Talim Bay Coastal Resources Management Project

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The Coastal Resource  Management  (CRM)  has been  DLSU COSCA’s   strategy to  contribute  to  raising  awareness of coastal communities and on advocating policy reforms at the LGU Lian level since  it started its conservation  efforts  in  Talim Bay, Lian, Batangas  in 2004. The  initiatives  have  resulted  to  significant  contributions  in  the  attainment  of  milestones  which  includes  among  others,  the  approval of the  Lian Marine Protected Area (MPA),  regular mangrove planting, strong partnership between COSCA and Lian LGU, installation of MPA zones in Sitio KayReyna, Lumaniag  and Barangay Binubusan in Lian, Batangas.  Also, COSCA’s  partnership with the DLSU Br. Alfred Shields FSC  Ocean Research Center in the conservation efforts in Talim Bay  helped  instill  among  the fishers   the importance of coral reef conservation in protecting the  rich marine  life.

Maximizing the  gains  in the   implementation of the Integrated CRM  in the municipality of Lian and in  line with efforts  to  pursue  Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)  localization,  capacity building interventions will  continue to be  implemented through a transition phase where major tasks and skills will be transferred to the LGU  and  Pos.   The transition  plan crafted and agreed upon  by the  program stakeholders  outlines  the   following  activities  identified  to sustain the efforts in Lian, Batangas:  a) strengthening  of existing structures both at the LGU and community level (i.e. established  barangay councils) through relevant capacity building techniques;  b ) continued enforcement   of the Lian ICRM policies and implementation of  appropriate systems; and, c) preparation  of  both the  LGU and community towards SDG localization.

DLSU- COSCA’s University Community Engagement  Development Program team  facilitated  the conduct of organizational diagnosis   (OD) of   the following  partner  people’s organizations (POs):   a) Lian Fisherfolk  Association (LFA)  on  May 14, 2016;  b) Samahan ng mga Maliliit na Mangisngisda ng Binububusan (SMMB) on April  30, 2016;  and, c) Samahang Mangangawil ’79 on  May  15, 2016.  The  OD activities  were  conducted  to determine the organizations’  level based on critical indicators  of  efficiency  and  effectiveness and to  identify appropriate interventions that will help strengthen COSCA’s partner POs.

The assessment  showed  among others,  the  need to  further strengthen relationship with relevant  structures at the  local  level  such  as the Lumaniag Barangay Council,  need to reinforce among   members of the  community the gains and value of  the Integrated  CRM  and  the establishment  and maintenance of  a Marine Protected Area and  the need  to  improve organizational  systems and policies on eco-tourism activities and  related services such as catering and marketing of mangrove seedlings.