there has been minimal government intervention
to inverse the decreasing trend of mangrove cover within Romblon Pass.

There is no secondary literature available on the species diversity of sea grass in

Romblon Passage. However, it is common knowledge among fishers that there is an
abundance of sea cucumbers in the area. Dugong was found before in the sea grass beds of
San Agustin and Romblon. The last documented dugong sighting was in 1997. However,
fishers from Cobrador Island in Romblon claim to have seen dugong in a sea grass bed near
the island in 2008.

With the increasing degradation of marine

resources and number of users, resource use conflict in
the area has inevitably intensified. Municipal fishers
attribute overfishing to the illegal operation of
commercial fishing fleets within the municipal waters.
Declining catch has also pushed some small-scale
municipal fishers to adopt illegal fishing practices,
including compressor diving, use of poison (cyanide)
and muro-ami2. These unsustainable practices have
Romblon, Romblon
reduced the coral reefs into rubbles, causing a severe
reduction in the productivity of small-scale fishers.

To rehabilitate the marine ecosystems, SIKAT implemented a Community-based Coastal

Resource Management Program in the municipality of Romblon in 2004. The program aims
to engage both the local communities and the local governments in the conservation and

2 Muro-ami is an illegal fishing method under the Fisheries Code of the Philippines. This
fishing technique uses a scarring device of a stones that are fitted on ropes which are
pounded onto the coral reefs.
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112 The Case Studies

management of their marine resources. Initial coral reef assessments found the remaining live
coral cover to be 31 percent in the assessed areas (SIKAT, 2004).Coral reefs were also said to
cover about 2 percent of the municipal waters of Romblon. The average fish catch of
municipal fishers then was merely 3 kilos per fishing operation

Reef Initiatives

The decline in fish catch and other commercially important marine species in Romblon
Passage have been attributed to the high dependence of the communities on marine resources.
Based on the data of the Municipal Agriculture Office of the three municipalities, there were
approximately 6,146 registered municipal fishers in 2010 that are using the marine resources
of Romblon Passage. This does not include the significant number of fishers from other
municipalities encroaching on the passage, as well as the small- and medium-scale
commercial fishers.

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The Romblon Fisheries Development and Management Program (FDMP), a CBCRM
model of SIKAT, was first implemented in the municipality of Romblon in 2004. In 2008,
International Union for Conservation of Nature- Ecosystem Grants Programme (IUCN EGP)
co-funded the expansion and replication of the Coastal Resource Management program in the
municipalities of San Agustin and Sta. Maria, and sustain the interventions in Romblon to
strategically cover the protection and management of Romblon Passage The program
“Romblon Passage Marine Corridor Integrated Coastal Resource Management” was launched
in 2008, with the municipalities of Romblon, San Agustin and Sta. Maria signed a
Memorandum of Agreement with SIKAT. Its vision is to complement and synergize the
resource management activities of fishers from the three municipalities to address effectively
the issues affecting their fisheries resources and livelihood. Five component comprise the
program: (1) Community Organizing and Popular Education (COPE), (2) Fisheries and
Aquatic Resource Management (FARM); Policy (3) Research, Advocacy and Enforcement
(PRAE), (4) Sustainable Livelihood and Microfinancing Support (SLMS), and (5)
Community-based Social Services (CBSS). The program has direct beneficiaries of
approximately 25,600 families, and approximately 23,000 indirect beneficiaries (see table 1).

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Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. 113

Table 1. Number of beneficiaries of the Romblon Passage Marine Corridor Integrated Coastal
Resource Management Project
No. of No. of direct beneficiaries No. of indirect beneficiaries
Municipality
barangays (families) (families)

Romblon 14 14,626 19517

Santa Maria 5 7,166 1670

San Agustin 3 3,828 1,701

SIKAT believes the community members as the primary users and stakeholders of Romblon
Passage should be empowered to take the lead in managing their resources. At present,
SIKAT is partnering with 21 people’s organizations (POs) from the three municipalities (see
table 2). Six of them were organized only in 2008 with the assistance of IUCN-EGP. SIKAT
also provides support for the strengthening of a municipal-wide fisherfolk federation called
KAPAMILYA, Inc., with 14 member organizations in Romblon, Romblon. Across these
organizations, about 655 individuals have been engaged in the protection, conservation and
management of Romblon Passage.

