DENR IX -- Legal Basis, Components and Project Sites

Legal Basis
The Coastal Environment Program (CEP) was established through DAO No. 19, Series of 1993 by Secretary Angel C. Alcala pursuant to Executive Order No. 192 and Republic Act 7586, which mandated the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to implement programs and projects on Conservation and Management of Philippine Environment.

The CEP AO was one of a number of legislative initiatives passed to protect and better manage our nation’s coastal and marine resources. CEP was prompted by the government’s recognition that environmental quality along many coastlines of our country is now in critical condition. The implementation of CEP is our commitment to the Philippine Strategy for Sustainable Development (PSSD) and the objectives of Agenda 21 of UNCED, to which the Philippines is a signatory.

CEP Community-Based Concept. The Community-Based Coastal Environment Program (CB-CEP) strives for active people’s participation the planning and implementation of coastal resource management. The program allows each community to develop its own management strategy to meet its particular needs and address area-specific environmental issues.

The CB-CEP aims to develop in community members a sense of ownership over their coastal resources, and thus encourage them to take responsibility for the long-term sustainability of these resources. It aims for self-management, whereby the community is responsible for resource monitoring and the enforcement of laws, rules and regulations pertaining to protection, wise utilization and management of marine and coastal resources.

CB-CEP Expansion. DAO No. 19 Series of 1993 expressly provides for the need to expand the scope of CEP it an identified coastal environment is deemed to be in critical condition and warrant the protection and proper management.

For Region XI, since 1993, the CEP has expanded its coverage into 4 provinces, namely, Pujada Bay, Mati, Davao Oriental (Click here to download Integrated Coastal Resources Management Plan for Pujada Bay); Kopiat and Lunod Islands, Mabini, Davao del Norte; Balut and Sarangani Island, Sarangani, Davao del Sur; and Sarangani Bay, SOCSKSARGEN.

Project Components

Coastal and Marine Resources Survey
A detailed survey and inventory of coastal and marine resources have been conducted to assess their present status. Information obtained from this activity will serve as basis in the preparation of a detailed management plan for the coastal areas of the municipalities of the project sites.
Coastal Resource Rehabilitation/Protection
The rehabilitation of degraded mangrove areas will be vigorously pursued. A community-based mangrove rehabilitation scheme will be adopted. Local residents will be provided with on-farm training in seedling propagation, nursery, site preparation, planting and protection, and maintenance of the mangrove plantation. They will also be afforded maximum participation in project planning.
Identification and Development of Alternative Livelihood Project
Sustainable and coastal environment-friendly livelihood projects will be implemented to provide additional income to the target beneficiaries. CEP shall encourage broad participation of the local communities in designing and implementing livelihood projects. It will not be limited to fishery but will also tap potential livelihood projects that are anchored on skills that are available in the community.
Community Organizing
The target coastal residents will be organized into associations or cooperatives. They will be given the necessary training on the management and protection of the coastal resources and the marine parks/reserves within the project area. Local residents will be afforded participation in the management planning process and the enforcement of laws and regulations for the protection of vital ecosystems in the coastal zones of the Sarangani islands.
Information, Education and Communication (IEC)
IEC activities shall be vigorously pursued to create awareness for the importance of sustaining resource-based livelihood activities among the beneficiaries of coastal and marine ecosystems. The package shall package information and educational campaign materials on marine conservation, protection and management.

Coastal residents will be trained in the management, protection and rehabilitation of marine and mangrove ecosystems by adopting a learn-by-doing approach.
Establishment, Protection and Management of Protected Seascape Areas and Marine Sanctuaries
A protected seascape and marine sanctuaries shall be established in the project site to be managed and protected by the local communities. The marine sanctuaries shall designate special areas to be conserved and protected as well as areas where a limited number of low-impact activities and non-destructive fishing will be allowed.
Coastal Pollution Assessment and Monitoring
Pollution monitoring stations shall be established along the critical areas identified as contributors to marine pollution. Water samples shall be collected periodically and analyzed. Development projects shall be regulated and monitored to ensure that industrial and domestic wastes are properly disposed of.

