The Case of Sogod Bay, Philippines
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NO. 2015-PB9 Assessing Natural Capital: The Case of Sogod Bay, Philippines The Philippines is one of the most biologically rich countries in the world. However, it is also one of the most ecologically threatened areas in Southeast Asia. Although the country has put in place a number of important conservation policies and initiatives, much more work needs to be done. To provide a benchmark for this work and to highlight potential policies and actions, a new EEPSEA study assessed the status of the natural resources in Sogod Bay, an area of ecological importance in the Philippines. The study found that Sogod Bay had relatively high levels of biodiversity both on land and in the sea. However, the ecological richness of the bay area is declining due to both natural and anthropogenic influences, and this is having a negative effect on the people who farm and fish in the region. The study also found that establishing marine protected areas (MPA) is effective in boosting biodiversity. It therefore recommends strengthening the support of the local government to farmers and fishers in terms of promoting practices that would rehabilitate and improve the quality of the natural assets in Sogod Bay. Likewise, this study recommends supporting the MPA approach for those non-MPA sites that have shown rich biodiversity. A summary of EEPSEA Research Report No. 2015-RR12: ‘Assessment of Natural Assets in the Agricultural and Aquatic Ecosystems in Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte’, by Ma. Salome B. Bulayog, Humberto R. Montes, Jr., Suzette B. Lina, Teofanes A. Patindol, Adelfa C. Diola, Eliza D. Espinosa, Analyn M. Mazo, Julissah C. Evangelio, Art Russel R. Flandez, Marianne A. Gesultura, and Ris Menoel R. Modina. To send comments or request for additional information, please contact: Ma. Salome R. Bulayog, Department of Economics, College of Management and Economics, Visayas State University, Visca Baybay City, Leyte 6521, Philippines. Email: [email protected] Table 1. Percent cover of corals and other resources in the reefs, Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte Assessing the natural It covered 5 of the 11 municipalities of surface runoff, which erodes the in the bay area, namely, Liloan, nutrient from the soil. Since most Percent Cover (%) resources of Sogod Bay Stations Category Libagon, Sogod, Tomas Oppus, of the towns are coastal areas, only Live Coral Dead Coral Sponge Algae Rock Sand Water Others and Padre Burgos. It assessed the portions close to the shore are Sogod Bay is a large bay in the Gud-an* 57.8 25.5 0.7 8.4 0.3 5.3 0.0 1.7 Good province of Southern Leyte, the health status of the following flatlands; thus, most agriculture Philippines. The area is naturally natural assets: marine and aquatic activities are in the uplands. Himay-angan 21.4 38.9 0.0 3.9 13.3 2.3 19.1 1.1 Poor endowed with natural resources resources, agricultural land, and Biasong* 37.3 26.0 0.0 0.0 8.3 14.7 13.7 0.0 Fair forest flora and fauna. The study also found out that such as forests, a rich fishing Pangi 12.0 1.6 0.0 0.0 2.9 80.2 0.0 3.3 Poor ground, agricultural lands, and among the nutrients needed by fresh water bodies. Sogod Bay The research team was composed crops, phosphorus was the most San Isidro 25.1 27.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.0 33.6 1.6 Fair has fishing grounds teemed with of economics, forestry, fishery, deficient; total nitrogen and Mac* 22.2 5.7 0.0 0.0 15.3 49.9 5.2 1.7 Poor agriculture, and soil specialists. exchangeable potassium were in various fish species, with frigate Buenavista* 34.5 3.7 0.0 0.0 0.8 44.1 15.6 1.3 Fair tuna as the most dominant and They used several methods of moderate and sufficient amounts. most important source of income. data gathering, namely, focus Accordingly, proper maintenance San Juan 13.1 0.0 0.9 0.0 4.0 80.7 0.0 1.3 Poor group discussions, actual resource Likewise, coconut, abaca, and rice and improvement in the Higusuan 42.2 3.5 0.0 0.1 15.5 0.0 37.8 0.0 Fair are important agricultural crops in assessments, household surveys management of the soil resources with the residents in the five Notes: (1) Brgy. Tampoong did not have coral covers due to the garbage deposits in the area; thus, only nine barangays are presented in this table. the area. for sustainable agricultural use (2) * are municipalities with marine protected areas (MPA). municipalities, and interviews with would be important strategies that However, Sogod Bay is currently farmers, fisherfolk, LGU officials, could help protect the biological and other stakeholders. Survey facing challenges in the form of diversity at the project sites from Brgy. Tampoong (non-MPA) in of the total respondents having and fish catch in Sogod Bay