STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

2005-
2005-2020
PROVINCE OF BATANGAS

Provincial Government of Batangas / PG-Environment and Natural Resources Office (PG-ENRO)

GEF/UNDP/IMO Regional Programme on Building Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA)
World Wildlife Fund-Philippines (WWF-Phils.)
Conservation International-Philippines (CI-Phils.)
 page
Table of Contents ii
Preface iii
PDC Resolution No. 8-2005, Endorsing the 2005-2020 Strategic iv
Environmental Management Plan of the Province of Batangas
SP Resolution No. 12-2007, Approving 2005-2020 Strategic vi
Environmental Management Plan of the Province of Batangas
List of Figures, Boxes and Annexes ix
List of Acronyms and Abbreviations x
Acknowledgments xii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xiii

Chapter

1 INTRODUCTION
Geographical Scope of the Bay Regions 1
State of Environment and Resource Management 3
in the Bay Regions
International Agreements and National Programs 4
Local Initiative, Trends and Implications 5
The Strategic Environmental Management Plan 7
2 IDENTIFICATION AND PRIORITIZATION OF
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS
Identification and Classification of Issues and Problems 11
Waste Generation and Management 12
Prioritization of Issues Using Risk Ranking 20
3 STRATEGIES AND ACTION PROGRAMS
Vision 24
Mission 24
Goal 24
Objectives 24
Action Programs 25
Structure of the Plan 28
Action Program Strategies 29
Institutional Development And Integrated Planning Systems 29
Waste Management 32
Habitat Restoration and Management 36
Water Resources Protection and Management 39
Fisheries Protection and Management 42
4 IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS AND SCHEDULE
Relationship with Other Plans 44
Organization and Management Arrangements 45
Implementation Schedule 48
Monitoring and Evaluation 50
Revision and Implementation Improvement of the Plan 52
5 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS 53

ANNEXES 67
96
REFERENCES
 PREFACE
The Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) 2005-2020 for the
Province of Batangas evolved from the extensive consultations with the local
government units, national government agencies, private sector, non-government
organizations, people’s organizations and the community. It is a comprehensive and
integrated set of strategies and action plans aimed to continually improve the lives of
Batangueños through environmental protection and increase the province’s contribution
to the national economy through the effective management, development and judicious
utilization of its province’s natural resources. This SEMP takes on the solid foundation
gained over the years starting 1996 based on the framework and experiences generated
by the implementation of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) Program initially
demonstrated in the Batangas Bay Region with assistance of the Regional Programme
on Marine Pollution Prevention in the East Asian Seas. Overtime, there was a need to
expand its scope to address new issues/problems and challenges, explore new
development opportunities and further strengthen management skills, interagency and
multisectoral cooperation and integration of development and environmental protection
in the whole province including the regions abutting Balayan and Tayabas Bays. The
SEMP also takes cognizance of Taal Lake, but focuses strategies in consideration
basically of the provisions of the Local Government Code for which implementation of
the other legal mandates of the province on environmental management are anchored.

Though Batangas is an agro-industrial province, it became imperative that aside

from environmental protection, conservation will be a major part of its development in
view of its vast natural resources and high level of biodiversity. Batangueños expressed
the same concern for their environment during the consultations on the formulation of
the plan and in the process, gained understanding and consensus that development and
environmental protection and natural resources conservation can exist hand in hand and
thus were established as the twin objectives of SEMP.

The people, the economy and the environment, are therefore well-ingrained in
the plan for achieving sustainable development.

EVELYN L. ESTIGOY
PG-ENR Officer
 page

Figure

1 Map of Batangas Province 1

2 Proposed Three-tiered Multi-sectoral Organizational Structure 47
of the Batangas Environmental Protection Council

Box

1 Waste Generation and Disposal in Batangas Province 13

2 Incidents of Spillages and Emissions from Industries 14
along Batangas and Balayan Bays
3 Environmental-related Issues and Problems 19
in the Bay Regions of Batangas Province
4 Risk-ranking of Problems and Issues in the Bay Regions 22
of Batangas Province
5 Implementation Summary Matrix 55

Annex

1 International Agreements and National Laws 67

2a Summary of the Strategic Environmental Management Plan 70
of the Batangas Bay Region
2b Summary of the ICM Plan of the Balayan and Adjacent 74
Bays Region
3 Proposed Ordinance Strengthening The Institutional Mechanisms for 76
Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) in Batangas and Amending
Provincial Ordinance 96-01
4 Ex-post Evaluation Performance Indicators 91
5 Annual Budget Allocation 94
BABR Balayan and Adjacent bays Region
BAB-ICMB Balayan and Adjacent Bays Integrated Coastal Management
Board
BB-ICMB Batangas Bay Integrated Coastal Management Board
BBR Batangas Bay Region
BCRMF Batangas Coastal Resources Management Foundation, Inc.
BEPC Batangas Environmental Protection Council
BFAR Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
BOT Build-Operate-Transfer
BBREPC Batangas Bay Region Environmental Protection Council
CPLUP Comprehensive Provincial Land Use Plan
DENR- Community Environment and Natural Resource Office of the
CENRO Department of Environment and Natural Resources
DENR- Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Office of the
PENRO Department of Environment and Natural Resources
DTI Department of Trade and Industry
GIS Geographic Information Systems
ICEC Information, Communication, Education and Capacity-Building
ICM Integrated Coastal Management
ICMC Integrated Coastal Management Council
IIMS Integrated Information Management System
LGU Local Government Unit
MAO Municipal Agriculture Office
MARINA Maritime Industry Authority
MBI Market-Based Instruments
MENRO Municipal Environment and Natural Resource Office
MLC Municipal Legislative Office
MPDC Municipal Planning and Development Office
MTO Municipal Tourism Office
NGO Non-Government Organization
NIPAS National Integrated Protected Areas Act Systems
PAO Provincial Agriculture Office
PCG Philippine Coast Guard
PDP Provincial Development Plan
PEMSEA Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East
Asia
PG-ENRO Provincial Government - Environment and Natural Resource
Office
PLC Provincial Legislative Council
PMA Pollution Management Appraisal
PPA Philippine Ports Authority
PPFP Provincial Physical Framework Plan
PPDO Provincial Planning and Development Office
PTO Provincial Tourism Office
RA 8550 Republic Act 8550 otherwise known as the Fisheries Code of the
Philippines
RA 9003 Republic Act 9003 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Solid
Waste Management Act of the Philippines
TAB-ICMB Tayabas and Adjacent Bays Integrated Coastal Management
Board
TEG Technical Experts Group
TWG Technical Working Group
SEMP-BBR Strategic Environmental Management Plan of the Batangas Bay
Region
WWF-Phils World Wide Fund - Philippines
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The preparation of this Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) for
the Batangas Province was coordinated by the Provincial Government of Batangas. The
inputs and support which have been very significant in the completion of this particular
effort, from the stakeholders of the Batangas Bay Region, Batangas Bay Region
Environmental Protection Council, Balayan and Adjacent Bays in Calatagan Peninsula
Region, Tayabas and Adjacent Bays Region and the Provincial Government of
Batangas, especially Engr. Evelyn L. Estigoy, Head of the Provincial Government-
Environment and Natural Resources Office, other relevant provincial government offices,
and all 22 municipal/city Local Government Units Municipal Environment and Natural
Resources Offices; Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators and Municipal
Agriculture Offices; Non-Government Offices; Peoples Organizations and National
Government Agencies is acknowledged.

Major technical and financial support was provided by the Global Environment
Facility/United Nations Development Programme/Partnerships in Environmental
Management for the Seas of East Asia, particularly the following: Dr. Chua Thia-Eng,
PEMSEA Regional Programme Director; Mr. S. Adrian Ross, Senior Programme Officer
and Ms. Bresilda M. Gervacio, PEMSEA Site Officer are likewise recognized.
Geographical Scope of the Bay Regions
The Province of Batangas is located along the southwestern edge of the island of
Luzon in the Philippines. It is part of the Southern Tagalog Region and is bordered by
the provinces of Cavite in the north and Laguna and Quezon in the east. The province
has a land area of approximately 3,165.81 square kilometers (sq km) and consists of 31
municipalities and three cities. There are three major bays in the province, namely
Batangas Bay, Balayan and Adjacent Bays, and Tayabas and Adjacent Bays.

Batangas Bay forms a semi-enclosed body of water, with an average depth of

about 55 meters and a total area of about 220 sq. km. The management area of
Batangas Bay called the Batangas Bay Region (BBR) has a total land area of 1,461 sq.
km, and a coastline measuring 92 km. Within this region lie 14 coastal and inland cities
and municipalities. Batangas City and the municipalities of San Pascual and parts of
Lobo together with Tingloy, Mabini and Bauan comprise the coastline of Batangas Bay
Region. The inland city/municipalities include Lipa, San Jose, Ibaan, Cuenca, Alitagtag,
Padre Garcia, Rosario and Taysan.

The Balayan and Adjacent Bays (BAB) consists of Balayan Bay, Nasugbu Bay,
Talin Bay and Pagapas Bay. The Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region (BABR),
comprising of 12 municipalities has a total land area of 1,089 sq km, and a coastline of
around 300 kms. The municipalities of Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan, Calaca, Balayan
Lemery, Taal, San Luis, parts of Tingloy, and parts of Bauan and Mabini and Tuy. Taal
Lake is a freshwater body linked to Balayan Bay by Pansipit River and is considered a
major water body in the province.

Tayabas and Adjacent Bays (TAB) are shared by the provinces of Batangas and
Quezon. Sigayan Bay and Coloconto Bay are minor enclaves within Tayabas Bay. The
Tayabas and Adjacent Bays Region (TABR), comprises the coastal municipality of San
Juan and parts of Lobo and the inland municipalities of Rosario and Padre Garcia and
the City of Lipa. The total land area of TABR is 958.65 sq km., while its coastline is
around 100 kms.
State of Environment and Resource Management in the
Bay Regions
In totality, the three bay regions are essentially agricultural. Built-up areas such
as human settlements are increasing especially in the coastal area. An increasing
endeavor is the commercial raising of livestock, making the province, especially the
Batangas Bay Region, a primary supplier of poultry and meat products in Southern
Tagalog and Metro Manila.

Owing to its comparative advantage and accessibility to Metro Manila and to

other Southern Tagalog producer-provinces, Batangas is becoming a major industrial
and commercial province in the country. From 1998 to 2002, industrial and commercial
establishments in the three bay regions increased by 36%. The coastline of Batangas
Bay is continuously serving the industrial, residential, commercial, and transportation
needs of various sectors. While some industries are cropping up in the BABR, its
coastline is still generally being utilized for residential, commercial, transportation, and
recreational purposes while the coastline of Tayabas Bay basically provides the venue
for residential and recreational activities.

Port development especially in Batangas Bay has taken significant development

which led to more intensified navigation and port-related activities. The first of the four
phases of port development has been completed in 1998 while the second phase had
started in 1999. From 1998 to 2002, shipping activities intensified as shown by
increases in shipping traffic, cargo traffic and passenger traffic.

The extensive use of resources in the bay regions extends to the marine territory.
Fish production in Batangas province increased by 24% from 1999 to 2002, however fish
production sufficiency analysis revealed that production still has fallen short of per capita
consumption. In general, catch per unit effort has been declining in the three bay
regions, especially in Batangas Bay Region. A recent length-frequency survey, reveals
that some fish species are under threat of being overfished in Balayan and Adjacent
Bays.

The Balayan and its Adjacent Bays and Tayabas Bay are biodiversity refuge
compared to Batangas Bay. San Juan along Tayabas Bay has 496 hectares of
mangroves and swamp areas, of which over 100 hectares are intact, the largest in all of
Batangas Province. In BAB, there are at least 319 coral species, of which eight are
considered rare. Independent surveys revealed that the coral reefs in the southern part
of Balayan Bay have generally improved and 25 coral species found in the area are new
additions to the Philippines. Taal Lake is a declared protected area and is also a major
tourist destination.
International agreements, National Laws and Local
Initiatives
Local initiatives to protect the environment in Batangas find support from various
international conventions where the Philippines is a signatory and from national laws and
programs relevant to the environmental management of the province’s bay regions.
During the mid 90’s there were two important planning documents that paved the way for
rapid industrialization of the province of Batangas, the 1995-2000 Comprehensive
Provincial Land Use Plan (CPLUP), also known as the Provincial Physical Framework
Plan (PPFP), and the Provincial Development Plan (PDP), 1999-2001. These plans
principally focus on heavy physical infrastructure. Notably, the targets set by these
plans, especially agro-industrialization, have been mostly achieved and are felt today,
more importantly in the Batangas Bay Region, with the effects radiating to the
neighboring bay regions.

Both the Provincial Development Plan (PDP) and the Provincial Physical
Framework Plan (PPFP) are now being updated. In this regard, it is very timely that the
conservation of the bays in the province and the integrated approach in developing the
bay regions can be put forward among provincial planners and policy makers. The
PPFP is focused mainly on the terrestrial aspects of the Province’s development. This
SEMP could augment the physical framework plan by integrating the coastal/marine
concerns into the terrestrial-based activities of the province.

In 1996, the Provincial Government formulated a 25-year Strategic

Environmental Management Plan for the Batangas Bay Region (SEMP-BBR). It
envisages the Batangas Bay Region as models for the achievement of economic growth
while simultaneously guaranteeing environmental integrity. Replicating this effort, an
Integrated Coastal Management Plan for Balayan and Adjacent Bays was developed
and approved in 2004. However, as rapid growth and development continue to occur in
Batangas, more environmental issues and new challenges have to be addressed. While
the social capital favoring conservation in Batangas is evidently present, the challenge of
integration and coordination remains. The institutional framework to make integration
work in an ecosystem-wide management framework and setting has so far eluded ICM
practitioners. Initial work has been done to build constituencies and pooling together
limited resources, from state actors to the private sector and civil society. Much work
still remains to be done to achieve effective integration in the management of coastal
and marine resources.

Identification and Classification of Issues and Problems

The three bay regions are facing countless environmental problems and issues
that are complicated but are very much interrelated. The SEMP of the Batangas Bay
Region and the ICM Plan of the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region and some relevant
studies on the Tayabas Bay Region provided data and information to the identification of
these issues and problems. The current environmental issues are identified with a view
to establish a framework for specific actions to address the environmental problems in
Batangas. The issues and problems initially culled from various reports and existing
planning documents were later verified, validated, refined, and classified through several
planning and consultation workshops and round-table discussions attended by
representatives of stakeholders. The issues were analyzed in terms of the problems and
causes and were categorized into five major areas of concerns: waste generation and
disposal activities, fishery resources, biodiversity and habitat, underground water, and
sustainability through institutionalization and community participation.