In instances where industrial firms or construction activities shall be undertaken along the coastal shores, an environmental plan shall be required that will provide for proper management and disposal of the wastes produced by such activities.

Program Contacts

Clarence L. Baguilat, Regional Executive Director
DENR-XI, Lanang, Davao City
Tel. Nos. 63 (82) 235 3513

Bonifacio A. Apura, Assistant Regional Executive Director/Regional CEP Coordinator
DENR-ERDS, Dr. #1, Felbet’s Bldg, Lanang, Davao City
Tel. Nos. 63 (82) 234 1867; 63 (82) 300 0143

Project Sites

Balut and Sarangani Islands, Sarangani, Davao del Sur

Click to view a bigger size map

Balut and Sarangani Islands are the outermost group of islands in Mindanao, located about 170 km southwest of Davao City and 70 km southeast of General Santos City. Balut Island is an island volcano located 5° 24’N and 125° 23.5’E, with a land area of approximately 80 km² rising about 610 meters above sea level. Separated across 3 km on the east of Balut, Sarangani Island has a land mass of approximately 50 km².

Viewed from the northwest while crossing the indigo-blue waters of Sarangani Strait, Balut appears like a giant porpoise poised for a swim toward the Celebes Sea. Behint it, Sarangani Island appears like a big flotsam, with its horizon outlined in the early mornings by the slowly rising sun.

The deceptively placid looking surface of the Sarangani Strait can, at other times, become turbulent, churning out huge waves that could conceal boats between their crests.

Marine and Coastal Resources
Balut and Sarangani islands are endowed with rich marine and coastal resources.

Corals. The coral reefs of Sarangani islands were found to be in very good condition, particularly in Barangays Patuco, Laker,, Olanivan, and Camalig. The dominant species found in exposed areas are massive forms of Porites, Acropora and Melliopora, while the foliose, digitate, and tabular forms dominate the sheltered areas of barangays Laker, Batuganding, Tinina and Tagen. Generally, coral reefs only exist in narrow to moderate aggregation.

Seagrass. The Sarangani islands boast of diverse and healthy seagrass meadows, which extends up to 500 meters and can be found up to a depth of 30 feet. There were eight species recorded out of the 16 species found and identified in the Philippines. The dominant species found in these islands are Syringodium isoetifolium, Thalassodendron ciliatum, Cymodocea rotundata, Halodule pinifolia, Halophila ovalis, and Halodule uninervis.

Balut Island had an approximate seagrass cover of 12 km, averaging 115 meters perpendicular to the shoreline.

Seagrass meadows in both islands is estimated to be 3,200 square kilometers for Balut and 1,380 square kilometers for the Sarangani islands.

Mangroves. The waters around the islands showed oceanic characteristics, i.e., low nutrient levels and high salinity. Balut and Sarangani coastal/marine water quality meets SA classification criteria and is suitable for shellfish harvesting and fish spawning. Dissolved oxygen levels were above 5 mg/L with BOD less than 3 mg/L. This implies that there is more than enough oxygen to take care of the oxygen requirement for marine productivity.

Oceanography
The overall characteristics of Balut and Sarangani islands show similarity in terms of sloping terrain, flat bottom and bottom characteristics. A slight difference lies in the steepness or the gradual down-sloping of the terrain and the general bottom elements.

The southern part of Balut has strong unidirectional current coming from east to west that curves on the western part of Balut, creating cells in the northern part of the island. The eastern side of Sarangani is stormed by an uninterrupted swell from the Pacific Ocean, creating oceanic waves and strong surf.

Socio-economic profile
Balut and Sarangani islands comprise 12 barangays. Of these, 11 are coastal barangays with a total estimated population of 17,485.

Sarangani island, which has 4 barangays, can be reached from General Santos City by motorized boats in 5-6 hours.

Farming is a major economic activity, with coconut as the major crop (1993 Annual Report). An estimated 64.44% of the total land area is planted with coconuts (6,085 hectares of the total land area of 9,443 hectares).

