Davao Gulf Management Council

1. Davao Gulf Management Council

2. Davao Gulf Profile: • Located southeastern of Mindanao Island • Bound by Davao City, 4 provinces (Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental) with 16 municipalities and 5 cities • Coastline length: 691 km • Area of gulf: 7,745 sq km • Area: 623,300 hectares • Abundant coastal and fisheries resources • A major fishing ground ranked 10th among the 24 fisheries statistical areas of the country • Consistently contributed about 22,000 MT of fish in the last five years • Utilized by around 19,000 fulltime municipal fishers and 866 fishers engaged in commercial fisheries

3. OUTSTANDING BIOLOGICAL FEATURES • Davao Gulf is a feeding and breeding ground for small pelagics, and a seasonal migration site, breeding and nursery ground for large pelagics. • 11 species of cetaceans, marine turtles, whale sharks and other elasmobranchs, inhabit the Gulf. Seahorses are also found here. • Davao Gulf boasts 17 species of mangroves which serve as spawning grounds for demersal fish and resting grounds of migratory birds.

4. OUTSTANDING BIOLOGICAL FEATURES • The 9 species of seagrass in Kaputian, Samal Island and Kopiat Island, as well as Sta Cruz, Talikud Island and Gov. Generoso Tibanan, Malita, Davao del Sur are known feeding areas for dugongs. • The area is also rich in invertebrate species such as gastropods, molluscs, bivalves,echinoderms and crustaceans. • Coral diversity is rich, typical of the Coral Triangle.

5. ISSUES and CONCERNS • Incidence of illegal and destructive fishing • Fragmented initiatives of the national government agencies and local government units that deter integrated coastal management • The need to strengthen inter-LGU mechanisms for coastal and fishery law enforcement • Low level of awareness on coastal protection • Lack of trained personnel to facilitate CRM activities • Lack of political will on the part of some local officials to

6. ISSUES and CONCERNS • Implementation of coastal and marine policies and ordinances • Maritime security (i.e. sea piracy) • Bio-physical deterioration of some mangrove, seagrass and coral habitats • Conversion of mangrove areas to other uses • Presence of domestic and agro-industrial wastes & siltation

7. CONCEPT The Davao Gulf Management Council (DGMC) is an institutional mechanism to bring a broad perspective for developing and agreeing common arrangements to govern coastal resources uses. The DGMC will establish cooperative working relationship, share information and resources, assist members carry out their mandate effectively, create policies, plans, and projects, and resolve conflicts effectively and equitably.

8. VISION An ecologically balanced Davao Gulf, valued as social, economic, spiritual, cultural, & biological wealth, conserved and managed in the context of sustainable development by empowered communities in order to attain the greatest benefit for the largest number of people. MISSION To act as a coordinating body working towards a unified policy and programs in the management of the Gulf, and to strengthen existing approaches for a concerted, timely and cooperative action to address pressing issues at the Gulf.

9. VISION An ecologically balanced Davao Gulf, valued as social, economic, spiritual, cultural, & biological wealth, conserved and managed in the context of sustainable development by empowered communities in order to attain the greatest benefit for the largest number of people. MISSION To act as a coordinating body working towards a unified policy and programs in the management of the Gulf, and to strengthen existing approaches for a concerted, timely and cooperative action to address pressing issues at the Gulf.

10. GOALS • Ensure the sustainable use and management of the Gulf’s coastal and marine resources in Davao Gulf; • Advocate the protection of critical marine ecosystem with the involvement and participation of the active local community; • Institutionalize at the Barangay, Municipal and Provincial levels appropriate administrative mechanism for effective resource management in the Davao Gulf; • Enhance growth and development to improve the living conditions of coastal communities and achieve domestic food security.

11. Common Values, Principles, and Approaches A. Values • Shared ownership and Accountability • Inter-and intragenerational equity • Conscious stewardship • Holistic, participative,and informed decision-making • Science to support decision-making. • Constant feedback. B. Ecological Principle • Gulf Health • Iterrelatedness • Sustainability.