Table 2. List of people’s organizations organized and assisted by SIKAT

No. of members
Name of PO
Total Male Female

Agnay Development Program for Aquatic Marine Protection

(ADPROMAPI) 54 30 24

Samahan ng Mangingisda ng Agnipa, Romblon (SAMMAR) 22 12 10

Pamamalakaya at Wastong Ingat sa Karagatan ng Agpanabat na

Nagkakaisa (PAWIKAN) 54 30 24

Samahan ng Mangingisda Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Nayong Agtongo

(SAMAKANA) 30 18 12

Pagkakaisa ng Maliliit na Mangingisda ng Barangay Lonos

(PAMMBALO) 31 14 17

Mapula United Fisherfolk Association (MUFA) 40 22 18

Ginablan FisherFolk Association (GIFA) 40 24 16

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114 The Case Studies

No. of members
Name of PO
Total Male Female

Falus Lunas Fish Sanctuary (FALUS) 30 26 4

Mangingisda ng Alad Layunin ay Alagaan ang Kabuhayan at

Santuwaryo (MALAKAS) 39 24 15

Samahan ng mga Mangingisda Naglalayon ng Sentrong Kaunlaran sa

Pangkabuhayan (SAMANASEKAP) 29 17 12

Samahan ng Maliit na Mangingisda ng Logbon (SAMMALO) 18 8 10

Pangisdaan ng Guimpingan (PAGUI) 27 15 12

Pangkabuhayang Samahan ng LI O (PASALI) 22 12 10

Laban para sa Ikauunlad ng mga Mangi ngisda ng Sablayan (LIMAS) 35 20 15

Agnay Association of Women’s for Action and Response (AGNAY

AWARE) 45   45

Sagip Ekolohiya ang mga Mangingisda ng Bonga at Agrikultura

(SEMBA) 29 13 16

Fisherfolk Association of Concepcion Sur (FOCOS) 22 19 3

Samahan ng Maliliit na Mangingisda ng Concepcion Norte

(SAMMACON) 33 27 6

Samahang Aagapay sa Grupo Tungo sa Ikauunlad ng Pangisdaan at

Pamayanan (SAGIPP) 18 11 7

Samahan ng Mangingisda ng Carmen (SAMACA) 17 9 8

Samahan ng mga Makakalikasan tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Sugod

(SAMAKAS) 20 6 14

Source: SIKAT (2010)

As there is limited literature on the status of marine resources in Romblon Passage,3

SIKAT and its community partners conducted participatory research to gather baseline data
on the resources present in Romblon Passage. The research data were used in monitoring the

3Most of the available data are from local government units and provincial government agencies that
need to be validated.
Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. 115

marine resources and serve as input to barangay (village) and municipal development
planning.

The environmental and social issues identified by the community members and village
Fig. 2. Fish indicator (Surgeon family)
percent in 2008 since 2006 (see figure 2).
council members during the
participatory research were
considered in the development and
updating of the community resource
management plan. At present, the
communities are managing 17 fish
sanctuaries ranging from 1 to 25 ha,
or a total of 143.51 ha (SIKAT, 2010).
The results of the underwater survey
conducted by SIKAT in 2008 show an
increase of 7 percent in live coral
cover in the passage (see figure 1).
For fish abundance, the community
uses surgeonfish as indicator species
and its monitoring results show a 5

SIKAT and PAWIKAN, Inc., also entered into a partnership with the Protected Areas and
Wildlife Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (PAWB-DENR)
and LGU of Romblon in the protection and management of sea turtles in Romblon, Romblon,
on 17 September 2009. SIKAT research identified three sea turtle species, namely, Green Sea
Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle and Hawsksbill Turtle, with nestling areas in 10 barangays. The
different stakeholders developed a
five-year sea turtle management plan
to lessen the threats to the sea turtles.
From March 2008 to February 2010,
694 hatchlings were released back to
the wild and 19 adult sea turtles were
r e s c u e d S I K AT ’ s p a r t n e r
communities. A sea turtle rescue
center was established in Barangay
Agpanabat, Romblon. To date, the
threat has been reduced by about 80
percent, particularly the practice of

Fig. 1. Percentage of coral cover within the passage

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116 The Case Studies

collecting sea turtle eggs and catching adult marine turtles.