Fishing is also a major source of livelihood. Fishers generally use traditional fishing methods and gears, mainly hand line, spear, simple and multiple hook and line (locally known as pasol), gill net (called undak or bira-bira, and drift net. There are only a few full-time fishers on the islands, but most everyone is at least partly engaged in fishing activities and shares in the abundant marine life.

A major portion of the fish catch is composed of demersal species. A few pelagic species are caught mainly by hook and line; drift nets operated in the waters of Tinina and Batuganding also catch flying fish.

Beneficiaries
The target beneficiaries of the project are the communities in the coastal barangays of Balut and Sarangani islands in the municipality of Sarangani, Davao del Sur.

Municipality of Mabini, Kopiat and Lunod Islands

Click to view a bigger image

Mabini, a municipality of Davao del Norte, lies in the southern part of Mindanao between 125°48’ E longitude and 7°15’ N latitude approximately 70 kms from Davao City. The stretch of coastal areas connecting Mabini, Kopiat and Lunod islands is the site of the CB-CEP Expansion Project.

The project area, which covers 2,700 hectares, embraces the coastal barangays of Cadunan, Del Pilar, Pindasan, San Antonio, and Tagnanan. At the heart of this area are the rich coastal and marine resources of Kopiat and Lunod islands.

About 70% of the coastal population of 16,065 (1992 Municipal Profile) is engaged in fishing and other coastal resource-based livelihood. Coastal residents use fish shelters (payaw) and fish traps (bobo). The presence of artificial reefs is notable.

There is a total of 45.5 hectares of fully developed milkfish (bangus) ponds. A good number of beach resorts operate within the project site.

Coastal Resources

An initial survey revealed that:

About 70 hectares of mangroves have been developed in the area, in addition to the existing second growth mangroves that line the shores of Mabini.
A sizable portion of coral reef is still intact and in good condition.
Seagrass is abundant along the shores of Kopiat Island.
The white sandy beaches in Mabini are a potential area for ecotourism.
About 80% of the area’s second growth mangroves cover the shores of Lunod Island, which serves as a sanctuary for crustaceans, mollusks and other marine invertebrates of economic value.

Beneficiaries
The target beneficiaries of the project are the communities of the coastal barangays of the municipality of Mabini.

Mabini Protected Landscape and Seascape: Initial Protected Area Plan

Sarangani Bay

Click to view a bigger size image

Sarangani Bay encloses an area of 215,950 hectares north of its entrance between Tampuan Point in Maasim and Sumbang Point in Glan. The length of the coastline from Pinol in Maitum to Tinaca Point in Glan is approximately 240 km.

Sarangani Bay is under the legal jurisdiction of General Santos City, a chartered city, and Sarangani Province, which used to be part of South Cotabato until November 24, 1992.

General Santos City has a total land area of 536.06 square km, 281.81 square km of which are classified as alienable and disposable land and 254.25 square km as timberland. Sixty-eight percent of the area is flatland and gently sloping. The large area of flatland has made General Santos City the logical location for industrial estates and agribusiness development.
Sarangani Province has a total land area of 3,935 square km covering seven municipalities, six of which are coastal. Alabel, the provincial capital, has been identified as the provincial industrial center. Maasim, the municipality next to General Santos City, is an emerging agro-industrial area. Glan, Malapatan, Malungon, Kiamba and Maitum are mainly agricultural areas, particularly around the coastal barangays.

Marine and Coastal Resources
Corals. A total of 42 coral genera and many species have been identified in various transect sites in Sarangani Bay and adjacent nearshore areas. Dominant species include Acropora, Porites, Diploastrea, Goniopora, Montipora and Favites.

Among the municipalities in Sarangani, Glan has the lowest mean live coral cover and the highest mean dead coral cover. The high incidence of dead coral and coral rubble is evidenced by the extensive use of dynamite around the reefs. However, it is in Glan where sites with the highest live coral cover are found (Lago Point and Dongon).

There are relatively few reef areas that are still in pristine condition. In general, areas on the steepest gradient are the least affected by destructive fishing. These undisturbed areas have high value as gene pool source for the regeneration of corals and as a diving attraction.

