Use of community perceptions to evaluate and adapt coastal resource management practices in the Philippines

Coastal resource management (CRM) programs have been implemented in the Philippines since the 1980s with the specific intent to protect and rehabilitate coastal habitats and enhance the sustainability of coastal communities. However, the implementation of these programs alone does not guarantee the success of program objectives. Monitoring and evaluation of program outcomes is essential for determining if programs are effective in reaching management goals. The purpose of this research was to evaluate long-term CRM programs using community perceptions of coastal resource condition, management practices, and program outcomes. Coastal residents in Baybay City, Leyte were surveyed and asked to rank a series of questions related to resource condition and 20 previously described management performance indicators. Respondents reported a decline in coastal resource condition over the past decade, even though they perceive positive outcomes of management programs aimed at enhancing resource condition. The sustainability and efficiency of management outcomes were perceived positively, with mixed views on equity outcomes. Results suggest that lack of full inclusion, low management oversight, and threat to coastal resources are concerns of the coastal community. Socioeconomic data collected from respondents yielded a pattern indicating that gender, self-reported level of environmental knowledge, and management cluster were significant contextual variables associated with perceptions of respondents. Overall, CRM programs are perceived to have a positive impact and there is a high level of interest for participating in future management activities. This study exemplifies how perceptions and associated contextual information of the community provides invaluable insights into the effectiveness of coastal resource management and be incorporated into the adaptive management cycle.