Mangrove losses have been observed in several parts of the world including the Philippines despite its explicit directive through Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code in ensuring the conservation, protection, and sustained management of the country's fishery and aquatic resources. This qualitative research made use of a case study design at Sorsogon Bay Rompeolas through observation, field visits, and interviews to describe and evaluate the milestones and challenges encountered in the mangrove reforestation and protection initiatives among volunteer stakeholders. The study found out that the post-implementation (monitoring) phase of the project was the least participated activity while the project implementation phase was the fully participated activity of the different stakeholders involved in the project. Waste pollution, unsustained participation of residents, and natural calamities are the challenges encountered by the project. The local government units (LGU) in collaboration with the concerned national authorities may adopt blended infrastructure projects with the environmental protection program in the preservation and enhancement of the current state of the coastal ecosystem for future generations.
Author Biography
Dr. Ryan V. Dio, Sorsogon State University
Professor IIISchool of Graduate Studies, Sorsogon State University, Sorsogon City, Philippines
