Participatory Comparative Valuation of Mangrove and Brackishwater Fishpond in Potogo, Quezon Province.

Abstract

The decision of mangrove resource use whether to conserve and restore mangrove forests or to promote the operation of brackish-water fishponds has been a hotly-contested issue in the Philippines since the 1970s. In the national policy framework, the local governments are recognized as the main managers of local natural resources with a preference to benefit the local communities. It is also increasingly accepted that participation of local communities is key to effective management of natural resources leading to sustainable development. This study explored through participatory and consensus-building processes how the coastal communities of Pitogo, Quezon value their mangrove resources vis-a-vis fishponds. Specifically, this study aimed to: 1) describe the economic activities and other resource uses related to mangrove habitat; 2) determine the existing local initiatives on mangrove resource management; and 3) identify, compare and assign non-monetary values to the different costs and benefits of mangroves and fishponds through consensus among the stakeholders consulted. The three sets of data derived became the inputs to, and means of validation for the cost-benefit analysis tools developed in this study called Community Consensus Participatory Valuation (CCPV). Through participatory valuation, a consensus was readily reached with clear preference for the choice of mangrove over fishpond that benefited the community as a whole. This study's results and implications can be a reference for Pitogo's plans, advocacy and practices with respect to mangrove resource management. It is recommended that CCPV and similar tools be tested in other communities for their further development. Expansion of the scope to provinces and regional clusters could be done to elicit cultural and sub-group valuation. Cost-benefit analysis that is community-friendly, participatory, and consensus-building can also be tested in local decision-making for other natural resource use options.