Waste generation and management. Solid wastes, industrial

and agricultural wastes and ship and port wastes compromise the integrity of
surface and marine waters, if they are not managed adequately. The solid waste
issue is analyzed in terms of accumulation and inadequacy of waste disposal
facilities. Although there are efforts to promote recycling and reuse of wastes, the
lack of incentives discouraged the interest and enthusiasm on these waste
minimization efforts. Indiscriminate dumping of wastes is commonly observed in
many areas due to weak implementation of penalties for this act. The open and
unsanitary dumpsites aggravate the problem of accumulation. Very few
controlled disposal facilities exist in the province. The weak technical and
financial capability of local governments to support comprehensive waste
management as required in RA 9003 is seen as a significant factor, among
others, affecting solid waste generation, accumulation, and disposal.

The disposal of untreated industrial and agricultural wastes in tributaries

and coastal marine waters is caused by inadequate treatment facilities in both
groups of industries. Waste water treatment facilities are poorly functioning,
have inadequate capacity or are simply non-existent. Likewise, the weak
implementation of regulations on industrial waste by enforcement agencies,
encourage polluters to be less vigilant in their waste generation and disposal
activities. Oil spills and discharges from industries are also seen to create risks
given the petrochemical and energy industries along Batangas Bay and Balayan
Bay.

Shipping activities and expansion of port facilities have generated ship

and port-related wastes that eventually are dumped in the bay waters. This is
more intensely felt in Batangas Bay and the related problems are ship collision
and oil spill due to increasing vehicle traffic. Illegal discharge of wastes from
shipping vessels has also been observed and the port authorities of Batangas
noted that the inadequate collection and disposal system of the port cannot cope
with the demand of the increasing vessel and passenger traffic.

Results of water quality monitoring done for Batangas Bay, shows that
pollution status in terms of oil and grease content has worsened significantly.
Fortunately however, water quality has not deteriorated significantly in terms of
dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrates and phosphates.

Fishery resources.. This issue is analyzed in terms of declining fish

catch and decreasing effective area of fishing. The decline in fish catch arises
from population pressure and increasing fish efforts and the use of illegal fishing
 methods. The decline in effective area for fishing is attributed to the multiple uses
of the bays, encroachment by commercial fishers, and the conduct of reclamation
projects. The issue on the use of destructive fishing methods is still rampant and
an obvious violation of RA 8550.

Biodiversity and habitat. The destruction of shoreline,

mangroves, and other ecological habitats are due to the pressures exerted by the
community on these habitats as well as abuse of foreshore lease agreements.
Illegal titling of shorelines is also observed which limits access to this resource.

Underground water. The industrial path taken by the province has

led to the fast extraction of underground water for household, commercial, and
industrial uses. There is a growing concern that the current extraction rates,
especially in Batangas Bay Region, are relatively faster than optimal. Most of the
wells had been abandoned due to lowered piezometric levels and/or reduced
well capacity. The existing withdrawal from wells has caused considerable
depletion of groundwater resources, so that current drilling projects reach depths
of up to 240 meters.

Community participation. This is a cross-cutting concern

emphasizing that the process of involving the community and building a
constructive partnership with them in the implementation of ICM has been slow.
Despite the increasing number of participatory initiatives in Batangas, most of
these are still only “islands of successes”. Weak community participation can be
explained by a set of causal factors and this constitutes the nexus of inadequate
education and awareness, weak functional organization of communities that
hinders sustained and effective participation, fragmented information base,
limited representation and coordination in the formulation and enforcement of
plans, policies, and programs, and weak enforcement capabilities that allows
non-compliance to environmental laws and regulations.

Prioritization of Issues Using Risk Ranking

A comparative risk approach was taken which evaluates the environmental
issues on the basis of the risks and their impacts on human health, the ecosystem and
the socio-economic life of the people. This approach ensures allocation of scarce
resources effectively while expanding a dialogue among stakeholders. Risk ranking in
this particular planning process required the development of categorical rankings of risks
to (1) human health, i.e. as they may cause mortality and morbidity, (2) ecosystems, i.e.
as they may affect biodiversity and integrity of habitats, and (3) socio-economic
conditions of stakeholders, i.e. as they affect livelihood, food security, and/or cause
poverty. The risk ranking provides a basis for prioritizing action programs that
correspond to these problem/opportunity areas. A problem or issue is ranked “1” if the
risk is evident or likely to affect all three - human health, ecosystems, and socio-
economic conditions of the stakeholders. Otherwise, the problem or issue is ranked “0”.
 Results of the comparative risk ranking showed that among the problems
associated with the issue of waste generation and disposal, the accumulation of solid
wastes, inadequate solid waste disposal facilities and the disposal of untreated industrial
and agricultural wastes are of high priority given a categorical ranking of 1. Oil spill and
ship collision and illegal waste discharge of ships are considered important, however,
ranking was 0 in view of the spatial extent of their effects which are more localized than
general. Action programs directed to address issues on fishery resources should focus
on the declining fish harvest as the priority problem, given a rank of 1. Destruction of
shoreline and mangroves was also ranked 1 and was considered as the more significant
problem in the issue of biodiversity and habitat. Likewise, the depletion of underground
water was considered of priority and was given a rank of 1. Community participation
was considered a highly significant issue with both the problem of insufficient and
ineffective participation and weak enforcement capabilities getting a rank of 1.

Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives

Vision: Batangas is a socially and economically developed community of

responsible citizenry committed and empowered to be good stewards of our
environment and natural resources.

Mission: To mobilize partnerships and strengthen capability among the local

government units, national government agencies, private sectors, non-government
organizations, volunteer groups, social/civic organizations and coastal community and
residents for sustained integrated coastal management.

Goal: To achieve a healthy and acceptable balance between the overall

economic development and the conservation of resources and protection of the
environment through sustainable application of integrated coastal management efforts.

Objectives:

1. To strengthen multi-stakeholder participation by establishing institutional

mechanisms that will encourage mobilization and capacity building of
communities, organizations, and agencies in the sustainable integrated
management of the province’s bay-regions.

2. To improve management of municipal solid wastes and industrial and

agricultural wastes, thereby minimizing their pollution impacts on the bays
and other water bodies in the province,

3. To restore and manage the province’s terrestrial, coastal marine and

freshwater habitat and ecosystems and conserve its biodiversity for the
benefit of the present as well as the future population of Batangas.
 4. To protect and manage ground and surface water resources of the
province’s bay-regions,

5. To protect the fishery resources of the province that will ensure food
security

Strategies and Action Programs

1. Institutional Development and Integrated Planning
Systems

A three-tiered multi-stakeholder institutional mechanism is established

that will supervise, coordinate, and mobilize participation and capacity-building
among communities, organizations, and agencies, to ensure collective,
responsive and pro-active actions towards sustainable environmental
management of the province’s bay-regions. Integrated planning systems and
policy directions will be enhanced at the provincial, bay-region, and municipal
level, while capacity building and information sharing will be undertaken and
intensified. The land and water use plans of the municipalities will be
harmonized at all levels. An environmental code will be formulated and the
concerned institutions, i.e. councils/boards and participating communities,
organizations and agencies, will undergo capacity-building in order for them to
responsibly address critical environmental issues and resolve possible resource
use conflicts. It is expected that the three-tiered multi-stakeholder institutions to
be established will be responsible in supervising the implementation of the
various action programs pursuant to and as aligned with this SEMP. Sustainable
financing mechanisms (i.e. payment for environmental services, establishment of
trust funds, private-private partnerships, polluters’ pay, etc.) will likewise be
initiated to ensure a stable source of funding for all these SEMP-related activities,
and thus attain sustainability.

2. Waste Management (Solid Wastes and Industrial and

Agricultural Wastes)

The action program on Municipal Solid Waste Management will

complement the initiatives of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board and
that of the respective City/Municipal Solid Waste Management Boards, pursuant
to RA 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act. Information, communication,
education and capacity-building activities (ICEC) will be intensified to mobilize
the municipality, barangay, community, households and other sectors to
minimize wastes, do segregation and recycling, and ensure proper disposal of
wastes. Material recovery facilities (MRFs) will be developed at the community,
barangay and municipal levels and their sustainable operation will be ensured
with the collection of garbage fees and promotion of income generation from
recycling. The establishment of sanitary landfills or controlled dumpsites will be
carried out by the LGUs with adequate and intensive consultations with the
community in terms of identification of location of dumpsite, prospecting
potential private sector partners who could provide technical and financial
complements to LGU capability and resources, formulation of an implementation
plan and development of the sanitary landfill project.

The action program on Industrial and Agricultural Waste Management

highlights the strengthening of community and LGU participation in the EIA
system. Likewise, the program will build on the initiatives of BICMF such as the
vigorous pursuance of the voluntary agreements and pollution management
appraisals and audits. The existing multi-agency pollution monitoring team will
be revived and strengthened; capacity will be developed among its members to
effectively monitor mitigating measures by industries. The services of the
Batangas Environment Laboratory will be maximized in conducting water quality
monitoring and evaluation surveys in the three bays and among pollution point
sources. A quick response system will mobilize the participation of industries,
academe, local governments, civil society and media in promptly responding and
undertaking mitigating measures to pollution related events such as oil spills.
The establishment of environmental guarantee fund from industries and
development projects will be pursued to ensure sufficient funds for rehabilitation
and recovery of areas damaged by industrial and commercial activities.

3. Habitat Restoration and Management

This action program will ensure rehabilitation, protection, and

management of the ecologically important habitat and ecosystems of the three
bay-regions in the province, i.e. forests, mangroves, wetlands, estuarine, rivers,
seagrass beds, and coral reefs, towards protecting biodiversity. A network of
protected and/or conservation areas among these life-support systems will be
established, which will be managed principally by the communities and
stakeholders themselves. This will be preceded and/or complemented with
sound scientific researches, establishment of databases and IEC campaigns.
Rehabilitation and restoration of critical areas, i.e. rivers (especially Pansipit and
Calumpang Rivers), mangroves, and degraded lands, will be initiated, including
the establishment and/or designation of green belts/buffer areas and urban
waterfront reserves.

4. Water Resources Protection and Management

The ground and surface water resources of the province’s bay-regions will
be protected and managed. Concerned stakeholders will be mobilized through
information, capacity building and education programs, to help protect,
rehabilitate and manage critical watersheds, and rationalize the use of water
through regulation and market based instruments. Reforestation, establishment
of urban farms and gardens, tapping of substitute water sources aside from
ground and surface (i.e. rainwater) for industrial uses, and similar initiatives will
be promoted.
 5. Fisheries Protection and Management

The ultimate aim of this action program is to contribute to the province’s

food security by ensuring sustainable stock of marine and freshwater fish
species. Illegal and destructive forms of fishing will be adequately addressed by
mobilizing communities and public support in marine law enforcement. Scientific
investigations on the status of fisheries will be undertaken to facilitate an
informed policy decision- making process relative to protection as well as
utilization of these resources, pursuant to RA 8550 or the Fisheries Code of
1998. Coastal marine-based and freshwater-based enterprises and livelihood
and eco-tourism development will likewise be promoted.

Implementation Arrangements and Schedule

Relationship with Other Plans. This Strategic Environmental

Management Plan directly supports the Philippine Agenda 21 and the Philippine National
Development Plan by adopting and utilizing an ecosystem, community-centered and
multi-sectoral approach in the management of natural resources. At the provincial level,
it is envisioned that this SEMP will be integrated into the Provincial Physical Framework
Plan and the Provincial Development Plan, both of which are currently being updated.
The SEMP will be directly interacting with the 25-year Strategic Environmental
Management Plan for the Batangas Bay Region (SEMP-BBR) formulated in 1996 and the
20-year Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) Plan of the Balayan and Adjacent Bays
Region adopted and endorsed by the Provincial Development Council in 2004.

It is expected that this SEMP, while complementing the Provincial Development

Plan and the Provincial Physical Framework Plan, will provide the overall framework in
the sustainable management of the three bay regions in the province, under the
supervision of the Batangas Environmental Protection Council. The bay region-specific
environmental management and/or integrated coastal management plans to be
implemented and/or currently implemented by the concerned agencies and institutions
under the supervision and management of their respective bay region boards, will
complement and/or be aligned with this SEMP. This SEMP is designed as well to fill-up
gaps that were later on realized after the formulation of the respective bay region-
specific environmental management or ICM plans. Further, this SEMP will also guide
the formulation of future related plans in any of the bay regions.

Organization and Management Arrangements. The

implementation of this SEMP will be guided by the principles of multi-sectoral and
participatory management. Partnerships will be pursued, while at the same time the
capacity and capability of stakeholders are being strengthened so that the stakeholders
are able to contribute significantly to the implementation of this SEMP.
 Through an ordinance, an apex multi-sectoral body called the BEPC will be
organized at the provincial level, headed by the Provincial Governor, and composed of
the chairs of the three bay regions and representatives from relevant stakeholders. The
BEPC will be presided by the Governor while the PG-ENRO will provide the secretariat
support. The BEPC will also facilitate information sharing among the three bay regions.
A Technical Experts Group, chaired by the head of the Secretariat, and composed of
relevant government and non-government agencies and organizations will be organized
to provide technical support to the BEPC. The agency-members of the TEG will directly
and jointly implement the action strategies and/or programs and projects of this SEMP.

Through the same provincial ordinance, a Balayan and Adjacent Bays ICM Board
(BAB-ICMB) and a Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM Board (TAB-ICMB) will be created,
while the existing Batangas Bay Region Environmental Protection Council (BBREPC)
will be converted into a Batangas Bay ICM Board (BB-ICMB). The bay region ICM
Boards will be composed of the city/municipal mayors of the cities and municipalities
covered by the bay region, as well representatives of the various stakeholders in the bay
regions. Each ICM Board will be chaired by one of the mayors, elected by the members
for a term of one year. The provincial government office responsible for the dominant
sector in the bay region will provide the secretariat as well as technical and
administrative support to the bay-wide ICM Boards. The ICM Boards will provide inter-
municipal, and multi-sectoral policy direction, coordination and integration in accordance
with their environmental management or ICM plan. Each bay region board will be
supported by a Technical Working Group, composed of relevant government and non-
government agencies and organizations operating in the specific bay region.

