THE COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: ITS IMPACT TO THE COASTAL MUNICIPALITIES OF DAVAO DEL SUR

Dario  R. Morastil,

THE COASTAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM: ITS IMPACT TO THE COASTAL MUNICIPALITIES OF DAVAO DEL SUR

Abstract:

Coastal Resource Management Program (CRMP), which has been created to teach people to rehabilitate and preserve coastal and marine resources, needs to be evaluated in terms of its stated and realized goals involving principal stakeholders. Thus, this study assessed the impact of CRMP on the selected coastal municipalities of Davao del Sur. For the primary data, the researcher used descriptive design utilizing 5-point Likert-scaled survey questionnaires distributed to 581 respondents chosen randomly. The sources of secondary data were the local offices of the municipalities covered in the study. Employing paired t-test as statistical measure, findings revealed an uneven impact of CRMP on the coastal municipalities. Although the program increased the level of awareness of fisher folks on conservation and rehabilitation of marine habitat increased the mangrove areas managed and planted, established fish sanctuaries, and increased annual fish catch. The program failed to increase budget allocation of Local Government Units (LGU) for coastal resource management. Also, the CRMP intervention had no favorable impact on average fish catch per day per fisherman, and did not improve coral reef cover in the selected municipalities. Lastly, the CRMP intervention was not able to establish a favorable impact on alternative livelihood.