12. THE DAVAO GULF MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK PLAN

13. Process of Formulating the Davao Gulf Management Framework Plan 1st Draft of Framework Plan by the DGMC-TWG General matrix was sent to the LGUs. Creation of ad hoc Technical Committee to facilitate the formulation of the Framework Plan The Pre-Summit Workshop Davao Gulf Management Framework Plan The Davao Gulf Environment Summit 2nd Draft of the Framework Plan

14. The Davao Gulf Management Framework Plan • Introduction • Area Profile of Davao Gulf • Common Values, Directions and Principle • Values • Shared ownership and accountability. • Inter- and intergenerational equity. • Conscious stewardship. • Holistic, participative, and informed decision-making. • Science to support decision-making. • Integrative and collaborative efforts. • Constant feedback.

15. Ecological Principles • Gulf Health • Interrelatedness • Sustainability • Management Program Program Areas • Habitat Management • Fisheries Management • Foreshore Management • Coastal Tourism and Water Use • Enterprise Livelihood Development • Watershed Management • Waste Management and Pollution Control and Mitigation • Legal Arrangement and Institutional Development

16. Issues Strategies Cutting for lumber, timber, firewood and settlement (e.g. Banaybanay, Carmen, San Isidro, Digos) Prevalence of mangrove plantation intruders (e.g. Padada) Illegal conversion of mangrove areas to fishponds Spurious titling of mangrove areas Denuded seagrass beds due to domestic waste and destructive fishing gears (obnoxious substances, beach seine, sud-sud.) Coral bleaching due to pollution (siltation and agricultural waste) Coral fragmentation/death due to destructive fishing gears (dynamite, compressor and muro ami) (e.g. Carmen, Tagum, Padada) Gathering of corals for tourism purposes Establish database and conduct IEC on key natural and sub-natural habitats. Organize PO's and assign focal persons. Coordinate with local officials/ and other concerned government agencies on coastal management. Identify potential site for marine protected areas for corals Watch and patrol, apprehend and file cases. • 1. Habitat Management

17. Issues Strategies • 1. Weak Law Enforcement • 1.1. Illegal fishing • 1.2 Encroachment of commercial fishing vessels on municipal fishing grounds • 1.3. Modifications of RA 8550 • 1.4 Lack of delineation of municipal waters • 2. Unregulated Fishing • 2.1 Biological over fishing or overexploitation of fisheries resources • 2.2 Absence of minimum size limits • 2.3 Absence of closed and open season • Absence of Gulf-Wide fishery development plan • Low level of awareness of local fisher folk • Lack of Aquaculture/ Mariculture Development Plan • Lack of fishery personnel Implement delineation of municipal waters and boundaries. Strengthen environment and fishery law enforcement networking and linkages within the Gulf. Conduct regular massive IEC campaign. • 2. Fisheries Management

18. Issues Strategies Proliferation of informal settlers within the foreshore land area LGU lacks capacity to relocate informal settlers Issuance of titles which encroach into the foreshore area/sea Structures within the foreshore area Jurisdiction of monitoring and regulating agencies No complementation of LGU plans relating to foreshore The DENR, in coordination with the LGU, shall initiate the information drive and police the unoccupied foreshore land and undeveloped foreshore areas from illegal occupants Collaborate with potential partners Issue Lease Agreements/ Permits Conduct in-depth investigation on the foreshore area prior to the issuance of titles. Require the applicants to secure Certification/ Clearance from the LGU and other related agencies on the proposed structure. • 3. Foreshore Management

19. Issues Strategies Improper emergence of tourist facilities Uncontrolled access to tourist attractions Improper waste management of tourist facilities Need for biophysical enhancement, protection and management to sustain tourist attractions Limited public access to coastal environment Local communities are left out from the benefits of tourism activities Lack of municipal water zone plan Development and Enforcement of Zoning Ordinances and building codes through Proper tourism zone planning Improve Tourist Access according to Resource Carrying capacity Upgrading of waste management standards for shoreline establishments Protection and preservation of coastal landscape with tourism potential Ensure public access in shorelines of Davao Gulf thorough legislation Promotion of Community-based ecotourism Local Legislation creating municipal water zone plan • 4. Coastal Tourism and Water Use