At the city/municipal level, an ICM Council (ICMC) will be created and will be
chaired by the concerned City/Municipal Mayor. The City/Municipal Environment and
Natural Resources Officers (C/MENROs), or the City/Municipal Planning and
Development Coordinator (C/MPDC) will provide the secretariat support. The ICM
Council, to be composed of as many, but manageable number of representatives from
various stakeholders, will be responsible in ensuring implementation of ICM initiatives at
the municipal level.

The Provincial Government of Batangas, through the Batangas Environmental

Protection Council (BEPC) and the bay region boards, the concerned city/municipal local
government units, national and provincial government agencies, as well as the
organized civil society, private business, academe, and people’s organizations, will be
the main executing units of this SEMP. The Local Chief Executives together with their
respective environmental management offices, planning offices, agricultural offices and
the Sangguniang Bayan, especially the chairmen on environment, will play major roles in
spearheading the various area-specific programs, projects, and activities.

Implementation Schedule.. The implementation of this SEMP covers a

15-year period from 2005 to 2020. The first year is focused on organizing multi-
stakeholder participation in plan implementation, establishing baselines information
and management systems, detailed design of programs and projects, and initial
implementation of some programs and projects. The next five to fifteen years shall
build on what have been put in place during the first year. The activities shall include
 full implementation by various stakeholders of the programs and projects designed
during the first phase, activating and strengthening the information and management
systems, and continuous policy development and implementation oversight by the
three-tier management bodies.

Monitoring and Evaluation.. The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of

the SEMP implementation will be the main responsibility of the Secretariat of the
Councils/Boards. A detailed plan implementation monitoring and evaluation system
will be formulated during the inception stage and will establish specific measurable
environmental management indicators reflective of the distinct characteristics of the
action programs’ strategic activities. A preliminary list of the expected outputs or
success indicators is provided, most of which are quantitative and output-biased but
they allow for on-going learning, correction and adjustment. Other indicators require
the generation of documents, plans and proceedings as proof of activities undertaken
and their corresponding results and output. The M&E system will provide reporting
formats, including the frequency of its generation and submission to appropriate
entities; establish and maintain data base and information feedback system for
effective integrated management of the area’s coastal marine and terrestrial resources.

Aside from the regular conduct of monitoring and evaluation, midterm and ex-
post evaluation will be conducted. The midterm evaluation will review the activities,
evaluate their results, assess their impacts and make recommendations on measures for
improvement and extension of demonstrable experience. The ex-post evaluation will
look into the outcomes or impact of SEMP implementation in both environmental and the
socio-economic conditions in the area, as well as the performance of the different multi-
stakeholder arrangements, and the effectiveness and sustainability of the SEMP
implementation strategies, approaches, processes and techniques. Indicators for the
midterm and ex-post evaluation can be categorized into five major categories – state,
pressure, process, sustainability and impact indicators.

Revision and Implementation Improvement of the Plan. The

periodic monitoring and evaluation, will serve as opportunities for the provincial BEPC,
the bay region boards, and the city/municipal ICM councils to review and, if necessary,
modify the existing policies, implementation strategies, programs, projects, approaches,
processes and techniques in order to make them more appropriate to the conditions and
requirements of particular areas or communities. To improve SEMP implementation,
the Secretariat of the Councils/Boards will document early recognizable “success
stories” in the course of monitoring and evaluation so that lessons from its initial
programs, projects and activities can be communicated to concerned key actors and
stakeholders.

Any changes in the SEMP in terms of scope, duration, and implementation

arrangements of specific major programs or projects will be subject to the approval of
the bay region board, and if necessary by the provincial BEPC, with prior consultations
with the concerned stakeholders and the concurrence of donor institutions, where
applicable.
Financial Implications
The implementation of the SEMP requires the allocation of resources not
normally appropriated by LGUs, however, there are related budget lines which are
regularly funded and which can be realigned to fund the proposed strategic actions in
the Plan. An example is the 20% Development Fund from which LGUs are mandated to
allocate at least 20% to Human and Ecological Security (HES) activities. Also HEIs
allocate at least ten percent of their budget for research and community service activities
and this can be directed towards ICM related projects.

To support the implementation of programs listed in the SEMP, the stakeholders

identified possible sources and corresponding ballpark amount and came up with an
indicative figure of 737.76 million pesos. This figure represents only the direct
operational costs associated with activities and does not include salaries, equipment and
working spaces. Regular appropriations from LGUs will be the main bulk of the sources
of funds complemented by support from national agencies, the private sector and funds
from sustainable financing mechanisms to be established.

Support from diverse interest groups should therefore be sought and the
challenge is to mobilize the private sector, national and local resources, and even
foreign assistance or international funding institutions to finance these plans. The
sourcing can be undertaken by the province-wide BEPC, the bay region boards, through
their Secretariat and TWG, and also directly by the city/municipal ICM councils.
Innovative schemes can serve to cushion the impact of additional financial requirements.
Various market instruments such as trust funds, fees, and charges provide new
opportunities for increased funds, and they are likely to play increasingly important roles
in the future.
Geographical Scope of the
Bay Regions

The Province of Batangas is

located along the southwestern edge of
the island of Luzon in the Philippines. It
is part of the Southern Tagalog Region
and is bordered by the provinces of
Cavite in the north and Laguna and
Quezon in the east. The province is
facing the South China Sea on its west
and the island of Mindoro in the south.
The Verde Island Passage separates
Batangas from the island of Mindoro.