The research further noted six mangrove species in the passage: Lumnitzera racemosa;
Rhizopora mucronata; Rhizopora sp.; Brugeria cylindrical; Sonneratia alba; and Avicennia
rumphiana. The findings guided the development of the mangrove management plan for the
municipalities of San Agustin and Romblon. At present, the communities are protecting 10.81
ha of old-growth mangroves and rehabilitating 4.43 ha of mangrove area planted to 4,428
mangrove seedlings and propagules. Mangrove management has gained broad support from
different sectors. Faculty members and students of Romblon State University-San Agustin
Campus are involved in rehabilitating mangrove areas and managing the mangrove nursery.
Church-based organizations have also committed to sustaining the campaign to restore the
mangroves ecosystem.

As part of its documentation efforts, SIKAT also conducted mapping of the migratory
path of dolphins, whalesharks and dugong in the municipal waters of the three municipalities.
The information gathered was used in developing a species-specific management plan,
ecotourism planning, and identifying areas for regular sea patrolling. In 2008, fish wardens
rescued about 100 dolphins from commercial fishers. A whaleshark that they accidentally
caught was released back to the wild in May 2010.

Increased awareness of the need to

manage the passage had resulted in the
heighted commitment of coastal communities
to a proactive involvement in the
implementation of the local fishery ordinance
and national fishery laws. To date, there are
56 deputized fish wardens from the three
municipalities, of whom 17 percent are
women. DENR also deputized 34 fishers as
wildlife enforcer officers. Since 2005, 357
illegal fishers and commercial poachers have
been apprehended, and a total of PhP 133,500
has been collected from fines and penalties,
not to mention the fishing gears confiscated.
The success in law enforcement activities has
resulted in the elimination of compressor
Fig. 3. Number of illegal and commercial
diving and muro-ami fishing in Romblon and
fishers apprehended
the decreased intrusion of commercial fishing
Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. 117

vessels into the municipal waters by 85  percent. Fish wardens ensure that the 129,16.39
hectares of municipal waters of the three municipalities are protected and well managed.

Community-based resource management interventions have brought about a significant

increase in fish stocks in both the nearshore and offshore areas, as reflected in the fish catch of
small-scale fishers. Municipal fishers claim a 70 percent growth, or 5–6 kilos per fishing
operation. The cost of fishing operation has also lessened with the availability of
commercially important species in nearshore fishing grounds. Approximately 17 percent of
the municipal fishers are using non-motorized boats and are benefiting from the fish
abundance in nearshore areas. In May 2010, the price of galunggong (Mackarel scad)
dropped to PhP 10 to PhP 20 per kilo due to oversupply. For local resource managers, fish
abundance in Romblon Passage is evidence of the effectiveness of the tripartite partnership of
the coastal communities, SIKAT and government institutions.

Small commercial fishers also felt the abundance of fish and attribute this to the
rehabilitated marine habitat and control over the encroachment of large-scale commercial
fishers on the 10.1- to 15.0-km zone, which is their designated fishing ground. The small-
scale commercial fishers are currently exploring different management strategies, such as
close-open season, monitoring of fish catch size to avoid catching of juveniles, and restriction
on the number of small-scale commercial fishing vessels to be granted licenses and permits
for fish aggregating device. They are now likewise engaged in law enforcement activities,
together with the municipal fishers, and provide support to regular sea patrolling activities.