20. Issues Strategies Lack of alternative livelihood activities and enterprises Lack of technological competence in SME development Difficulty in marketing locally-produced goods/ products and services Difficulty in access to capital due to prohibitive interest rates and documentary requirement Difficulty in transport on some parts of the region Identify and implement environmentally- friendly an economically- feasible projects Provide government assistance thru the Small Enterprise Dev’t Council Create an LGU-based Economic Enterprise Office Identify appropriate technology Train and capacitate fishers with skills other than traditional fishing Do Resource Mapping of areas along Davao Gulf Focus efforts on winners in Trade Fairs and Trade Missions Improving productivity at enterprise level Improve quality and value of products Adhere to consumer protection Use the web for real-time marketing information Develop enterprise management capability for business competitiveness Improve road network system/ farm to market roads • 5. Enterprise and Livelihood Development

21. Issues Strategies General absence of an integrated/regional Watershed Management System Non-implementation of the System for those who have Low level community awareness on significance of watershed Pollutants and contaminants from rivers spread in the gulf (e.g. discharges from mining and agri-chem factories, solid wastes, etc) Lack of/insufficient information and understanding of WS Mgt approach All LGUs to adopt a Watershed Management System Incorporate System in the annual Development Plan at LGU level Allocation of budget Institutionalize community watershed management Intensify IEC by trimedia Unified LGU ordinance Full implementation of existing related laws (RA 9003) Mitigating measures in place Community-based monitoring Incorporate WS mgt in Barangay Development plan LGUs closely coordinates with DENR for advocacy IGACOS and Davao City to be lead advocates of watershed management • 6. Watershed Management

22. 7. Waste Management and Pollution Control and Mitigation Issues Strategies Industrial Issues Agricultural Issues Domestic Issues Natural Abiotic and Biotic Factors • Determine the different transboundary issues on pollution and waste management from industries, agriculture and domestic households that impact the environment. • Propose management objectives, strategies and interventions in which environmental issues maybe mitigated. • Assess the present status of the issue.

23. Issues Strategies Need to strengthen the existing mechanism for coastal law enforcement in the Davao Gulf Area. Fragmented coastal resource management initiatives of the national government agencies and the local government units due to complex problems to be addressed by coastal resource management programs. To strengthen coordination and collaboration efforts among DGEPA member agencies . To come up with a package of coastal law enforcement strategies in the Davao Gulf. To establish a multi-sectoral support system for coastal law enforcement at the local level. To come up with workable Davao Gulf management networks focusing on the different areas of concern . • 8. Legal Arrangement and Institutional Development

24. Enabling Organizational Mechanism • Capability Building: Human Resource Development and Organizational Strengthening • Information, Education, Communication Campaign • Resource Generation • Database • Research and Development • Monitoring and Evaluation

25. Significance of Davao Gulf Management Framework Plan • Provides principles, program areas, and mechanism for collective management actions towards sound stewardship of the Gulf ; • Defines transboundary issues with which member LGUs could chart unified courses of actions and collaborate in implementing institutional agreements; • Defines clearly the strategic directions of the DGMC as well as its partners; • A pioneering initiative worthy of replication;

26. Mayor SARA Z. DUTERTE Chairperson, DGMC City Mayor, Davao City Mayor ANIANO ANTALAN Vice-Chairperson, DGMC Mayor, Island Garden City of Samal LEONARDO R. AVILA III Secretary General, DGMC President, Save Davao Gulf Found. Dir. FATMA IDRIS Treasurer, DGMC Regional Director, BFAR XI EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DIR. JIM SAMPULNA Auditor, DGMC Regional Executive Director, DENR XI

27. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Board of Advisors Governors and Davao City Mayor as Chair of Peace & Order Council DGMC EXECOM SECRETARIAT Chair Capability-Building Committee Chair Research and Development Committee Chair Resource Mobilization Committee Chair Policy/Legislative Support Committee Chair DGEPA EXECOM Prosecution Committee Apprehension Committee

28. DGMC Members Maco Tagum Carmen Mabini Panabo Banaybanay Pantukan Davao City IGACOS Lupon San Isidro Sta. Cruz Digos Governor Generoso Hagonoy Padada Sulop Malalag Sta. Maria Malita Don Marcelino Jose Abad Santos Sarangani

29. DAVAO GULF GREATER CHALLENGE Effective cooperation collaboration coordination community participation equity & human security private sector involvement growth & development government commitment sustainable development

30. DAGHANG SALAMAT PO!