The province has a land area of

approximately 3,165.81 square
kilometers (sq km) and consists of 31
municipalities and three cities. There are
three major bays in the province of
Batangas, namely: Batangas Bay,
Balayan and Adjacent Bays, and
Tayabas and Adjacent Bays.
Batangas Bay forms a semi-
enclosed body of water, with an average
depth of about 55 meters which renders
itself ideal for international port and
harbor development. It has a total area
of about 220 sq km. Batangas Bay
hosts an international sea port and
majority of the big industries in the
province including the processing plants
of the natural gas piped in from
Fig. 1. Map of Batangas Province
Malampaya found offshore of Palawan.
The management area of Batangas Bay
called the Batangas Bay Region (BBR)
is in the southern part of Batangas
Province. Its total land area is around
1,461 sq km, while its coastline
measures 92 km. Its southwestern
boundary extends to the municipality of
Tingloy in Maricaban Island, while the
north and west boundaries are
delineated by the watersheds and/or
municipalities that drain into Batangas
Bay. Within this region lie 14 coastal
and inland cities and municipalities. On
the western part, BBR is separated from
the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region
by a land mass called the Calumpang
Peninsula, where the municipalities of
Mabini and Bauan are located.
Batangas City and the municipalities of
San Pascual and parts of Lobo together
with Tingloy, Mabini and Bauan
comprise the coastline of Batangas Bay
Region. The inland city/municipalities
include Lipa, San Jose, Ibaan, Cuenca,
Alitagtag, Padre Garcia, Rosario and
Taysan. A major river, Calumpang
River, drains into Batangas Bay from as
far as the inland city of Lipa.
The Balayan and Adjacent Bays is
located in the western side of Batangas
Province, northwest of Batangas Bay.
The adjacent bays of Balayan Bay are
Nasugbu Bay and Talin Bay, found west
of Calatagan Peninsula, and Pagapas
Bay, south of Calatagan Peninsula.
Nasugbu Bay, where Fortune Island is
located and Talin Bay are facing the
South China Sea. Meanwhile, Janao
Bay is an enclave of Balayan Bay,
located east of Mabini and Bauan
towns. The Balayan and Adjacent Bays
Region (BABR) has a total land area of
1,089.26 sq km, and a coastline of
around 300 kms. The coastal marine
area is approximately 2,260 sq km.
BABR comprises of 12 municipalities.
The municipalities of Nasugbu, Lian and
Calatagan are located within Calatagan
Peninsula. The towns bordering Balayan
Bay are Balayan, Calaca, Lemery, Taal,
San Luis, parts of Tingloy, and parts of
Bauan and Mabini in Calumpang
Peninsula. Tuy is a landlocked
municipality that hosts Benangbang
River, a major river system that drains
into Balayan Bay. The island
municipality of Tingloy is separated from
Calumpang Peninsula by Maricaban
Strait. Located in Balayan and its
Adjacent Bays Region is a mixture of
fisheries, agriculture, tourism-related
establishments, and a number of
medium and big industries.
Tayabas and Adjacent Bays is
shared by the provinces of Batangas
and Quezon. Sigayan Bay and
Coloconto Bay are minor enclaves
within Tayabas Bay, located within San
Juan municipality. The Tayabas and
Adjacent Bays Region (TABR), in the
eastern portion of Batangas province
comprises the coastal municipality of
San Juan and parts of Lobo town and
the inland municipalities of Rosario and
Padre Garcia and the City of Lipa. The
total land area of TABR is 958,65 sq km,
while its coastline is around 100 kms.
Marine turtles are still abundant in this
area and sightings of other charismatic
species such as dolphins are constantly
reported. Major activities in the
Tayabas and Adjacent Bays Region
include agriculture, fisheries, and
tourism. The region has long white and
black sandy beaches, coves and marine
life cradled at the foot of mountains and
hills that are suitable for all levels of
tourism development.
Another major body of water in the
province, worth noting is Taal Lake
which is a freshwater body linked to
Balayan Bay by Pansipit River. This
river is the spawning route of a popular
and expensive fish called maliputo
(Caranx sp.). Taal lake has an area of
approximately 239 sq. km. and the
lakeshore circumference is about 267
kms. Within the lake is a volcano island
with an area of around 24 sq. km. The
average depth of Taal Lake is 60
meters; depth reaches to a maximum of
almost 200 meters. The lake is
surrounded by the cities of Lipa and
Tanuan, and the municipalities of
Agoncillo, Alitagtag, Talisay, Balete,
Cuenca, Laurel, Mataasnakahoy, San
Nicolas and Sta. Teresita.
State of Environment and
Resource Management in the
Bay Regions
In totality, the three bay regions
are essentially an agricultural area,
devoting about 103,070 hectares
representing 52.5 percent of its total
area for crop production in 2003.
Sugarcane, rice, corn, coconut,
monoculture or in combination with fruits
and other crops dominates the
landscape of the three bay regions.
Second growth forests occupy 35% of
the province’s total land area but only
35% of these are considered productive.
Forest trees are almost nonexistent in
coastal areas, except for a few patches
of mangroves in Nasugbu, Calatagan,
Lobo and San Juan. Built-up areas
such as human settlements are
increasing especially in the coastal area.
Nearing one-half (41.9%) of the
province’s total population of 1.9 million
is in the Batangas Bay Region.
Consequently, it is the most densely
populated among the three bay regions
at 7.1 persons/hectare. One-third
(31.7%) is in the Balayan and Adjacent
Bay Region with a density of 5.5
persons/hectare. A little less than one-
fourth (23.7) of the province’s total
population is in the Tayabas Bay
Region, with a density of 4.7
persons/hectares (PPDO, 2000). An
increasing endeavor is the commercial
raising of livestock, i.e. poultry and
piggery, making the province, especially
the Batangas Bay Region, a primary
supplier of poultry and meat products in
Southern Tagalog and Metro Manila. In
2002, the three bay regions have a total
poultry and livestock population of
13,858,391, of which 97% were raised
in the Batangas Bay Region while the
Balayan Bay Region and the Tayabas
Bay Region contributed 1% and 2%,
respectively to the total. BBR supplies
30% of meat and poultry and 50% of the
egg requirements of Metro Manila.
Owing to its comparative
advantage and accessibility to Metro
Manila and to other Southern Tagalog
producer-provinces like Mindoro,
Laguna and Cavite, Batangas is
becoming a major industrial and
commercial province in the country. The
coastline of Batangas Bay is
continuously serving the industrial,
residential, commercial, and
transportation needs of various sectors.
While some industries are cropping up
in the Balayan and Adjacent Bays
Region, its coastline is still generally
being utilized for residential,
commercial, transportation, and
recreational purposes. Meanwhile, the
coastline of Tayabas Bay basically
provides the venue for residential and
recreational activities.
From 1998 to 2002, industrial and
commercial establishments in the three
bay regions increased by 36%. Of this
figure, 12% is accounted for by large
industries, 4.5% by medium industries
and more than 50% by small industries.
Majority of the medium and large
industries are located in the Batangas
Bay Region, including enclaves of
foreign locators operating in several
industrial estates and parks.
Port development especially in
Batangas Bay has taken significant
development which led to more
intensified navigation and port-related
activities. The first of the four phases of
port development has been completed
in 1998 while the second phase had
started in 1999. From 1998 to 2002,
shipping activities intensified as shown
by increases in shipping traffic of about
12%, cargo traffic of 20% and
passenger traffic of 47%.
The extensive use of resources in
the bay regions extends to the marine
territory. Fish production in Batangas
province increased from 37,969 metric
tons (MT) in 1999 to 47,043 MT in 2002.
This is largely due, however, to the
increasing production from the
aquaculture sector, from 16,371 MT in
1999 to 23,772 MT in 2002. Notably,
marine municipal fisheries almost
equaled aquaculture in 1999 (16,996
MT), however, in 2002 marine municipal
fisheries only increased by a mere eight
percent (at 18,451 MT) compared to
aquaculture’s almost 45% increase. A
study conducted on fish production
sufficiency analysis revealed that
Batangas province has fallen short by
2,203 MT, i.e. fish production vis-à-vis
per capita consumption (PAO/PPDO,
2000). In general, except for some
areas, the catch per unit effort has been
observed to be generally declining in the
three bay regions, especially in the
Batangas Bay Region. A recent length-
frequency survey, reveals that some fish
species are under threat of being
overfished in Balayan and Adjacent
Bays (Enderez, 2002)) and these
include gulyasan, hasa-hasa, lagidlid,
and tulingan.
The Balayan and its Adjacent Bays
and Tayabas Bay are biodiversity refuge
compared to Batangas Bay. The
presence of charismatic species like the
spinner dolphins, marine turtles, and
sperm whales, indicate the bio-richness
of these bays. Since they are top
predators, their presence indicates
copious amount of food resources in the
area and are good bio-indicators of the
richness of the bays’ coastal marine
area. Also, in Balayan and its Adjacent
Bays, there are at least 319 coral
species, of which eight are considered
rare; 32 mangrove and associated
species; nine seagrass species; and
262 fish species. An independent
survey in 2001 reveals that the coral
reefs in the southern part of Balayan
Bay (Bauan, Mabini and Tingloy) waters
have generally improved (33% to 48%)
compared to 1993 levels (White et al,
2001). Also, a 2003 survey showed that
25 coral species found in the area are
new additions to the Philippines and
new records to the list previously
published by Veron (2000). A tourism
product inventory of San Juan along
Tayabas Bay indicated that the
municipality has 496 hectares of
mangroves and swamp areas, of which
over 100 hectares are intact, the largest
in all of Batangas Province (Grey,
2002). In comparing Balayan Bay to
other dive sites in the “Coral Triangle”
(i.e. Philippines, Indonesia, and
Malaysia), Fenner (2003) considers the
coral fauna of this bay to be the most
diverse considering the high number of
species encountered in a limited number
of dives.
Taal Lake was declared a
Protected Landscape by Proclamation
906 issued on October 6, 1996. The
lake harbors two of the most
economically important freshwater
species in the province, the freshwater
sardines (tawilis) and the carangidh
(maliputo). It is also major production
area for tilapia with around 10,000 units
of fish cages. The whole length of
Pansipit River (this river connects the
lake to Balayan Bay) is declared a fish
sanctuary. The western part of the
volcano island is likewise declared a fish
sanctuary. Aside from fisheries, the
lake is also major tourist destination
area for sight-seeing, boating,
swimming, sailing, and water skiing.
International Agreements and
National Programs
As a show of support to the
global concern for the protection of the
environment and the preservation of
natural resources, the Philippines is a
signatory to the following international
agreements: Convention on Wetlands of
International Importance Especially of
Waterfowl Habitat (RAMSAR 1971),
Convention concerning the protection of
the World Cultural and Natural Heritage responsibility of the implementing
(Paris, 1972), Convention on institutions of the SEMP for Batangas to
International Trade in Endangered create a synergy between and among
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora these national programs and projects
(Washington, 1973), Convention on the and the implementation of local
Conservation of Migratory Species of programs and projects identified in the
Wild Animals (Bonn, 1979), (e) SEMP.
Convention on the Protection of the
Natural Resources and Environment of
the South Pacific Region (1986), and Local Initiatives, Trends and
Convention on Biological Diversity Implications
(CBD, 1992). It is imperative that the
SEMP for Batangas is able to help
During the mid 90’s there were two
ensure that the country is able to adhere
important planning documents that
to and actualize these agreements at
paved the way for rapid industrialization
both national and local levels.
of the province of Batangas. The 1995-
2000 Comprehensive Provincial Land
There are national laws and
Use Plan (CPLUP), also known as the
programs relevant to the environmental
Provincial Physical Framework Plan
management of the province’s bay-
(PPFP), sets the vision for a “Balanced
regions. Although the implementation of
Agro-Industrial Modernization and
these laws is primarily the responsibility
Ecologically Sustainable Development
of the national agencies located in the
for Batangas Province”. It also sets a
province, the local government units
goal of transforming the Province from
also have their roles to play in ensuring
an agricultural area into an agro-
the proper and full implementation of
industrial center by the beginning of this
these relevant laws. Foremost among
century. The other document that
these laws are the following: the
expounded the balanced agro-
Fisheries Code, the National Integrated
industrialization route was the Provincial
Protected Area System Act, the Clean
Development Plan (PDP, 1999-2001)
Water Act, Wildlife Resources
which incorporates and supports the key
Conservation and Protection Act, and
elements of the CALABARZON Master
the Environmental Solid Waste
Plan, as well as the existing
Management Act, among others (Annex
Municipal/City Development Plans,
1). The institutions, existing and/or to
Region IV Development Plan, and the
be created, responsible for the
Tagaytay-Taal Master Plan.
implementation of the SEMP for
Batangas province shall therefore have
These plans principally focus on
to ensure that the implementation of
heavy physical infrastructure, except for
these relevant laws are properly
some areas like Maricaban Island,
coordinated at the provincial, bay-region
Mabini, Taal Lake, and the coastline of
wide, and municipal levels. These laws
Lobo, San Juan and Nasugbu that were
should also be complemented with and
identified for coastal tourism. On the
reinforced by corresponding local
other hand, the whole of Balayan Bay
ordinances.
was considered for conservation by
these plans. Notably, the targets set by
While there may be relevant
these plans, especially agro-
national programs and projects
industrialization, have been mostly
implemented by the national agencies,
achieved and are felt today, more
their reach and impacts have to be
importantly in the Batangas Bay Region.
intensified in the province. It will be the
Its effect, in terms of industrial and
population growth, also radiated to the
neighboring bay regions, in particular
among the towns nearer to Batangas
City, i.e Bauan, Mabini, and the now
densely populated municipality of Taal.
An important challenge among the
LGUs along the coast of Batangas Bay
and the Balayan and Adjacent Bays is to
meet the anticipated volume of wastes
generated by growth in industrialization
and coastal settlements. Wastes and
other forms of pollution inevitably flow to
the coastal/marine waters.
Both the Provincial Development
Plan (PDP) and the Provincial Physical
Framework Plan (PPFP) are now being
updated. In this regard, it is very timely
that the conservation of the bays in the
province and the integrated approach in
developing the bay regions can be put
forward among provincial planners and
policy makers. For one, the PPFP is
focused mainly on the terrestrial aspects
of the Province’s development. This
SEM Plan could augment the physical
framework plan by merging the
coastal/marine concerns into the
terrestrial-based activities of the
province.
Local impetus for conservation
predates this Plan. In fact, it enjoys a
long history dating back to the 70’s.
Because their economies and
livelihoods are entwined with tourism
and fishery, the LGUs and the resort
groups have economic incentives to
invest in conservation activities. This is
especially so in the towns of Mabini,
Tingloy, Nasugbu, Calatagan, Balayan,
San Luis, and San Juan. To date, these
LGUs have been actively supporting
marine law enforcement activities,
through their Bantay Dagat volunteers.
With the help of NGOs and POs, marine
sanctuaries have been established,
mangrove areas were reforested,
livelihoods were created, innovative
financing introduced, and other coastal
resources management activities were
undertaken. In fact, initial successes
have already been recorded. Some
coral reefs in Mabini and Tingloy,
improved in condition from “fair” to
“good” and even to “excellent” in some
stations.
In 1996, the Provincial
Government formulated a 25-year
Strategic Environmental Management
Plan for the Batangas Bay Region
(SEMP-BBR). It envisages the
Batangas Bay Region and Batangas
Bay as models for the achievement of
economic growth while simultaneously
guaranteeing environmental integrity.
The SEMP-BBR serves as a blueprint or
roadmap that prescribes the manner by
which development should proceed
without compromising the environment
and natural resources. Its formulation
was assisted by the Partnerships for
Environmental Management for the
Seas of East Asia or PEMSEA, a
UNDP-IMO Programme.
Replicating the above, an
Integrated Coastal Management Project
for Balayan and Adjacent Bays in
Calatagan Peninsula was launched in
2000, through a Memorandum of
Agreement (MOA) between the
Provincial Government of Batangas, the
World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines
(WWF-Phils), and the 11 western
coastal municipalities. This paved the
way for the formulation of an ICM Plan
in 2003, which was later adopted and
endorsed by the Provincial Development
Council in 2004.
The Tayabas Bay Region has yet
to come up with its own ICM Plan. On
the other hand, the Taal Volcano
Protected Landscape, has its own
conservation and development plan,
and is managed by the national
government (being part of the NIPAS
Act) through a Protected Area
Management Board (PAMB).
 While the social capital favoring
conservation in Batangas is evidently
present, the challenge of integration and
coordination remains. The institutional
framework to make integration work and
stick in an ecosystem-wide
management framework and setting has
so far eluded ICM practitioners. Initial
work has been done to build
constituencies and to pool together
limited resources from state actors to
the private sector and civil society.
Much work still remains to be done to
achieve effective integration in the
management of coastal and marine
resources.
The Strategic Environmental
Management Plan of Batangas
The SEMP-BBR encompasses
the entire BBR but the immediate focus
was the coastal municipalities bordering
Batangas Bay. The adoption of the
Strategic Environmental Management
Plan for the Batangas Bay Region
ushered in the creation of the Batangas
Bay Region Environmental Protection
Council (BBR-EPC) and the Provincial
Government- Environment and Natural
Resource Office (PG-ENRO). BBR-
EPC was created by virtue of Provincial
Ordinance 01 series of 1996 and was
established to supervise and control the
formulation, adoption, governance and
implementation and policy direction of
the SEMP and subsequent
environmental plan for the BBR. It is
crucial to have a structure like the BBR-
EPC backed by appropriate legislation
and whose processes enable all parties
to share information, explore differences
and build trust to enhance the
formulation of productive cross-sectoral
relations and participate in shaping
outcomes. Likewise, the BBR-EPC was
complemented by PG-ENRO, a
permanent coordinating office within the
framework of the local government
which coordinated the various sectors
and implemented the ICM program in
the BBR. With clear directions set by
the SEMP, (1) enforcement teams were
established, (2) public awareness and
education campaigns were conducted,
(3) multisectoral efforts were harnessed
and joined to monitor environmental
changes, (4) mechanisms for managing
multiple use conflicts were created and
supported by developing a water use
zonation plan and assessing risks, (5)
an integrated waste management action
plan was developed and short-term
actions were initially taken, and (6)
periodic monitoring and evaluation were
put in place including regular reporting
exercises and external evaluation at
midterm and end of the project.
Despite progress in ICM made under
the direction set by the SEMP, there are
still some gaps that have to be
addressed to deal with some
uncertainties and expected outcomes
that somehow constrained the smooth
implementation and expansion of
projects and activities. As rapid growth
and development continue to occur in
Batangas Province, more environmental
issues and new challenges have to be
addressed not only for the BBR but also
for the whole province as well,
especially in the management areas of
two other major bays in Batangas
Province - Balayan Bay and Tayabas
Bay, and the freshwater Taal Lake.
These could come either as
unanticipated implementation questions
or issues raised by changing
circumstances and are enumerated
below:
 •Fishing
•Tourism
•Agriculture
•Protected area
•Biodiversity refuge

Tayabas
Bay

•Fishing
•Tourism
•Agriculture
•Recreation
•Biodiversity refuge •Industrial
•Protected area •Commercial
•Navigation/
port activities
•Biodiversity
•conservation

enforcement and consequently

1. Water use zonation plan making them co-owners and
developed as part of the SEMP active partners of ICM projects.
cannot stand alone since water As the mechanism for
uses are related to land-based enforcement expands and
activities. Water use zonation is stabilized, the opportunity can be
a logical extension and an expanded and extended to
integral part of land use and combine enforcement and
planning hence the functionality regulations with financing
and implementation of water use schemes through the application
plan significantly depends on its of market-based instruments.
integration with existing land use
plans. Figure 2 shows the 3. Implementing the SEMP requires
dominant uses of land and water a comprehensive and holistic
in the three bay regions which approach to communication at
can serve as focal points for an the community level. There
integrated zonation plan. must be a process through which
Likewise, Annex _ presents the information is imparted to the
approved zonation scheme for public and to all stakeholders to
the Batangas Bay Region. increase their awareness,
understanding and appreciation
2. The enforcement team formed of ICM activities and their
ensured multi sectoral relevance.
membership but was not able to
fully mobilize the community in
4. The institutional mechanism has
been established and the
coordination office has been
made operational, but LGU
empowerment to initiate and
sustain the environmental
program at the grassroots level
is weak. An updated SEMP
could emphasize on the setting
up of MENROs and the
development of city/municipal
ICM plans with the active
participation of communities.
5. The SEMP is flexible enough to
allow for replication but updating
is needed to accommodate
differences in specific intents
and target population. Areas for
replication would do well by
looking at the experiences of
BBR and reflecting on how their
assets and opportunities are
alike or different. Common
threads of experiences may
become apparent and with this,
the SEMP is used to maximize
situational strengths, minimize
weaknesses and take advantage
of available opportunities.
6. With the replication in Balayan
Bay and the wider geographical
coverage of ICM program in
Batangas, the development of a
wide range of strategic
partnership is important.
The updated SEMP therefore
should be flexible enough to modify,
refine, widen and improve its
interventions as more information is
generated and accumulated from
experience. As can be seen in the
succeeding chapters, this province-
wide SEMP incorporates early
recognizable success stories and
lessons from the initial programs,
projects and activities of the SEMP-
BBR as inputs to replication and
expansion. This provides the
updated SEMP a more
comprehensive framework towards
focused and more concerted efforts
in integrated coastal management
among the three bay regions in the
province - Batangas Bay, Balayan
and Adjacent Bays, Tayabas and
Adjacent Bays together with Taal
Lake, a freshwater lake earlier
declared as a protected landscape.
The geographical coverage of three
bay regions represents a significant
scaling up from the BBR coverage.
Likewise, the issues tackled have
expanded to cover biodiversity and
habitat, fishery resources, and
underground water in addition to
waste generation and management,
the major concern in the SEMP-
BBR. Consequently, programs and
strategies developed were geared to
address these issues and provide
technical intervention along these
lines.
The Batangas Bay
Environmental Protection Council
(BBREPC) that provided the
institutional support to the SEMP-
BBR will be expanded into the
Batangas Environmental Protection
Council (BEPC) that will serve as the
umbrella institutional mechanism to
provide the venue for the formulation
of cross-bay region policies and
relations. PG-ENRO will still be the
main coordinating office but will be
actively supported by MENROs and
MPDCs who will take care of major
issues and programs at the bay
region levels.
Community participation, an
important segment where significant
progress was not achieved in the
SEMP-BBR will be harnessed to the
fullest via the city/municipal ICM
councils. Lessons from success
stories have resulted in the
simplification of some rules and
procedures for local stakeholders,
particularly the communities to
assume more responsible roles in
ICM.