Ridge to Reef Specific Practice

The terrain of the province is generally mountainous, with some 40 percent having slopes
greater than 50 percent. The island of Romblon, in particular, contains marble deposits, thus
earning the status of marble capital of the Philippines. Huge boulders of marble and limestone
deposits are found in the island barangays of Cobrador, Alad and Logbon. Based on the study
conducted by the Romblon Marble Multi-Purpose Cooperative, the marble deposit in
Romblon Island is estimated at 150 million metric tons.

Marble quarry is one of the major industries of Romblon. In 1999, the Provincial Mining
and Regulatory Board (PMRB) reported that an average of 36,267 square meters (sq m) of
slabs per month was shipped out of Romblon. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI),
on the other hand, estimated that marble products were able to generate an income of
approximately PhP 7 million in 1998. Most of the exported marble products are novelty
items.
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118 The Case Studies

The demand for marble products, however, steadily declined in the late 1990s because of
the economic crises and the availability of substitute materials for construction, such as low-
cost ceramic tiles. The rate of marble extraction in
quarries likewise decreased. Given the limited
livelihood and job opportunities in the island, coastal
dwellers mostly shifted to fishing, thus increasing the
pressure in Romblon Passage. In 2004, the average fish
catch of small-scale fishers dropped to an average of 3
kilos per fishing operation owing to excessive fishing.

In the last decade, the demand for pebbles used for

landscaping has increased. Romblon maintains two
sources of pebbles: the mountains and foreshore areas.
Pebbles in coastal areas are picked and selected based
on their size. Those in the mountains are quarried and
washed. Coastal residents complain about the pollution
caused by mountain pebble quarries. Most of the
operations are small scale, and the wastewater is
directly discharged into the sea.

The operation of pebble quarries intensified after

Typhoon Frank devastated the province of Romblon.
As some fishers lost their fishing gears and boats and
livelihood options were scarce, coastal residents
shifted from fishing to marketing pebbles. Since then,
the number of families involved in pebble quarry has
increased and the activity has remained unregulated.

Both the marble and pebble quarries have an

impact on the coastal resources of Romblon. Based on
the results of coral assessments conducted by SIKAT in
areas near the estuaries connected to the quarry sites,
live coral cover has decreased significantly. The
mortality of corals in marine protected areas and
adjacent reefs is attributed to the high level of siltation
and the turbidity of seawater.

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Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. 119

Stakeholder Involvement

The Romblon Passage Marine Corridor Integrated Coastal Resource Management

program was designed to optimize the participation of man and woman fishers in managing
their coastal resources. Through the POs and municipal fisherfolk federation, about 655
individuals have been engaged in different resource management activities.

SIKAT trained community members as well as other local researchers in conducting

different participatory resource assessment methodologies. They were involved in mangrove
assessment, fish monitoring, coral monitoring, assessment of sea turtle nesting areas,
identification and validation of the migratory paths of marine mammals, and the collection of
socioeconomic baseline data. SIKAT also trained four fishers and a faculty of the local
fisheries school to do underwater assessments. The training is part of the technology transfer
among local stakeholders to ensure that they are equipped with the skills and knowledge that
would help them sustain their management efforts even after the SIKAT gradual phase-out.

Resource management planning was done at the barangay and municipal levels.
Communities were highly involved in developing the barangay resource management plan
along with barangay council representatives. Results of the local research done by selected
community members and SIKAT were presented to assist the community in the decision-
making process. Municipal planning, on the other hand, engaged community leaders,
representatives of the local government and other stakeholders.

SIKAT also strengthened the local organizational development (OD) team at the
municipal level composed of seven community leaders, both men and women, whose tasks
include providing support in strengthening the local organizations and mobilizing them to
participate in resource management.

Community members also take part in raising the environmental awareness of the
different sectors in the project sites. In Barangay Agpanabat, the residents have come up with
a local newsletter documenting fisheries-related activities in Romblon, Romblon, which they
then circulate among the different villages. They also produced a video on sea turtles to
promote protection efforts in the community.

Community participation in regular sea patrolling and apprehending illegal fishers and
commercial fishers is key to the success of law enforcement. Since the residents joined law
enforcement activities in 2005, a total of 357 violators have been apprehended.

