E. D. Gomez and P. M. Aliño, The Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines' Presentation given during the 5th GEF Biennial International Waters Conference in Cairns, Australia (during the pre-conference workshop marine ecosystems, Global Change and Marine Resources).

1. Marine Reserves in the
Philippines: Challenges, Success
and Perspectives
Helping Build Resilience in the Face of
Climate Change
E. D. Gomez and P. M. Aliño
The Marine Science Institute,
University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City

2. Marine Protected Area (MPA) –
general term applied, to any defined marine
area established for conservation and
protection, where activities are managed
based on specific rules and guidelines
Marine Reserve - an MPA where all uses
are controlled or regulated to the extent
necessary. e.g. Apo Island Marine Reserve,
El Nido Marine Reserve
Marine Park - an MPA where multiple
uses are allowed through zoning
regulations like a marine reserve and where
conservation-orientated activities are
emphasized, e.g., Tubbataha Reef National
Marine Park, Apo Reef Natural Park
Marine Sanctuary – synonymous with
“No-Take Zones” (NTZs) and may be
located within a marine reserve or marine
park, e.g., Turtle Island Wildlife Sanctuary,
Pulong Bato Fish Sanctuary Verde Island.
Definitions: Campos et al. 2003, Miclat & Ingles; Map: UPMSI
Database

3. Institutional/Legal Frameworks in the
Establishment of MPAs in the Philippines
• Local Government Code of 1991 (Republic Act 7160)
• National Integrated Protected Areas System of 1992
(Republic Act 7586)
• Fisheries Code of 1998 (Republic Act 8550)
• Integrated Coastal Management (Executive Order 533
series 2006)
• Dept. of Agriculture Memoranda
• Municipal Ordinances

4. Sources: Kelleher et al. 1995; Arceo et al. 2007
In mid-1990s, only 15% of
MPAs had effective
management, whereas in
2007, this increased to 25%

5. 1 hectare of
mangrove
680 kg of
fish/year
Source: White and Trinidad (1999)
1 km2
of healthy
coral reef
Enough to feed 400
people with 50 kg fish per
20,000 kg of
fish/year
Economic benefits from MPAs:
• sustain food and livelihood resources

6. MPA User Fees in the Philippines
- accrue to LGUs w/budget for MPA management
1. Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park (Palawan)
Entrance fees: foreigners $50; locals $25
2. Gilutungan Marine Sanctuary (Cebu)
Entrance fees: PHP25/person/day
Operator fees: PHP1,000/year
3. Apo Island Marine Reserve
PHP20/person/day (swimming)
PHP50/person/day (snorkeling)
PHP150/person/day (diving w/o camera)
PHP200 (diving w/ camera)
PHP250 (diving w/ videocam)
Annual income: PHP6 million
4. Boracay* (*Willingness to Pay survey)
Entrance fees: $5 - $20
From various sources
Economic benefits from MPAs:

7. At a fisher density of 5 fishers/km2
, the
MPA size required to sustain current
fishing levels is about 50% of municipal
waters!
Using the Fisheries
Information for Sustainable
Harvests – BioEconomic
model (FISH-BE)
Marine Protected Areas:
entry-point for biodiversity conservation
But single MPAs may not be enough
for protection at larger scales!
Source: Licuanan et al. (2007)

8. Local anthropogenic
threats
1. Increasing population & coastal
settlement
2. Habitat modification & coastal
pollution
3. Illegal fishing
4. Destructive fishing Houses on stilts on Danajon Reef, Philippines
Fish pens & cages in the Philippines (Photo: G.S. Jacinto)
Conversion of mangrove areas (J.H. Primavera)

9. tons fish
56% coastal
@ 43% protein from sea
44% inland
@ 23% protein from sea
Protein Requirement –
Phil RDA 51.5 g/day
(M. A. R. Quisumbing,
UPLB)
30–80 % of protein
from the sea (A. White)
23–43 % of protein
from the sea (FAO)
Map-based (GIS) Assessment of Food Demand
UPMSI-L.T. David

10. 1 1 5 1 2 0 1 2 5
E a s t L o n g it u d e
NorthLatitude
5
1 0
1 5
2 0
2 5
3 0
3 5
4 0
4 5
5 0
5 5
6 0
6 5
7 0
7 5
8 0
8 5
9 0
A ll s p e c ie s
Interpolated species diversity map of fish
species in the Philippines from fish visual
census data, 1990s to 2008 (Nañola et al,
in prep.)
Pattern of species richness based on sampling
in early to mid 1900s (Carpenter and Springer
2005)
Fish biodiversity declines in the
Philippines  the Visayan
Seas
Signs of the times...