An appropriate legislation will be

effected to back-up the above
mechanism that will ensure
coordination from top to bottom in
the scaling up process.
Identification and
Classification of Issues
and Problems
Owing to the vastness of the area,
both coastal/marine and terrestrial, the
large size of population and the
intensive utilization of land and water
resources, the three bay regions
combined are facing countless
environmental problems and issues.
These issues and problems,
complicated and numerous as they are,
however, are very much interrelated.
The SEMP of the Batangas Bay Region
and the ICM Plan of the Balayan and
Adjacent Bays Region and some of the
relevant studies on the Tayabas Bay
Region provided much data and
information for the identification of these
issues and problems. Specifically, the
two earlier mentioned documents were
outputs of several baseline studies and
series of consultations among
stakeholders, i.e. government, NGOs
and POs, industries, academe, tourism
sector and fisher folk, among others.
The current environmental issues
are identified with a view to establish a
framework for specific actions to
address the environmental problems in
Batangas. Efforts shall be made to
integrate and/or coordinate initiatives
with the PAMB of Taal Volcano
Protected Landscape in order to be able
to holistically cover the whole province’s
environmental management efforts.
Through the leadership of the PG-
ENRO, the Technical Working Group
and several partner organizations, the
issues and problems were initially culled
from various reports and existing
planning documents. These were later
verified, validated, refined, and
classified through several planning and
consultation workshops and round-table
discussions, attended by stakeholders
from both the provincial level and
coastal municipalities throughout the
three bay regions. The issues were
analyzed in terms of the problems and
causes and were categorized and
grouped and linkages between issues
were established.
The identified environmental
management issues of the three bay
regions are complex but interrelated.
They can be classified, however, into
five major areas of concerns, listed
herein in no particular order: (i) waste
generation and management, (ii) fishery
resources, (iii) biodiversity and habitat,
(iv) underground water, and (v)
sustainability through institutionalization
and community participation. Spatially,
however, the above may vary in terms
of intensity, but are nevertheless
common, among the three bay regions.
Waste generation and
management
The issue on waste generation and
management encompasses three major
types of wastes produced in Batangas:
solid wastes, industrial and agricultural
wastes and ship and port wastes.
Solid waste generation and
disposal
This issue is common among all
three bay regions, both in terms of
generation and accumulation and
inadequacy of waste disposal
facilities. More waste is generated
in the province because of
increasing human settlements
resulting from both high population
growth rate and in-migration. The
province generates a total of
345,743 metric tons of wastes in
year 2002. Average waste
generation per municipality is
estimated at 10,169 tons per year,
which translates to about 11.3 tons
per day. Per capita waste
generation in year 2002 was
estimated at 5.6 grams.
Although there are efforts to
promote recycling and reuse of
wastes, the lack of incentives
discouraged the interest and
enthusiasm on these waste
minimization efforts. Waste
management scheme is limited only
to the ineffective collect and dump
system. Segregation of waste at
source is not a common practice and
where garbage are segregated, they
got mixed up again in dump trucks
and dumping areas due to lack of
facilities for solid waste
management. Indiscriminate
dumping of wastes is commonly
observed in many areas due to weak
implementation of penalties for this
act.
The open and unsanitary
dumpsites aggravate the problem of
accumulation. While satisfactory,
modern solutions to municipal waste
problems have begun to be
developed in other parts of the
country, Batangas has not made
much progress in addressing these
issues. Very few controlled disposal
facilities exist in the province and the
need for such facilities intensifies as
throwaway packaging, high in non-
degradable plastic content, makes
up a larger portion of the waste
stream. Except for the city of
Batangas and the municipalities of
Alitagtag and Tingloy which
implement controlled dumping in
their disposal site, the mode of
disposal is through open dumping.
Of the 34 cities/municipalities, five
have no dumpsites, one has already
closed its dumping site, three
operate controlled dumpsites while
the others have open dumps.
There is a growing resistance
from surrounding communities
against creating or opening new
dumpsites. Consequently, wastes
end up in the coastal marine area,
even if accumulated in the terrestrial
area. The weak technical and
financial capability of local
governments to support
comprehensive waste management
as required in RA 9003 is seen as a
significant factor, among others,
affecting solid waste generation,
accumulation, and disposal.
 Box 1. Waste generation and disposal in Batangas Province

WASTE WASTE
GENERATION MUNICIPALITY GENERATION
MUNICIPALITY
(TONS) (TONS)
Agonillo 3,438 Rosario 10,835
Alitagtag 4,000 San Jose 6,130
Balayan 12,220 San Juan 13,350
Balete 2,228 San Luis 5,755
Bauan 24,073 San Nicolas 2,925
Calaca 10,423 San Pascual 7,738
Calatagan 7,465 Sta. Teresita 2,358
Cuenca 5,210 Sto. Tomas 10,945
Ibaan 8,590 Taal 6,710
Laurel 4,205 Talisay 5,155
Lemery 13,190 Taysan 3,835
Lian 7,078 Tingloy 2,675
Lobo 7,128 Tuy 4,568
Mabini 4,263 Batangas City 66,580
Malvar 4,730 Lipa City 30,625
Mataasnakahoy 4,350 Tanauan City 19,993

Source: PG-ENRO, 2004.

Industrial and agricultural wastes

The disposal of untreated scale and are geographically

industrial and agricultural wastes in dispersed, making it difficult,
tributaries and coastal marine waters expensive, and uneconomical to put
is caused by inadequate treatment up a common waste treatment
facilities in both groups of industries. facility. Residues from agricultural
Wastewater treatment facilities are practices (fertilizer application and
poorly functioning, having pest control), animal wastes from
inadequate capacity or simply non- piggery, poultry and other livestock
existent. This inadequacy production activity contribute to
contributes to pollutant loading in nutrient loading of water bodies,
river systems, creeks and waterway cause sedimentation and
that ultimately drains into the bay. contaminate the seafood. The
This is considered serious especially weak implementation of regulations
among agriculture and livestock on industrial and agricultural wastes
producers operating on a backyard by enforcement agencies
 encourages polluters to be less
vigilant in their waste generation and
disposal activities.
Oil spill and discharges from
industries, whether accidental of
intentional are also seen to create
risks in view of the petrochemical
and energy industries along
Batangas Bay and Balayan Bay.
From 2001 to 2003, there wee nine
reported incidents of spillages and
emissions from industries along
Batangas and Balayan Bays.

Box 2. Incidents of spillages and emissions from industries along

Batangas and Balayan Bays, 2001-2003.

DATE POLLUTER LOCATION NATURE OF POLLUTION

February Minola Refining Aplaya, Spillage of unrefined/crude coconut oil

2001 Corporation & Bauan, passing through the defective flange
Julius Barge Batangas connecting the hose of Julius Barge and
the pipeline towards the tank of Minola
Refining Corporation
August General Milling Tabangao, About 5 tons of vegetable (soya) oil spilled
2001 Corporation Batangas City in about 3,000 sq m of the bay area
April 3M Steam Padre Garcia, Discharging of treated wastewater at
2002 Laundry Batangas Cawongan River
Batangas Coal Calaca,
August Fired Thermal Batangas Emissions containing mercury and other
2002 Power Plant toxic heavy metals
San Miguel,
January Mabuhay Vinyl Bauan, Spillage of liquid caustic soda
2003 Corporation Batangas
Discharging of molasses into the bay
March Aplaya,
Trans Asia which caused discoloration and foaming of
2003 Bauan
bay water
April Tabangao, Vegetable oil spill which resulted to
2003 General Milling Batangas City dissolved oxygen of zero in one of the
Corporation outfalls
July Various Nasugbu
2003 industries along Fish kill in Palico River due to effluent
Palico River from industries
San Miguel,
October Mabuhay Vinyl Bauan, Liquid caustic soda spillage
2003 Corporation Batangas

Source: PG-ENRO, 2004.

Ship and port wastes

Shipping activities and expansion of among the three bays, but is more
port facilities have generated ship intensely felt in Batangas Bay.
and port-related wastes that Related problems identified are ship
eventually are dumped in the bay collision and oil spill due to
waters. This is considered an issue increasing vehicle traffic. Illegal
discharge of wastes from shipping
vessels have also been observed
such as dumping of used oil and
ballasting water from boats, ships
and other sea vessels passing or
docking in various ports located in
the province. Ships and vessels
generate considerable quantities of
blackwater, graywater, oil bilge,
ballast water, solid wastes and
hazardous materials. The port
authorities of Batangas recognize
that one of the factors that might
have encouraged the illegal
discharging of wastes is the
inadequate collection and disposal
system of the international port. The
existing system just cannot cope
with the demand of the increasing
vessel and passenger traffic. As of
2004, there are 27 companies which
deploy 68 vessels providing services
in Batangas Bay. In Tayabas Bay,
irresponsible disposal of garbage
have been observed to be
committed by vessels plying the bay
especially the San Juan coastal
route (Resource Combines, Inc.,
2002).
There is also the added risk of oil
and chemical spills especially in
areas where most sea vessels
carrying raw materials dock and
transfer their loads through jetties.
Solid wastes, industrial and
agricultural wastes and ship and port
wastes compromise the integrity of
surface and marine waters if they
are not managed adequately and
rationally. Results of water quality
monitoring done for Batangas Bay
shows that pollution status in terms
of oil and grease content has
worsened significantly. This
parameter was recorded at 36.2 mg/l
in 1997 and increased to 41.13 mg/l
in 2004. Statistical comparison
across years showed that the
increase in pollutants is significant.
However, despite the rapid
economic development occurring in
the region, water quality has not
deteriorated significantly in terms of
nitrates and phosphates. Likewise,
pollution status in terms of dissolved
oxygen (DO) had improved. In
1997, DO was measured at an
average of 6.68 mg/l and this
increased to 9.93 mg/l in 2004.
Balayan and Tayabas Bays are
facing the same threat of pollution if
economic activities around the area
are not rationalized. Palico River in
Lian and Nasugbu has exceeded the
standard for Class C water due to
pollution from households and from
sugar mills and alcohol distilleries.
Bambang River in Balayan is
severely polluted due to the
discharge of partially treated water
from sugar mills. Pamintahan River
in Lipa City is heavily polluted given
the wastes coming from households,
hog farms and the public market.
Fishery resources
This issue is analyzed in terms
of declining fish catch, the use of
illegal and destructive fishing
methods and decreasing effective
area of fishing. Common to all three
bay regions, the decline in fish catch
arises from population pressure and
increasing fish efforts. As of year
2003, fishermen in the Batangas
Bay Region totaled to 3,296 while in
the Balayan Bay and Tayabas Bay
Regions, they numbered to 3,936
and 1,875, respectively. Open-
access to fishery resources and “no
catch limit” policy encourage more
fishermen to exploit the resource,
however, it breeds unfair competition
between commercial and municipal
fishermen leading to economic
dislocation.
 Municipal and commercial fish
catch declined from 23,553,365
kilograms in 1998 to 10,030,779
kilograms in 1999. This creates impact
on the ecosystem and the socio-
economic life of the people, especially
among fisher folks. The consequent
economic difficulty from declining fish
catch made fishermen resort to
destructive fishing methods. Such
practice provides short-term gains to
fishermen but aggravates the cycle of
poverty and is a serious violation of RA
8550. The capability of existing
enforcement agencies is not enough to
go after violators seriously and conduct
swift apprehension.
The decline in effective area for
fishing is attributed to the multiple uses
of the bays, encroachment by
commercial fishers, and the conduct of
reclamation projects. Open water
areas are common property resources
to governments, private sector down to
individual fisher folks. No single ruling
entity or group exercise control over it.
As defined in the Fisheries Code, a
maximum 15 km limit for municipal
fisheries is allowable, however, this
results in overlapping jurisdictions
among municipalities. There is also the
continuous encroachment of commercial
fishing vessels into municipal waters
which creates conflict with municipal
fishers. In addition, the unrestricted
access to commercially valuable fish
species is a serious cause of
overexploitation of fishery resources and
depletion of fish stocks.
Biodiversity and habitat
The destruction of shoreline,
mangroves, and other ecological
habitats including sea grass beds, soft
bottom communities and coral reefs is a
growing concern given the awareness
that the loss of habitat is the most
serious threat to marine biodiversity,
especially if contiguous but different
habitats forming landscape biodiversity
are lost. Marine biodiversity is a natural
heritage and a vital resource for
Batanguenos and they are linked to their
habitats. These habitats serve as
refuge and nursery areas for
commercial and non-commercial fish
and shellfish species. Habitat loss
means loss of spawning areas and
nursery grounds for terrestrial and
marine life. Such loss demands more
government action to conduct habitat
restoration and rehabilitation, to put up
infrastructures to aid rehabilitation and
to provide more extension services,
which entail added costs and socio-
economic tensions. Pressures from
intensified human activities as well as
abuse of foreshore lease agreements
are identified as contributing factors,
among others. Illegal titling of
shorelines is also observed which limits
the access to this resource.
Pressure comes from continuous
increase in population and the high
tendency of in-migration due to lack of
alternative livelihood options. Coastal
areas serve as an interface between
terrestrial and marine environment and
are considered as one of the most
productive areas in marine habitat. The
high productivity of the areas support
living resources to which coastal folks
depends. For example, the primary
source of shrimp larvae to stock the
farms is the mangrove forest and the
long-term sustainability of farms is
jeopardized by destruction of
mangroves. These resources are not
limitless and are bound to fail once
exploited irrationally. Exploitation
comes in the form of (1) extraction of
wood from mangrove areas, (2)
collection of mangrove substrate for the
production of construction bricks and (3)
collection of coral boulders and coral
heads for construction purposes
(Resource Combines, Inc., 2002). In
addition, rampant conversions of
mangrove areas into settlements,
resorts and fishponds are noted. Other
problems such as soil erosion often
accompany mangrove destruction and
adversely affect the coral reefs. While
losses of coral reefs and mangrove
habitats are probably the most
significant in terms of losses of
biodiversity, other critical habitats such
as wetland areas, estuaries and
seagrass beds which are known to be
key nursery areas for coastal fisheries
are also disappearing. In 2001 and
2003 reports of the WWF, resort owners
have considered these plants as
eyesores and are systematically
removed. Although sightings of
charismatic species, i.e. dolphins,
marine sea turtles, sperm whales have
been constantly reported in the bays,
they are still under threat due to
persistent use of illegal and destructive
fishing methods, including the use of
dynamite.
All the above activities that lead to
habitat destruction and consequent
decline/loss of biodiversity point to
apathy and lack of awareness of the
public and the tendency of decision-
makers to implement myopic solutions
to the biodiversity and habitat problem.
Underground water
This is an emerging area of
concern, but recently, the provincial
government is already cognizant of. The
industrial path taken by the province has
led to the fast extraction of underground
water for household, commercial, and
industrial uses. Although there are no
published documents comparing the
rates of extraction and replenishment of
underground water, except the one by
Lipa City Water District (Semana, 1999),
there is a growing concern that the
current extraction rates, especially in
Batangas Bay Region, are relatively
faster than optimal. In 1999, about 15%
of wells in the Lipa City Water District
had been abandoned due to lowered
piezometric levels and/or reduced well
capacity. Matanguihan (2004) reported
that existing withdrawal from wells has
caused considerable depletion of
groundwater resources, so that current
drilling projects reach depths of up to
240 meters. Supply has to be beefed
up to support an average of 181 new
service connections per month. In
addition, the supply problem is
aggravated by the disregard among
communities of the protection of
important and critical watersheds.
Deforestation in fact is a common sight
in the province, mostly caused by
conversion due to intensified
agriculture, tourism (i.e. into resorts),
and establishment of new settlements.
There is a growing concern that
water scarcity will be a serious problem
in the future if the amount withdrawn is
so big that water supplies are no longer
adequate to satisfy all human and
ecosystem requirements. This will
increase the scarcity value of water and
will make the search for alternative
sources of water very costly. Taal Lake
has been considered an alternative
source in view of its appreciable storage
and flow, however, water in the lake will
require sophisticated process of filtration
and demineralization which is six times
more expensive than the pump well
costs. Likewise, the degradation of
freshwater sources also contributes to
water scarcity and implies an increasing
cost of new water source development.
Good water resources surveys are
needed as well as preliminary test
drilling to guarantee that new wells will
yield adequate supplies of water of right
quality. Digging wells can also be
expensive given that a hydro geological
survey must first be undertaken before
starting any extensive drilling program.
 Scarcity and quality concerns
are closely linked. Groundwater
pumping often mobilizes water that is
saline or contains natural contaminants
such as arsenic and fluoride. When
combined with increasing pollutant loads
from agriculture, industry and municipal
sewage, this pumping can irreversibly
contaminate aquifers. A study made by
Batangas State University (2001)
revealed that the drinking water in the
whole province is not considered
potable in terms of total coliform count in
all its drinking water sources. This could
account for the very high incidence of
diarrhea in Batangas. The same study
also shows that there is already an
evidence of salt-water intrusion in most
of the drinking sources in the province.
It was concluded that salt-water
intrusion is being induced by over
pumping of underground water.
The above shows that over
extraction and pumping not only lead to
yield reduction but also to degrading
quality due to salt-water intrusion.
Inadequacy in water governance can be
traced to the little appreciation for water
as an economic good and the absence
of a mechanism that integrates water
and watershed plans and programs of
various agencies, among others.
Community participation
This area of concern is common
to all the other areas described earlier
and is considered an all-encompassing
concern. The process of involving the
community and building a constructive
partnership with them in the
implementation of ICM has been slow.
Despite the adequacy of specialist
knowledge on ICM in the BBR, skills are
still needed in a diverse range of areas
from information and knowledge
management through conflict resolution
at the community level. Despite the
increasing number of participatory
initiatives in Batangas, it is clear that
most of these are still only “islands of
successes”.
Weak community participation can
be analyzed in terms of a set of causal
factors and this constitutes the nexus of
(i) inadequate education and
awareness, thereby limiting
participation, (ii) weak functional
organization of communities that hinders
sustained and effective participation, (iii)
weak and fragmented information base,
(iv) limited representation and
coordination in the formulation and
enforcement of plans, policies, and
programs, (v) weak enforcement
capabilities that allows non-compliance
to environmental laws and regulations.
Members of the community can
serve as a bridge to segments of society
that may be hard to reach through
formal ICM program channels. Their
effectiveness as bridge or channel
depends significantly on how the
community uses the information to
change their situation either by
becoming grounds for action or by
making the community capable of
different or more effective action. The
functional organization of communities
is generally weak. Except for some
communities with fishermen’s
organizations, there are no community
participation plan developed with proper
and adequate consultation and
guidance. Trust and confidence in the
managers, leaders and local officials
who support community participation
efforts will play a crucial role in
determining whether and how far the
community goes in taking responsibility
for local ICM initiatives. Community
participation is enhanced if ICM project
efforts build local skills, interests and
capacities that are sustainable.
Likewise, community participation in
planning and decision-making
complements the enforcement of
environmental regulations. Community
participation and pressure is especially
necessary to compensate for weak
environmental law enforcement or the
absence of environmental regulations.