Critical Success Factors

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120 The Case Studies

The involvement of a significant number of community members in the management of

Romblon Passage and their level of commitment to resource management and protection
advocacies have had a favorable effect on the fisheries industry practices in the municipal
waters of Romblon, San Agustin and Sta. Maria. Initially, members of the fishers’
organizations from 20 villages campaigned for and upheld the use of environment-friendly
fishing gears. Taking after the 20 barangays in the three municipalities, other barangays
showed a shift in behavior supporting the emerging culture that encourages the sustainable
use of natural resources. PO members have become catalysts of change in their communities.

The communities have helped SIKAT in developing appropriate interventions for the
management of Romblon Passage through their participation in biological and social
assessments, resource monitoring and analysis of results, and drafting of recommendations. In
implementing its program, SIKAT seeks to apply a certain level of flexibility to adapt to the
local conditions and provide space to accommodate community perceptions in the
implementation of the different program components.

It was also observed that the fisher leaders have gained confidence and capacity needed to
lobby and negotiate with different government institutions and assert their rights even without
the presence of SIKAT. They have been able to establish their relationship with these
government institutions, apply the art of dialogue and negotiation, and ensure that their
principles are not compromised. Four fishers have also been trained in photo transect survey
for coral and fish assessment. The trained local divers of SIKAT have also gained the
recognition of the other municipalities as they receive requests for their assistance in
monitoring nearshore fishing grounds and fish sanctuaries. The OD teams have taken on some
of the tasks of SIKAT staff such as conducting organizational diagnosis, mentoring local
leaders, and assisting other coastal communities in developing organizational plan and
strategies. They also organize communities outside the program areas and mobilize them to
take part in the management of their marine resources.

One of the strategies SIKAT has employed

in mainstreaming coastal resource management
is the creation of an enabling environment for
the communities to have a constructive
collaboration with the local government units.
They hold regular dialogues bearing in mind
that while they have common goals, they may
have different interests or strategies and that to
reach mutually acceptable decisions, they have
Fig. 4. Romblon coastal resource management
budget
Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. 121

to respect and appreciate the commonalities and differences in their views. The spirit of
partnership has resulted in increased LGU support for coastal resource management, as seen
in the increase in its annual budget allotment for this sector. In 2010, the three municipalities
approved a CRM budget amounting to PhP 550,000, while the partner barangays set aside
PhP 173,600.

Local CRM efforts have also generated additional revenue for the LGU. In 2009, the
municipal fisherfolk federation, the POs, the Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management
Council (FARMC), and the municipal fish wardens (bantay-dagat) launched a campaign to
register all boats and fishers operating in Romblon Passage , they were able to collect PhP
107,050. Fines and penalties from the apprehensions collected by the LGU from 2005 until
2010 amounted to Php 123,500. At present, the fishers are conducting an inventory of fish
aggregating devices present in the municipal waters as part of their recommendation to the
LGU to oblige the owners to pay permits or fines, or stop their illegal operation.

Overcoming Obstacles and Avoiding Potential Pitfalls

Community issues have changed over time. In 2004, the dominant in the three
municipalities included the use of compressors, the muro-ami fishing method, encroachment
by commercial fishers, degraded coral reefs, and low fish catch among others. The
interventions therefore were intended to address these issues. Since 2007, new issues have
emerged, such as the expansion of pebble quarries, pollution from marble and pebble quarry
sites and the lack of a waste management system.

To sustain the gains of the communities, they should be able to assess changes in local
conditions, refine their management plans, develop new strategies and gather broad support
from different institutions and individuals. This is important in building up their resiliency
and proactive attitude toward addressing their vulnerabilities and threats. Equally crucial is
mobilizing support from other stakeholders.