11. Global threat
Climate change
1. ELEVATED
TEMPERATURE & LIGHT
INTENSITY
more coral
bleaching….

12. 2. OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

13. Anecdotal accounts:
as much as 40 m erosion in one
storm event.
3. SEA LEVEL RISE
UPMSI-F.P. Siringan

14. (A) Tropical storm Ketsana (‘Ondoy); (B) Tropical storms Parma (‘Pepeng’) and Melor
(‘Quedan’) (Source: DOST PAGASA)
4. INCREASE INTENSITY OF TROPICAL STORMS
A B

15. Increase intensity of storms or higher sea level = bigger waves
(sample model for Bagacay, Philippines)
Reef system
continues
to protect
most of
Bagacay
But the coast in front of channel
receives more wave energy
Coastal Hazard – physical oceanography
Source: UPMSI-Villanoy

16. What should we do?
Address immediate anthropogenic
threats to the ecosystems
Improve the health of the ecosystems
for better chances of recovering from
the adverse effects of global change
(ecosystem resilience)

17. How do we improve ecosystem resilience?
• Reduce fishing effort
• Eliminate destructive fishing
• Reduce coastal pollution
• Establish marine protected areas
(MPAs) and MPA networks

18. • habitats
• connectivity features
(based on numerical
modeling of water circulation
& dispersion)
• entrainment
• climate exposure
• threats
• vulnerability
HYCOM + DISPERSAL
Source: UPMSI-C.L. Villanoy
Bases for MPA establishment

19. From Simulations to Action
Babuyan Corridor
Bohol Sea Corridor -
Surigao Strait
BalabacStraitCorridor
Philippine Sea Corridor
Mindoro - Calavite
Tablas Triangle
Tapia
ntana
C
orridor
PanayGulf-Guim
aras
StraitCorridor
Ticao Pass - San
Bernardino Strait - Samar
Sea Corridor
SibutuPassage-Sulu
ArchipelagoCorridor
N
EW
S
Marine Corridor
MP20
MP01
MP03
MP04
MP05
MP06 MP07
MP09
MP02
MP08
MP27
MP36
MP35
MP34
MP24
MP25
MP29
MP28
MP12
MP14
MP15
MP23
MP16
MP19
MP18
MP10
MP17
MP22
MP30
MP31
MP13
MP11
MP26
MP21
MP32
MP33
N
EW
S
Marine Integrated
Priority marine biodiversity conservation areas
Extremely high
Very high
High
Level of priority

20. Sectoral networks of municipalities, e.g., ABBA in Lingayen Gulf
BOLINAO
BANI ANDA
ALAMINOS
PANGASINAN
LA
UNION
Bolinao - 7 MPAs (mean=16 has)
Anda - 5 MPAs (mean=21 has)
Bani - 2 MPAs (mean=28 has)
Alaminos - 2 MPAs (mean=328 has including HINP)
Source: Sagip LG Project

22. Source: CTI publ. 2009

23. End

24. How do we improve ecosystems resilience?
• Reduce fishing effort
• Eliminate destructive fishing
• Reduce coastal pollution
• Establish marine protected areas
(MPAs)
• Initiate restoration/rehabilitation of
reefs

25. Collaborator deploying juveniles
for grow out in Samal,Davao.
Giant clam re-stocking
CORAL TRANSPLANTATION AND GIANT CLAM
RESTOCKING AT THE HUNDRED ISLANDS
NATIONAL PARK, PHILIPPINES - PTA Project
2000-2002 Source: UPMSI Giant Clam Laboratory

26. • Supplemental source of
livelihood for fishers
• Heightens local environ-
mental awareness
• Fosters community
participation/ cooperation
• Develops local resources
management capabilities
Community-based sea urchin grow-out culture
Viable resource management
tool together with
reseeding of protected areas
Source: UPMSI Marine Invertebrates Laboratory

27. Community-based coral transplantation
Goals
• involve the local community
• give lectures on coral biology and ecology
• provide coral transplantation training
• conduct actual transplantation

28. April 3, 2008 March 19, 2009 September 25, 2009
A
B
T=0 T=11 m T=17 m
Community-based coral transplantation