Box 3. Environment-related issues and problems

in the bay regions of Batangas Province

ISSUE/AREA OF
CONCERN PROBLEM/CONSEQUENCE CAUSES/FACTORS

Increasing human settlements tied up

with population increase & in-migration
Waste Accumulation of solid wastes Lack of incentives for waste
generation and minimization and recycling
management Weak penalties for random dumping of
(solid wastes, wastes
industrial &
agricultural
wastes, shipping Open and unsanitary or uncontrolled
and port dumpsites
wastes) Improper solid waste disposal Resistance from communities in
opening new dumpsites
Weak financial capability of LGUs to
support a comprehensive program

Indiscriminate disposal of Inadequate treatment facilities

untreated industrial and Accidental spills
agricultural wastes Small & widely dispersed operators

Ship collision and oil spill Increasing vessel traffic

Illegal waste discharge of Inadequate waste reception facility for

ship vessel

Declining fish harvest Large and widespread increase in

Fishery fishing efforts
resources

Use of illegal fishing methods Weak enforcement of relevant

provisions of RA 8550

Decreasing effective area for Encroachment by commercial fishing

fishing boats
Multiple uses of the bay
Reclamation projects
 Biodiversity Destruction of shoreline, Conflicts in foreshore lease agreement
and habitat mangrove areas & other Illegal titling of shorelines
ecological habitats

Threatened biodiversity Pressure from intensified human

activities

Underground Depletion of underground Fast rate of extraction due to increasing

water resource water resource demand for water
Unprotected watersheds

Limited alternative water Increasing cost of new water source

sources development

Degrading quality of Salt-water intrusion & presence of

underground water contaminants induced by over pumping
of water

Insufficient and ineffective

Inadequate education and awareness
participation
Community Weak/non-functional organization of
participation coastal communities

Weak enforcement capability Limited representation and coordination

and low compliance to in formulation and enforcement policies,
environmental laws and plans, programs, and projects
regulations

Prioritization of Issues Using approach but is often a missing

Risk Ranking
The number and subtlety of
environmental problem areas challenge
ready assessment. Environmental
issues are not of the same importance.
Perceptions of urgencies and priorities
are manifested in the ranking done
during the consultative workshops held
among stakeholders.
It is important that the decision-
making process be strengthened before
priorities are set for the physical
environment and the programs to be
implemented. A procedural approach is
as important as that target-oriented
prerequisite in identifying priorities and
realizing successful environmental
programs.
A comparative risk approach was
taken which evaluates the
environmental issues on the basis of the
risks and their impacts on human health,
the ecosystem and the socio-economic
life of the people. It generates an
environmental priority list within the
constraints of limited resources to
protect the environment. More
importantly, it involves all stakeholders
in the decision-making process; they
have identified threats to health,
ecosystem and socio-economic life to
develop a working list of issues. In
short, it ensures allocation of scarce
resources effectively while expanding a
dialogue among stakeholders.
Risk ranking in this particular
planning process required the
development of categorical rankings of
perceived risks to (a) human health, i.e.
as they may cause mortality and
morbidity, (b) ecosystems, i.e. as they
may affect biodiversity and integrity of
habitats, and (c) socio-economic
conditions of stakeholders, i.e. as they
affect livelihood, food security, and/or
cause poverty. The risk ranking provides
a basis for prioritizing action programs
that correspond to these
problem/opportunity areas. A problem or
issue is ranked “1” if the risk is evident
or likely to affect all three: human health,
ecosystems, and socio-economic
conditions, of the stakeholders.
Otherwise, the problem or issue is
ranked “0”.
It should be noted that in addition
to the premise that the ranking is done
given limited resources, a more
representative and realistic prioritization
of issue was ensured by giving due
consideration to other criteria in addition
to the major one discussed above.
These include the (1) effect on
vulnerable groups for those
problems/issues which may be localized
and affect only a defined group of
people, (2) spatial extent of degradation
or depletion for those problems whose
effects have a spatial nature such as
localized or cross-cutting across space,
and (3) the extent to which the problem
is irreversible.
Results of the comparative risk
ranking showed that among the
problems associated with the issue of
waste generation and disposal, the
accumulation of solid wastes,
inadequate solid waste disposal facilities
and the disposal of untreated industrial
and agricultural wastes are of high
priority given a categorical ranking of 1.
This rank is in view of the risks inherent
to open dumping of both waste types to
the health of people living nearby and
their socio-economic life and to the
environment. Oil spill and ship collision
and illegal waste discharge of ships are
considered important, however, ranking
was 0 in view of the spatial extent of
their effects which are more localized
than general.
Action programs directed to
address issues on fishery resources
should focus on the declining fish
harvest as the priority problem, given a
rank of 1. Fish is an important source of
food and provides the body with
valuable concentrated proteins. More
importantly, fish have Omega 3 fatty
acids and oils that help protect against
heart disease and these oils are
particularly well matched to the growth
needs of the brain of human infants.
Fishing is a mainstay of the provincial
economy and is a major source of
livelihood of coastal communities.
Destruction of shoreline and
mangroves was also ranked 1 and was
considered as the more significant
problem in the issue of biodiversity and
habitat. Biodiversity will be lost if
habitats become degraded so that
species can no longer survive. Loss of
biodiversity can have deleterious effects
on human health which include
increases in infectious disease burden
due to altered vector populations, more
toxicity from pollutants normally
absorbed by specialized environments,
loss of potential pharmaceuticals and
destruction of potential models for
biomedical research. Vital services
provided by biodiversity and the
ecosystem as a whole in terms of food
production, raw materials and
opportunities for recreation and cultural
activities will also be lost. Emerging
researches have proven that biodiversity
services produce greater economic
benefits than those produced by
continuing to modify habitats and loss of
these services affect the health and
livelihood of people and the ecosystem
in general.
The depletion of underground
water was considered of priority and
was given a rank of 1. Water is a
commodity, a natural resource and a
perceived human entitlement. Typical
uses of water are for drinking and
sanitation but other major uses are in
agriculture, industries and enterprises.
Total individual needs for water ranges
from 15 – 20 liters per day for drinking,
food preparation, clean-up, hygiene and
laundry. Reduction in quantity of water
available to individuals has many health
consequences. As water supply is
reduced, direct intake becomes
insufficient to replace moisture lost from
the body.
Community participation was
considered a highly significant issue
with both the problem of insufficient and
ineffective participation and weak
enforcement capabilities getting a rank
of 1. In succeeding workshops where
the above was validated, ineffective
governance was further recognized as a
reinforcing issue to weak community
participation. This issue stood out as
the most common, if not the overriding
cause of the major environmental
problems and issues among the three
bay-regions.

Box 4. Risk Ranking of Problems and Issues in the

Bay Regions of Batangas Province

ISSUE/AREA OF
CONCERN PROBLEM/CONSEQUENCE IMPACT

Human Ecosystem Socio- Risk

health economic Ranking

Waste generation Accumulation of solid wastes


1

and management
Improper solid waste
1
(solid wastes,
disposal



industrial &
agricultural Indiscriminate disposal of
wastes, shipping untreated industrial and


1
and port wastes agricultural wastes
Ship collision and oil spill

0
Illegal waste discharge of 0
ship

Declining fish harvest


1

Fishery resources Use of illegal fishing methods

0
Decreasing effective area for 0
fishing


 Destruction of shoreline, 1
Biodiversity and
mangrove areas & other




habitat
ecological habitats
Threatened biodiversity


1

1
Depletion of underground
Underground water resource
water resource
Limited alternative water
sources
0
Degrading quality of 0
underground water

Insufficient and ineffective


1

Community participation
participation Weak enforcement capability
and low compliance to
environmental laws and 1




regulations
Vision

Batangas is a socially and 1. To strengthen multi-stakeholder

economically developed community of participation by establishing
responsible citizenry committed and institutional mechanisms that will
empowered to be good stewards of our encourage mobilization and
environment and natural resources. capacity building of communities,
organizations, and agencies in
Mission the sustainable integrated
management of the province’s
To mobilize partnerships and bay-regions.
strengthen capability among local
government units, national government 2. To improve management of
agencies, private sectors, non- municipal solid wastes and
government organizations, volunteer industrial and agricultural
groups, social/civic organizations and wastes, thereby minimizing their
coastal community and residents for pollution impacts on the bays
sustained integrated coastal and other water bodies in the
management. province,

3. To restore and manage the

Goal
province’s terrestrial, coastal
marine and freshwater habitat
To achieve a healthy and
and ecosystems and conserve
acceptable balance between the overall
its biodiversity for the benefit of
economic development and the
the present as well as the future
conservation of natural resources and
population of Batangas.
protection of the environment through
sustainable application of integrated
4. To protect and manage ground
coastal management efforts.
and surface water resources of
the province’s bay-regions.
Objectives
5. To protect the fishery resources
In order to ensure the of the province that will ensure
achievement of the abovementioned food security
goal by 2010, the following are the
identified objectives:
Action Programs
Waste Management (Municipal
Institutional Development and Solid Wastes and Industrial and
Integrated Planning Systems Agricultural Wastes)