Results and Lessons Learned

The coastal communities acknowledge that their natural resources have limits and that
they have to protect, conserve and manage these, especially since most of them depend on
these for their livelihood and sustenance. To date, they are managing 129,216.39 ha of
municipal waters using different resource management strategies. Community-managed fish
sanctuaries are being maintained to provide a safe habitat to marine organisms. Fish
sanctuaries in Romblon Passage cover a total of 141.51 ha. In the municipality of Romblon,
local partner the communities are proposing to expand their existing fish sanctuaries while
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122 The Case Studies

two more barangays have signified their interest to set up their own marine protected area.
The municipality of Sta. Maria is now in the process of establishing its third fish sanctuary.
Although fish sanctuaries in Romblon are relatively small, ranging from 1 ha to 25 ha, they
are relatively significant in number that they are able to provide a marine corridor in which
marine organisms can reproduce and increase their population size. Efforts to expand the
management unit show that communities highly appreciate the benefits of conserving their
marine resources, which include uplifting the social and economic conditions of the people
who depend on these.

To enhance the status of the fishing grounds, a coral nursery will be established by
SIKAT in 2010 to help rehabilitate the degraded coral reefs. Coral transplantation will be
introduced to increase the coral cover in the selected nearshore areas.

Aside from protecting the remaining coral reefs, the communities recognize the need to
protect and rehabilitate the remaining mangrove patches. A total of 10.81 hectares of old-
growth mangroves are currently being protected against possible land use conversion while
4,428 multi-species mangrove seedlings and propagules have been planted by the community
in a 4.43-ha area. The fishers engage the different sectors, particularly the local fisheries
school, youth sector and other community members, in mangrove planting and site
management.

Species-specific conservation requires deeper understanding and appreciation of the

ecosystem. It is easier to encourage fishers to manage the corals and commercially viable
marine species because this translates to family income. To promote conservation of
threatened and endangered species, such as sea turtles, whalesharks, giant clams and dugong,
environmental education is necessary.

Sustainability of Practice, Planning and Implementation Implications

Community members are empowered to take the lead in managing Romblon Passage in
partnership with the local government units and support organizations. Coastal communities
should be provided with an enabling environment to maximize the participation in resource
use and management. Municipal fishers are the most vulnerable sector if coastal resources
collapse and so they should take a key role in maintaining the productivity and services of
their resources.

It is also crucial to develop management bodies with defined roles. For example, the
municipal fisherfolk federation in the municipality of Romblon is responsible for advancing
Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya, Inc. 123

the social and environmental advocacy of small-scale fishers. They are involved in drafting
municipal policies and lobbying for basic services and support at the village and municipal
levels. The FARMC, as a consultative body of the LGU, supports the advocacy agenda of
small-scale fishers and influences the government in coming up with environment-friendly
policies and programs. The bantay-dagat spearheads the implementation of local ordinances
and national fishery laws. The mangrove management councils provide safeguards for the
old-growth mangroves, develops the mangrove management plan, and rehabilitates mangrove
areas. In Romblon, PAWIKAN, Inc., has promoted sea turtle management. By establishing
these different management bodies that complement one another, there are more opportunities
for community members to participate in coastal resource management.

The support organizations should gradually transfer the technologies and skills to the
local stakeholders, particularly to the fishers, LGU staff, and academic personnel.
Stakeholders should acquire the basic skills but not limited to the following competencies:
planning, resource assessment, monitoring, dialogue, lobbying, networking, habitat
management, organizational development and enforcement.

Coastal resource management should also be mainstreamed in barangay and municipal

policies, development plans and budget in order to provide adequate support to local resource
managers in performing their functions and addressing environmental and social concerns.
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124 The Case Studies

Bibliography
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Conservation International. The Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Priorities. 2002.
Quezon City.
!
Green, S.J., White, A.T., Flores, J.O., Carreon, M.F. III and Sia, A.E. 2003. Philippine
fisheries in crisis: A framework for management. Coastal Resource Management Project of
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Cebu City.
!
The World Bank. Philippine Environment Monitor 2005: Coastal and Marine Resource
Management. 2005.Pasig City.
!
SIKAT. 2004. Status of Coral Reefs in the Municipality of Romblon. Unpublished.
!
SIKAT. 2010. Annual Program Report. Unpublished.