ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AREAS NETWORK (ECAN) ZONES MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR EL NIDO MUNICIPALITY

September 2006

Prepared for:

PALAWAN COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Center for Sustainable Development Sta. Monica Heights, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippines 5300 Email: [email protected] Tel.: (63-48) 434-4235, Fax: 434-4234

Funded through a loan from :

JAPAN BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Prepared by:

PACIFIC CONSULTANTS INTERNATIONAL in association with ALMEC Corporation CERTEZA Information Systems, Inc. DARUMA Technologies Inc. Geo-Surveys & Mapping, Inc.

Photo Credits:

All photos by SEMP-NP ECAN Zoning Component Project Management Office

ISBN ______978-971-0475-04-9

Philippine Copyright © 2006 by Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This report can be reproduced as long as the convenors are properly acknowledged as the source of information

Reproduction of this publication for sale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without the written consent of the publisher.

Printed by:

Futuristic Printing Press, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines

Suggested Citation: PCSDS. 2006. ECAN Zones Management Plan for El Nido Municipality Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

List of Tables vii List of Figures ix List of Abbreviations x

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xii

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Purpose and Scope of the Management Plan 1 1.2 Legal Basis of the Management Plan 2

2.0 ECOLOGICAL PROFILE 6 2.1 Geographic Location 6 2.1.1 Administrative Boundaries 6 2.1.2 Municipal and Barangay Areas 6

2.2 Physical Environment 9 2.2.1 Topography 9 2.2.2 Geology 15 2.2.3 Soils 15 2.2.4 Climate 16 2.2.5 Oceanography 16 2.2.6 Surface Water 16

2.3 Biological Environment 17 2.3.1 Forest Resources 17 2.3.2 Wildlife Resources and Biodiversity 24 2.3.3 Coastal and Marine Resources 26 2.3.3.1 Coral Reefs 27 2.3.3.2 Reef Fish 31 2.3.3.3 Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles 31 2.3.3.4 Seagrass 34 2.3.3.5 Mangroves 36

2.4 Socioeconomic Profile 37 2.4.1 Population 37 2.4.1.1 Population and Demographic Characteristics 37 2.4.1.2 Urbanization and Migration Patterns 43

2.4.2 Social Condition 43 2.4.2.1 Dependency Ratios 43 2.4.2.2 Religious Affiliation and Ethnicity 44

______iii Title Page

2.4.2.3 Health and Nutrition 45 2.4.2.4 Education Status 46 2.4.2.5 Housing and Basic Utilities 47

2.4.3 Economic Condition 51 2.4.3.1 Poverty Incidence 51 2.4.3.2 Employment 51 2.4.3.3 Agriculture 54 2.4.3.4 Fisheries 56 2.4.3.5 Trade and Industry 57 2.4.3.6 Tourism 58

2.5 Land Use Profile 60 2.5.1 Land Classification 60 2.5.2 Existing Land Use 60 2.5.3 Land/Sea Cover Classification 65

3.0 ECAN ZONES MANAGEMENT PLAN 69 3.1 Vision and Mission 69 3.2 Goals and Objectives of ECAN Zones Management 69 3.3 Guiding Principles in ECAN Zones Planning and Management 71 3.4 Resource Assessment and Management 73 3.4.1 Resource Uses, Issues and Problems 73 3.4.1.1 Forest and Wildlife Resources 73 3.4.1.2 Coastal/Marine Resources 74

3.4.2 Resource Uses, Issues and Problems 76 3.4.2.1 Forest Resources and Biodiversity 76 3.4.2.2 Wildlife Resources and Biodiversity 78 3.4.2.3 Coastal and Marine Resources 78

3.4.3 Current Management Efforts in the Implementation of 79 Environment and Natural Resources Management Programs 3.4.3.1 Enforcement of Environmental Laws 79 3.4.3.2 Collaboration with Partner Organizations in the 80 Implementation of Environmental Management Programs 3.4.4.3 Capability Building Support 83 3.4.4.4 Financial Support 84

3.4.4 Gaps and Constraints in Current Management Efforts 85 3.4.4.1 Gaps and Constraints in Institutional Capacity 86 3.4.4.2 Gaps and Constraints in Technical and Managerial 87 Capability

______iv Title Page

3.5 ECAN Zones of El Nido Municipality 87 3.5.1 Criteria and Guidelines for Delineation of ECAN Zones 87 3.5.2 Core Zone Delineation of Terrestrial and Coastal/Marine 88 Ecosystems 3.5.2.1 Forest Resources and Biodiversity 91 3.5.2.2 Wildlife Resources 92 3.5.2.3 Coastal and Marine Resources 92