have questionnaires were used to get decreasing productivity in the agricultural land expansion. Sogod had no coral cover at all due considered farming as a primary declined over the years, and thus information about households and traditional agricultural and fishery to the garbage deposits in the area. source of income. Most households income from farming and fishing farms, people’s livelihoods, the resources in the area, which The biodiversity had alternative nonfarm income have not been enough to support availability of natural resources, stems from both natural and In general, the results of the sources. their families. This may be because and physical infrastructure of Sogod Bay anthropogenic influences. assessment indicate that MPAs of the decrease in the quality of and facilities. The study team have high life-form diversity, the The decreasing dependence these resources, such as nutrient also used transect walks, soil Sogod Bay was found to have As such, this study looked at highest life-form composition, of households on the natural deficiency in the soil and declining sampling, quadrat methods, and relatively high levels of biodiversity. the existing natural resources in and the highest live coral cover. resources in Sogod Bay manifested fish population. This accordingly other appropriate tools in their For example, 19 species of Sogod Bay in order to (1) identify Because MPAs are no-take in the small share of farming indicates that the natural resources assessments. mangrove were identified and assess the status of the area’s (representing about 50% of the zones, they are less prone to and fishery income in the total in Sogod Bay are no longer as available natural assets, (2) identify total number of mangrove species anthropogenic influences. These household income. In almost all productive as they have been in the range of goods and services Agricultural lands found in the Philippines). The findings reinforce the importance municipalities, the biggest share the past. that the local communities value of Sogod Bay highest diversity of mangroves was of MPAs in preserving reef (more than 50%) of household and produce from the aquatic and found in Padre Burgos, which had ecosystems. income came from salaries and The value of Sogod Bay’s agricultural systems in Sogod Bay, The soil physical analysis 10 species. In terms of seagrasses wages and from businesses. natural resources and (3) recommend policies that conducted by the researchers in and the associated macrofauna, the The study also found that there Income from forest and farm would enhance the capacity of products contributed only 30%, Sogod Bay showed that some researchers were able to identify were non-MPA sites that exhibited The study also assessed the value these natural assets in providing while income from marine nutrients in the sample sites were a total of 36 species of macroflora high values; Brgy. Higusuan in of the provisioning services of the livelihood opportunities to the products contributed only 6.4%. deficient. Soil nutrient availability in the five municipalities. Among Tomas Oppus had high percent marine and terrestrial ecosystems local communities surrounding tended to decrease from high these, 8 species were seagrasses coral cover and high biodiversity Sogod Bay. of Sogod Bay. Results of the elevation to low elevation because and 24 species were seaweeds. index, even surpassing the values Farmers and fishermen have valuation analysis of Sogod Bay’s Brgy. Himay-angan in Liloan had found in those barangays with reported that farm productivity the highest species diversity index MPAs. Likewise, all surveyed Live coral covers, Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte of macroflora (H’ = 2.23), while barangays had similar life-form Brgy. Mac in Sogod had the lowest components, which indicate that Self-Employed, Others, 2% Brgy. Ocials, 2% 4% all of them can be candidates for (H’ = 0.04). Professional, 4% MPAs. None, Sales worker, 3% The benthic communities of the 10% five sampled municipalities were The livelihoods Service worker, 5% also assessed in this study. Several of local people areas in the coastal areas of the study sites have already been Despite the diverse species of Laborer, 9% declared as marine protected areas flora and fauna found in the (MPAs). Accordingly, results showed marine ecosystem, surprisingly, Agricultural Farmer, 50% that Brgy. Gud-an in Liloan (MPA) Worker, 2% most households were less Fisherman, had the highest percent coral cover dependent on fishery as an income 12% with 57.8% (considered to be in source. Only 12% of the total 500 “good” status). Meanwhile, Brgy. respondents considered fishing as Pangi (non-MPA) in Libagon had a primary occupation. The same the lowest coral cover (12%), while trend was observed for farming as Figure 1.