Seagrass. Seagrass beds are located in Tinoto, Tambler, Malapatan, Taluya, Gumasa and Burias. The steepness of the sub-tidal area around most of the coast naturally prevents the establishment of extensive meadows. Instead, seagrass beds are confined to relatively small patches of shallow inter-tidal and sub-tidal areas.

Enhalus is the dominant seagrass species in Tinoto, while Halophila and Thalassia are dominant in other areas.

Mangroves. The mangrove areas are generally sparse, existing in a thin, intermittent strip along the coast of the bay, mostly as low-lying secondary growth trees.

Mangroves are found off Tinoto Bay and Linao Cove, London and Banwalan on the western coastline; off Bula, Baluan, and Buayan on the northern coastline; and off Kawas, Malapatan, and down to the Glan Poblacion on the eastern coastline. The dominant species are Sonneratia sp. (pagatpat), Rhizophora (bakauan), and Avicennia (bungalon or api-api).

Most of the mangrove areas surrounding Sarangani Bay have been converted to fishponds and prawn ponds. The total area of fishponds is approximately 500 hectares in General Santos City, Alabel and Malapatan, most of which is reclaimed mangrove land.

Whales, Dolphins and Sea Turtles. Recreational divers have reported sightings of whales - possibly sperm whales and groups of smaller whales (pilot and pygmy killer whales) - in Sarangani Bay and its entrance to the Celebes Sea. The most commonly observed sea turtles are Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). Fishers say turtles occasionally lay eggs on the beaches of Maitum.

Water Quality. The water quality of Sarangani Bay is generally good, but localized hotspots of pollution occur, mostly around the urbanized and industrial areas and river mouths. The major sources of coastal pollution are untreated sewage, solid wastes and siltation caused by soil erosion from denuded watersheds.

Results of a recent study of water quality of Sarangani Bay undertaken as part of the Dolefil-USAID Sarangani Bay Marine and Inland Resource Conservation Project: Sarangani Bay Environmental Assessment (Draft, 1993) indicate generally good water quality, with the following exceptions:

These studies indicate the existence of water quality problems in certain areas, but in the absence of more site-specific investigations, the magnitude and boundaries of any areas of contamination cannot be assessed.

Oceanography
Sarangani Bay is primarily a tide-driven system, with tidal, bi-directional currents and wind-driven residual currents. The tidal currents are dominated by bi-directional flow along the axis of the Bay, because of the Bay’s relatively narrow width. The strongest currents are seen at the narrowest point of the Bay (at the mouth), and decreases in strength at the north. In the absence of wind, this implies that water or waste material released along the northern coast of the Bay would be less likely flushed out or be mixed with surrounding waters than the waters further south.

Because of its depth, Sarangani Bay is essentially a body of oceanic, full-strength seawater. This increases the potential for stratification of the less dense river or industrial outfall waters. Pollutants that are entrained in these surface plumes can therefore be transported to adjacent coastal areas, depending on wind strength and direction.

Socio-economic Profile
General Santos City and the six coastal municipalities of Sarangani Province have a total population of 489,762. About 58% of the population is concentrated in coastal villages.

Eighty percent (80%) of the coastal dwellers do not own the land on which they live. The problem of land tenure and squatter settlements along the coasts is becoming increasingly difficult to solve. The city’s coastal barangays tend to be densely populated with 1,044 persons per square km.

On the other hand, Sarangani Province is relatively sparsely populated with 57 persons per square km, although coastal barangays are more densely populated, with 74 persons per square kilometer. Most of the coastal residents are migrants from the Visayas, especially from Cebu and Bohol.

Most people rely on public hand pumps or spring boxes for water. Fifty-seven percent of the households interviewed do not have water-sealed or flush toilet. Disposal of garbage is mainly by dumping or burning.

The coastal households of General Santos City and Sarangani Province are most dependent on fisheries for subsistence. General Santos City, Maasim, Kiamba, Maitum, Malapatan and Glan are fishing communities. Farming and general merchandise stores sometimes provide secondary sources of income. Eighty percent (80%) of the coastal households interviewed reported an average monthly household income of less than Php3,000 a month.

Beneficiaries
Target beneficiaries of the project are the communities of the coastal barangays of Sarangani Bay.