3.5.3 Municipal Breakdown of ECAN Zones 97 3.5.3.1 Barangay Breakdown of ECAN Zones 97

3.5.4 Threats to Core Zones 102 3.5.4.1 Threats to Terrestrial Core Zones 102 3.5.4.2 Threats to Coastal/Marine Core Zones 102

3.5.5 Management Strategies for ECAN Zones 103 3.5.5.1 ECAN Zones for Protection and Preservation 103 3.5.5.2 ECAN Zones for Restoration 104 3.5.5.3 ECAN Zones for Rehabilitation 104 3.5.5.4 ECAN Zones for Reclamation or Conversion 104 to Other Uses 3.5.5.5 ECAN Zones for Conservation and Sustainable Use 105 3.5.5.6 ECAN Zones for Conflict Resolution 105

3.5.6 ECAN Zones Management Guidelines 107 3.5.6.1 Objectives of ECAN Zones Management Guidelines 107 3.5.6.2 Proposed Allowable and Prohibited Uses of ECAN 109 Zones 3.5.6.3Constraints and Barriers to ECAN Zoning 113 Implementation

3.6 ECAN Zones Management Programs (2006-2015) 115 3.6.1 Institutionalization of Zoning and Management Guidelines 115 3.6.2 Marking of Core Zones on the Ground 116 3.6.3 Institutional Capacity Building 117 3.6.4 Law Enforcement 119 3.6.5 Ecosystem Rehabilitation 120 3.6.6 Sustainable Livelihood Development 121 3.6.7 Ecotourism Development and Visitor Management 125 3.6.8 Sustainable Financing 126 3.6.9 Research, Monitoring and Evaluation 127 3.6.10 Policy Reforms 128

3.7 Schedule of Plan Implementation 129

______v Title Page

3.8 Estimated Budget Requirements for ECAN Zoning 130 Implementation and Related Environmental Management Programs

3.9 Implementing Organizations and Possible Sources of Funds 131 for ECAN Zoning Implementation

LIST OF REFERENCES 165

______vi LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Title Page

1 Land Area by Barangay, El Nido Municipality 7 2 Land Area of Small Islands and Islets, El Nido Municipality 8 3 Slope Classes, El Nido Municipality 13 4 Slope Classes by Barangay, El Nido Municipality 14 5 Major Rivers and Watersheds in El Nido Municipality 16 6 Terrestrial Forest Cover by Barangay, El Nido Municipality 19 7 Threatened Endemic Tree Species in El Nido Municipality 19 8 Barangays Covered, Land Use, Flora Transects and Elevation of 20 Observation Points in El Nido Municipality 9 Human Activities in the Uplands of El Nido Municipality 21 10 List of Endemic and Near Endemic Mammal Species Found in 24 El Nido Municipality 11 List of Endemic and Near Endemic Species Found in El 25 Nido Municipality 12 Coastal/Marine Habitats by Barangay, El Nido Municipality 27 13 Status of Coral Cover in the Islands Surveyed in El Nido 27 Municipality 14 Coral Reef Survey Results, El Nido Municipality 28 15 Changes in Coral Cover in Selected Sites, El Nido Municipality 29 16 Diversity (Generic) of Reef Corals at Selected Sites in El Nido 29 Municipality 17 Seagrass Meadow Extent, Canopy Cover, Diversity and Habitat 35 Use by Dugong dugon, El Nido Municipality 18 List of True and Associate Mangrove Species in El Nido 36 Municipality 19 Population Growth Rate, El Nido Municipality, 1918-2000 38 20 Population Density of El Nido Municipality, 2000 41 21 Major Population Groups, El Nido Municipality 44 22 Religious Affiliation, El Nido Municipality 44 23 Ethnic Groups, El Nido Municipality 45 24 Children’s Nutrition Status, El Nido Municipality 45 25 Enrollment, El Nido Municipality 46 26 Water Supply By Source, El Nido Municipality 49 27 Energy Used by Households for Cooking, El Nido Municipality 50 28 Number and Percent of Households with Income Below the 51 Poverty Line, El Nido Municipality, Palawan, 2004 29 Employment Status by Barangay, El Nido Municipality, 2000 52 30 Number and Percentage of Persons Employed in Agricultural 53 Sectors, El Nido Municipality 31 Household Engaged in Agriculture and Fishing, El Nido 53 Municipality, 2000 32 Volume