A three-tiered multi-stakeholder The action program on Municipal

institutional mechanism will be Solid Waste Management will
established that will supervise, complement the initiatives of the
coordinate, and mobilize participation Provincial Solid Waste Management
and capacity-building among Board and that of the respective
communities, organizations, and City/Municipal Solid Waste Management
agencies, to ensure collective, Boards, pursuant to RA 9003 or the
responsive and pro-active actions Solid Waste Management Act. The
towards sustainable environmental Provincial and City/Municipal Solid
management of the province’s bay- Waste Management Boards required by
regions. Integrated planning systems RA 9003 will be reconstituted to prepare
and policy directions will be enhanced at and/or improve the SWM plans at the
the provincial, bay-region, and municipal provincial, municipal and barangay
level, while capacity building and levels. Information, communication,
information sharing will be undertaken education and capacity-building
and intensified. The land and water use activities (ICEC) will be intensified to
plans of the municipalities will be mobilize the municipality, barangay,
harmonized at all levels. An community, households and other
environmental code will be formulated sectors to minimize wastes, do
and the concerned institutions, i.e. segregation and recycling, and ensure
councils/boards and participating proper disposal of wastes. Material
communities, organizations and recovery facilities (MRFs) will be
agencies, will undergo capacity-building developed at the community, barangay
in order for them to responsibly address and municipal levels and their
critical environmental issues and resolve sustainable operation will be ensured
possible resource use conflicts. It is with the collection of garbage fees and
expected that the three-tiered multi- promotion of income generation from
stakeholder institutions to be recycling. The establishment of sanitary
established will be responsible in landfills or controlled dumpsites will be
supervising the implementation of the carried out by the LGUs with adequate
various action programs pursuant to and and intensive consultations with the
as aligned with this SEMP. Sustainable community in terms of identification of
financing mechanisms (i.e. payment for location of dumpsite, prospecting
environmental services, establishment potential private sector partners who
of trust funds, private-private could provide technical and financial
partnerships, polluters’ pay, etc.) shall complements to LGU capability and
likewise be initiated to ensure a stable resources, formulation of an
source of funding for all these SEMP- implementation plan and development
related activities, and thus attain of the sanitary landfill project.
sustainability.
The action program on Industrial
and Agricultural Waste Management
highlights the strengthening of
community and LGU participation in the
EIA system. Likewise, the program will
build on the initiatives of BCRMF such
as the vigorous pursuance of the
voluntary agreements and pollution
management appraisals and audits.
The existing multi-agency pollution
monitoring team will be revived and
strengthened; capacity will be
developed among its members to
effectively monitor mitigating measures
by industries. The services of the
Batangas Environment Laboratory will
be maximized in conducting water
quality monitoring and evaluation
surveys in the three bays and among
pollution point sources. A quick
response system will mobilize the
participation of industries, academe,
local governments, civil society and
media in promptly responding and
undertaking mitigating measures to
pollution related events such oil spills.
The establishment of environmental
guarantee fund from industries and
development projects will be pursued to
ensure sufficient funds for rehabilitation
and recovery of areas damaged by
industrial and commercial activities.
Habitat Restoration and
Management
This action program will ensure
rehabilitation, protection, and
management of the ecologically
important habitat and ecosystems of the
three bay-regions in the province such
as mangroves, wetlands, estuarine,
rivers, seagrass beds, and coral reefs,
towards protecting biodiversity. There
must be a framework to put biodiversity
at the center stage of human activities
on the basis of key elements, most
important of which are people, science
and regulation and laws. A network of
protected and/or conservation areas
among these life-support systems will
be established consistent with the
requirements and provisions of RA or
the NIPAS Act. This network will be
managed principally by the communities
and stakeholders to highlight the
importance of people and communities
as primary agents of conservation.
The establishment of the
network of protected and conservation
areas will be preceded and/or
complemented with sound scientific
researches, establishment of databases
and IEC campaigns. Biodiversity
erosion continues because knowledge
remains very limited. More importantly,
we underestimate the risks associated
with the loss of ecosystems’ potential
and their capacity to adapt, so that
research must continue to focus on the
identification, inventory and assessment
of critical habitats and ecosystems. The
depleting marine biodiversity demands
urgent attention towards increasing
awareness and improving capabilities to
carry out conservation effectively. This
necessitates the development and
updating of a data base and resource
center as well as the production and
distribution of IEC materials to increase
public awareness and participation.
This action program recognizes
that while marine conservation and
protected areas is an important strategy
for effective biodiversity conservation,
on its own, it is not sufficient. It must be
complimented with ecologically
sustainable management in the
communities outside the protected
areas.
Rehabilitation and restoration of
critical areas, i.e. rivers (especially
Pansipit and Calumpang Rivers),
mangroves, and degraded lands, will be
initiated, including the establishment
and/or designation of green belts/buffer
areas and urban waterfront reserves.
Many of the rivers in Batangas today
hardly sustain aquatic life. Considering
that livelihood in many local settlements
revolves around rivers, rehabilitating this
resource is very important. Common
activities include clean-up, tree planting,
environmental education and awareness
and water quality monitoring.
Underground Water Resources
Protection and Management
This action program adopts a
two-pronged approach to underground
water conservation by focusing on both
supply and demand management. On
the supply side, reforestation,
establishment of urban farms and
gardens, tapping of substitute water
sources aside from ground and surface
(i.e. rainwater) for industrial uses, and
similar initiatives will be promoted.
On the demand side, water use
will be rationalized using a combination
of regulatory and market-based
instruments. The evaluation of the
scarcity value of water is important
given that current prices reflect short-
term pumping capacity, not the longer-
term sustainability of extraction rates.
Water demand management is a key to
conservation and sustainability because
it considers the priority of different
users.
The lack of information and
understanding regarding groundwater
dynamics presents a major challenge in
developing an effective water
management program. The challenge is
as much social as technical hence an
responsive and widespread IEC
campaign is vital. Without both data
and a shared understanding of the
problems, the social consensus needed
to implement decisions is difficult to
generate. A water forum to share
concepts, research, technologies and
experiences could provide a venue for
both providers and users of water to
meet. Water districts and related
institutions/agencies will develop
awareness and educational programs to
create an enabling environment for
water management while government
and stakeholders will consider all facets
of water economics in water sector
planning and decision-making with due
consideration of social and political
constraints. This action program will be
implemented on the premise that
successful groundwater management
requires data, technical capacity and a
high degree of supporting social
consensus.
Fisheries Protection and
Management
Fishing is a mainstay of the
provincial economy and concerns have
been expressed regarding possible
population depletion from fishing
pressure especially in the case of
populations in over-fished status. This
action program is therefore forwarded to
contribute to the province’s food security
by ensuring sustainable stock of marine
and freshwater fish species. Illegal and
destructive forms of fishing will be
adequately addressed by mobilizing
communities and public support in
marine law enforcement. Knowledge of
local environmental conditions, fishing
pattern and community norm and
structure significantly contributes to
effective marine law enforcement by the
community. The mobilization of
fishermen to constitute the Bantay
Dagat (Sea Patrol) to support national
agencies and LGUs in enforcement is
consistent with the principle that primary
resource users should also be the
rightful managers of their resource.
Funding, logistic support and capacity-
building activities will be provided to
fisherfolks so they can assert and gain
rightful management and control over
their coastal resources.
Scientific investigations on the
status of fisheries will be undertaken to
facilitate an informed policy decision- and existence of experienced NGO
making process relative to protection as partners.
well as utilization of fishery resources,
pursuant to RA 8550 or the Fisheries Structure of the Plan
Code of 1998. Many scientific questions
about the coastal marine ecosystem
This Strategic Environmental
remain unanswered and basic physical
Management Plan (SEMP) has five
characteristics of the marine ecosystem,
major but interrelated action programs,
especially as they relate to fisheries are
namely: (a) Institutional Development
poorly known. These implies the need
and Integrated Planning Systems, (b)
for individual and collaborative research
Waste Management (Solid Wastes and
that improves marine resource
Industrial and Agricultural Wastes), (c)
assessment and management practices.
Habitat Restoration and Management,
(d) Water Resources Protection and
Coastal marine-based and
Management, and (e) Fisheries
freshwater-based enterprises and
Protection and Management. Each
livelihood and eco-tourism development
action program has a specific goal,
will likewise be promoted. Rural
objectives, component strategies, and a
households must not be perceived as
mechanism for its implementation. The
stagnant entities but as dynamic
first action program on institutional
decision-making unit. However, the lack
mechanisms and sustainability supports,
of local alternatives to fishing adds to
and thus cut across the four other action
the exploitation of marine resources
programs. While the latter four are the
above the level that would occur if
direct interventions, all the five major
alternative livelihood and income
action programs directly correspond to
sources are available. To build new
the five objectives of this SEMP, and
options for fishing families to pursue
shall thereby address the identified
sustainable livelihood, participatory
major issues and concerns relative to
assessment of community attributes and
the integrated sustainable management
needs is needed coupled with capacity-
of the province’s bay-regions.
building and skills development.
Likewise, critical support includes strong
community leadership, adequate
provision of credit and technical services
 Action Program Strategies

Below are component specific strategies within each of the identified

action programs.

Action Program 1
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
INTEGRATED PLANNING SYSTEMS

Program Goal: To establish a multi-stakeholder institutional mechanism that will to ensure

collective, responsive and pro-active actions towards sustainable environmental
management of the province’s bay-regions.

Objectives:

To establish by 2005 a three-tiered multi-stakeholder structure that will supervise,

coordinate, and mobilize participation among communities, organizations, and
agencies towards implementing the SEMP.

To enhance policy directions, integrate planning systems, and harmonize plans and
programs at different levels within the province.

To improve capacities and capabilities among ICM practitioners and community

participants and encourage information sharing that will ensure good governance.

Component Action Strategies

A. Institutional Development

1. Adopt within 2005 an ordinance that will establish a multi-stakeholder Batangas

Environmental Protection Council (BEPC), the Balayan and Adjacent Bays ICM
Board, Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM Board, and amend Provincial Ordinance
No. 96-01 thereby converting the Batangas Bay Environmental Protection Council
into a Batangas Bay ICM Board, and ensure their establishment and operation
from 2005 onwards. A copy of the ordinance is given in Annex 3 which expounds
on the duties, responsibilities and functions of the BEPC and the three bay region
boards as well as their composition

2. Enjoin cities and municipalities to either establish by 2006 their respective ICM
Councils or mobilize their local development councils to act as their ICM Council
and ensure their establishment and operation from 2006 onwards. This will be
done through complementary local ordinances through complementary local
ordinances consistent with the Provincial Ordinance given in Annex 3.

3. Establish by 2005 a Technical Experts/Working Groups that will assist the BEPC and
the bay-region boards in their policy-making, program/project implementation,
monitoring and evaluation functions, and provide technical assistance to the
city/municipal LGUs. The composition of the TEG/TWG for the BEPC and for each
bay region board is also provided in the Provincial Ordinance in Annex 3.
 Action Program 1
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
INTEGRATED PLANNING SYSTEMS

B. Integrated Planning Systems

1. Update and implement the provincial development framework plan by 2005

integrating provincial land and water use plans and ICM concerns, through the
Provincial Land Use Committee and the Provincial Development Council,
convened by the Provincial Planning and Development Office.

2. Update by 2005 and implement the Batangas Bay SEMP and the Balayan and
Adjacent Bays ICM Plan taking the general directions of the SEMP and formulate,
adopt and implement a Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM Plan in the same year,
also taking the directions of the SEMP.

3. Update city/municipal development plans integrating land and water use plans and
ICM concerns consistent with the directions taken by the Provincial Development
Framework Plan.

4. Formulate a Provincial Environmental Code from 2006 to 2007 and City/Municipal

Environmental Codes from 2008 to 2010. The Code should constitute modernized,
broadened and tightened environmental legislation aimed at promoting sustainable
development in the province and in the municipalities. The different environmental
acts and legislations will be amalgamated into the Code and areas of application
are directly linked to ICM efforts in the province.

5. Evaluation of plans and re-planning will be undertaken to review experiences and

generate lessons from the preceding years of implementation that can be fed back
into the succeeding years. The periodic monitoring and evaluation will serve as
opportunities to review and if necessary, modify the existing plans to make them
more responsive to the conditions and needs of particular areas or communities.

C. Capacity Building

1. Strengthen the Batangas ICM Training Center by 2005 and provide the training
needs of national and local ICM practitioners from 2005 and onwards. This will
require the (a) production of training modules that use the experiences of ICM in
Batangas, (b) pooling a critical mass of local experts from LGUs, private sector
and the academe to serve as trainees and resource persons, and (c) coming up
with policies and guidelines on the provision of training exercises for clients taking
into consideration administrative, logistic and financial viability.

2. Maintain and regularly update the provincial ICM website and develop bay-region
specific and city/municipal specific ICM/ICM websites. PG-ENRO has already
developed a website called the batangas coastal link and has already uploaded
some basic information about ICM in Batangas but there is still a need to maintain
the site as more information is generated from experience. PG-ENRO will assist
the municipalities to develop their websites for fast and easy sharing of information
online.

3. Manage and regularly update environmental and ICM-related data and information
using the Integrated Information Management Systems (IIMS) and encourage
 Action Program 1
INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
INTEGRATED PLANNING SYSTEMS
information sharing among ICM practitioners and partners. The IIMS combines

baseline information on ecology, socio-economic characteristics, geography and

legal and institutional arrangements, with environmental quality information. By
incorporating database into a GIS and linking the system to basic management
software packages, Batangas will have a facility that enables effective planning,
management and evaluation functions.

4. Establish sustainable financing schemes that will support activities of this SEMP.

5. Conduct ICEC activities to capacitate ICM practitioners and partners maximize

partnership with media to ensure timely dissemination of issues and concerns
and encourage active collaboration.

Implementation Mechanism
Upon its creation, the Batangas Environmental Protection Council (BEPC)
supported by the bay-region boards shall supervise and coordinate, monitor and evaluate
the implementation of this SEMP’s action programs. The PG-ENRO shall provide the
secretariat support to the BEPC and to the bay-region boards. The BEPC and the bay-
region boards, however, may call on any national government agency, provincial
government department/office, civil society, private business, academe, or media, to
assist in and/or spearhead the implementation on any component of this action program.

Also, the said Council and boards shall provide policy directions and/or
recommend to the appropriate authorities, policies relative to the sustainable
environmental management of the bay regions, and the province in general. In cases
where issues and concerns are shared between two or more municipalities, the bay-
region board shall ensure the cooperation and collaboration between and among these
municipalities, or in case the said issues or concerns is shared between two bay-regions
and/or between municipalities belonging to different bay-regions, the BEPC is
responsible in ensuring cooperation and collaboration. The BEPC and the bay-region
boards shall mobilize funding resources to support the initiatives of the city/municipal
LGUs, the private sector, the civil society, national government agencies, or provincial
government departments/ offices in pursuing activities aligned with this SEMP,

The BEPC shall have a Technical Experts Group chaired by the academe while the
bay-region boards shall each have a Technical Working Group (TWG) chaired by the
provincial government office in-charge of the dominant sector in the bay region. Both
groups are composed of relevant national government agencies, provincial government
departments/offices, civil society, private business, academe, and media that will assist
the BEPC and the bay-region boards in their policy making, program/project
implementation, monitoring and evaluation functions, and provide technical assistance to
the city/municipal LGUs.
 Action Program 2
WASTE MANAGEMENT

Program Goal

To strengthen the management of municipal solid wastes and industrial and agricultural
wastes, thereby minimizing pollution impacts on coastal and marine waters

Objectives

1. To develop an effective community-based municipal solid waste collection and

disposal system for households that integrates the practice of waste segregation,
recycling/material recovery and sanitary disposal.

2. To mobilize the local government units and the communities as active partners of
industries and agribusiness operators in the management of industrial and
agricultural wastes

Component Action Strategies

A. Municipal Solid Waste Management

This component aims to develop and provide an effective municipal solid waste collection
and disposal system by involving the active participation of the community and their
support to local government efforts. It supports the effective implementation of the Solid
Waste Management Act (RA 9003) through the Provincial Solid Waste Management
Board and the City/Municipal Solid Waste Management Board. This component highlights
the importance of (1) adequate information, communication, education and capacity-
building, (2) segregation, recycling and material recovery from wastes and (3) proper and
sanitary disposal of wastes. The strategies are:

1. Reconstitute by 2005 the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board and the
City/Municipal Solid Waste Management Board and develop ten-year SWM
plans. For LGUs who have already drafted their SWM plan, a review towards
improvement and refinement is suggested. The plan should be comprehensive
and should reflect the consensus of stakeholders and can be carried out at the
barangay level. It should reflect the LGUs’ responsibility for the collection of non-
biodegradable and special wastes and the barangays’ responsibility of
segregating and collecting biodegradable, compostable and usable wastes. The
commitment of government, business and civil society to institute better means of
handling garbage must be highlighted in the plans.

2. Conduct information, communication, education and capacity-building (ICEC)

activities starting 2005 and onwards to 2020, that will mobilize households and
communities in the proper segregation, recycling and disposal of wastes.
Information, communication and education campaigns will increase the
awareness level of different sectors such as the youth, women, local leaders and
other relevant sectors. Activities include:

a. preparation, reproduction and distribution of information materials to

households,
 Action Program 2
WASTE MANAGEMENT

b. putting up of posters and billboards in strategic locations around the

communities,
c. utilizing the schools as venue for regular discussion and forum on solid
waste management issues,
d. conduct of formal and informal training and capacity-building activities for
women, beach operators, government agencies, academe and other
relevant sectors by the LGUs in coordination with the ICM Training
Center in Batangas. Topics shall include (i) relevant provisions of the
Solid Waste Management Act or RA 9003, (ii) basic principles of solid
waste management, (iii) waste segregation, (iv) composting as a strategy
to manage biodegradable wastes, (v) recycling and material recovery as
livelihood opportunities for households and schools, and (vi) lifestyle
check/analysis to map out/identify regular household needs and
practices that contribute to solid waste production
e. promotion of innovative schemes that will help minimize accumulation of
wastes: “pera sa basura”, recycling and linkages to buyers of recycled
materials, assistance to organization of junkshop operators, composting,
bio-digesting and organic farming,
f. mobilizing the community to participate in various SWM efforts such as
regular coastal and river clean-ups, intensified “clean and green” projects
and school-based solid waste management programs.

3. Establish and develop material recovery facilities (MRFs) in both barangay and
municipal levels, starting 2005 until 2010. MRFs should include a solid waste
transfer or sorting station. Drop-off center and compost and recycling facilities.

a. Barangay/villages will designate eco-aides or biomen to facilitate the

proper collection of wastes from households for deposit at the village-
designated MRFs where further segregation for recyclables can be done.
b. Barangay MRFs, through the Barangay Solid Waste Management Board
will establish a collection fee system to ensure the sustainability of
operation of the MRFs. Some barangays have already imposed garbage
collection fees to households but most of these have been set arbitrarily.
Other barangays can build from these, taking into considerations, cost
recovery, accountability and proper management of fund. PG-ENRO will
assist the municipalities in capability-building activities towards
development and operation of MRFs, including management of finances.
c. Waste collection by the city/municipal government will be done following
the collection of solid wastes by the barangay from the households.
Thereafter, the solid wastes will be delivered to the municipal dumpsites
for further management. The municipal dumpsites will provide for an
MRF where wastes not managed properly at the barangay MRFs can still
be subjected for further material recovery.

4. Establish and develop city/municipal sanitary land-fills and/or controlled

dumpsites for disposal of wastes remaining at the MRFs. By 2010, all coastal
municipalities have shifted from open dumps to sanitary landfills or controlled
dumpsites. Likewise, all inland municipalities should have done the same by
2020. Article 6 of RA 9003 states that “no open dumpsites should be
established and operated nor any practice or disposal of solid waste by any
reason including LGUs which constitutes the use of open dumps for solid wastes
 Action Program 2
WASTE MANAGEMENT

be allowed.” PG-ENRO will assist LGUs in:

a. conduct of consultation with different sectors to generate views and

suggestions on locating the acceptable area where landfill/dumpsite will
be established and what to do the current open dump

b. identification of potential private sector partners who could provide

technical and financial complements to LGU capability and resources
through arrangements mutually developed by all the parties/partners

c. formulation of an implementation plan and development of a sanitary

landfill project

B. Industrial and Agricultural Wastes Management

This component aims to develop an effective partnership based on the principle of

shared responsibility among the industries and agribusiness operators, the LGUs and
the communities in managing industrial and agricultural wastes. The strategies are:

1. Strengthen community and LGU participation in the EIA system within 2005-
2006. The devolution of some of the EIA functions by DENR to PG-ENRO by
virtue of a special memorandum of understanding signed in February 1999 will
be pursued vigorously by involving the concerned city/municipality and the
barangay(s) in the EIA process for new and existing industries and agribusiness
projects. The implementation of EIA-related functions is a key area of interest as
a consequence of the enactment of the Local Government Code.

2. Expand the membership of the BCRMF in both Balayan and Adjacent Bays
Region and Tayabas and Adjacent Bays Region, and build on the initiatives of
BCRMF as the industry partner in ICM. The voluntary agreements among
industries, local government units and national government agencies to reduce
hazardous and industrial wastes as well as their commitment to police each other
to ensure compliance with RA 6969 will be continued and monitored more
religiously. Success stories of industries that have undergone pollution
management appraisals will be documented and disseminated so that other
industries will be encouraged to follow suit. In this regard, the pollution
management appraisal team, with the guidance of BCRMF, will be reconstituted
to lead the conduct of pollution audit and appraisals among industries in the
province.

3. Revive and strengthen starting 2005 and continuously thereafter the existing
multi-agency pollution monitoring team and build capacity among its members to
effectively monitor mitigating measures by industries. A pollution monitoring
team headed by PG-ENRO and composed of representatives for PCG,
industries, academe in the BBR was formed and conducted regular monitoring
surveys in predetermined sampling sites in Batangas Bay and Calumpang River.
A similar team will be formed for BABR and TABR. Capability-building activities
will be provided to the members of the team to effectively carry out joint efforts in
monitoring environmental changes.

4. Maximize the services of the Batangas Environment Laboratory in

conducting water quality monitoring and evaluation surveys in the three bays and
 Action Program 2
WASTE MANAGEMENT

among pollution point sources. The capacity of the laboratory has been
strengthened by additional laboratory equipment from a grant facilitated by the
Department of Energy. PG-ENRO will replicate the water quality analysis being
conducted in Batangas Bay in Balayan and Tayabas bays. Potential industries
will be identified in the two bay regions as partners of PG-ENRO in doing
laboratory analysis of samples for quality assurance and inter-laboratory
calibration.

5. Mobilize industries, academe, local governments, civil society and media towards
active participation in a Quick Response System that can promptly respond and
undertake mitigating measures to pollution related events, i.e. oil spill, red tide,
etc. starting 2006. This strengthens and widens the participation to the Oil Spill
Contingency Response System normally carried out for oil spill incidents by the
Philippine Coast Guard, the oil industries and LGUs.

6. Formulate by 2006 policies that would establish environmental guarantee fund

from among industries and development projects to ensure sufficient funds for
rehabilitation and recovery of areas damaged by industrial and commercial
activities. A guideline will be developed stipulating the (a) types and nature of
activities that will be required to post bonds for the likely damage that they will
cause, (b) the uses of the funds that will be collected and (c) the responsible
agency/institution to manage the fund.

Implementation Mechanism

Under the supervision, coordination, and policy direction by the Batangas

Environmental Protection Council (BEPC) and the respective bay-region boards, and in
close coordination with the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board, the
implementation of the SWM action program will be spearheaded by the respective
city/municipal LGUs in collaboration with the relevant national and provincial agencies,
(DENR, PG-ENRO, OPA and PCG), civil society, private business, and the academe.
The same holds true with regards to the implementation of the action program on
industrial and agricultural wastes, except that close coordination will be made with
BCRMF. In cases where activities are shared between two or more municipalities, the
bay-region board will ensure the cooperation and collaboration between and among
these municipalities, or in case the said activities are shared between bay-regions or
between municipalities belonging to different bay-regions, the BEPC is responsible in
ensuring cooperation and collaboration. The BEPC and the bay-region boards will
likewise mobilize funding resources to support the initiatives of the city/municipal LGUs,
in this regard.

The Technical Experts Group (TWG) under the BEPC, supported by the
respective TWGs of the bay-region boards will provide technical assistance to the
city/municipal LGUs during inception, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation
stages. Task Forces may likewise be created within these TWGs chaired by the PG-
ENRO and MENROs in the respective LGUs, and principally composed of relevant
national and provincial government offices/departments, the academe, private sector,
and the civil society, to ensure meaningful implementation of this action program.
 Action Program 3
HABITAT RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT

Program Goal: To restore and manage the terrestrial, coastal marine and freshwater
habitat and ecosystems of the province and conserve its biodiversity for the benefit of its
present as well as the future population.

Objectives:

1. To establish a network of marine and terrestrial protected/conservation areas

among the three bay-regions.

2. To rehabilitate and manage the province’s degraded river and other ecosystems.

3. To establish green belts/buffer areas and urban waterfront reserves.

Component Action Strategies

A. Protected Area Management

1. Identify, conduct inventory and assess critical habitats and ecosystems (seagrass,
coral reefs, mangrove, wetlands, forests, rivers) through participatory and
scientific techniques.

2. Mobilize communities as active partners in protected area management.

3. Design a province-wide and bay region-wide network/system of protected and

conservation areas, inclusive of a biodiversity and habitat monitoring system

4. Establish marine and terrestrial protected/conservation areas through ordinance(s)

and manage the same through community partnership and sustainable financing.

5. Develop and regularly update a data base on the network of protected/

conservation area through a habitat assessment and resource monitoring system.

6. Develop IEC materials to increase public awareness and participation in the

protection and management of the network of protected/conservation areas.

The active participation of HEIs, NGOs and people’s organizations is highlighted in this
strategy. There are already initial efforts done by the academe/HEIs in the area of
identification, inventory and assessment as well as in database development but these
are focused only on limited sites. There is a need to expand the efforts in critical areas
in the three bay regions. Likewise, NGOs have started organizing communities in
selected coastal municipalities and this effort should be replicated in more coastal
communities. The preceding activities will serve as starting point for the design of a
province-wide and bay region-wide network of protected and conservation areas.
 Action Program 3
HABITAT RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT

B. Rehabilitation of Degraded Habitats and Ecosystems

1. Identify, conduct inventory and assess degraded habitats and ecosystems,

especially river systems.

2. Design and implement a “Sagip Ilog” initiative among prioritized rivers (i.e.
Calumpang River, Pansipit River, Benanbang River, etc) that may include: river
clean-up, removal of silt, monitoring of water quality, regulation of waste dumping
through ordinances, riverside tree planting, awareness campaign on the
importance of the river system, etc.

3. Conduct mangrove re-planting and restoration of degraded lands.

There are some existing records on the status of critical rivers in Batangas but
these are in possession of various institutions and individuals working in separate
capacities and objectives. There is a need to pool these documents together and
update the database especially for river systems. Likewise, river rehabilitation
activities and mangrove planting are carried out by industries, HEIs and civic
organizations on their own; coverage and impact will be more significant if these
efforts are coordinated with each other.

C. Urban Greenbelts and Water Front Reserves

1. Identify, conduct, inventory, and assess potential urban greenbelt areas and
waterfront reserves.

2. Establish urban greenbelt areas and waterfront reserves through ordinances.

3. Enhance and manage urban greenbelt areas and waterfront reserves through
community partnerships.

The cooperation and active participation of industries, beach resorts and water-
based tourism entities along the three bays will be harnessed to the fullest in the
establishment and management of urban greenbelts and waterfront reserves.

Implementation Mechanism

Under the supervision, coordination, and policy direction by the Batangas

Environmental Protection Council (BEPC) and the respective bay-region boards, the
implementation of this action program shall be spearheaded by the respective
city/municipal LGUs in collaboration with the relevant national and provincial agencies,
civil society, private business, and the academe, i.e. DENR, BFAR, PG-ENRO, OPA,
etc. In cases where a protected area or a degraded area for rehabilitation is shared
between two or more municipalities, the bay-region board shall ensure the cooperation
and collaboration between and among these municipalities, or in case the said
protected area or degraded area for rehabilitation is shared between bay-regions or
between municipalities belonging to different bay-regions, the BEPC is responsible in
ensuring cooperation and collaboration. The BEPC and the bay-region boards shall
likewise mobilize funding resources to support the initiatives of the city/municipal LGUs,
in this regard.
 Action Program 3
HABITAT RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT

The Technical Experts Group (TEG) under the BEPC, supported by the respective
TWGs of the bay-region boards shall provide technical assistance to the city/municipal
LGUs during inception, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation stages. Task
Forces may likewise be created within these TWGs composed principally of relevant
national and provincial government offices/departments, the academe, private sector,
and the civil society, to ensure meaningful implementation of this action program.
 Action Program 4
WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT

Program Goal: To protect and manage ground and surface water resources of the
province’s bay-regions and maintain its current state by 2020.

Objectives:

1. To reforest and maintain 60% of the critical watersheds and strengthen through
urban farming and re-greening activities 70% of the “clean and green” projects
among the bay-regions by 2009.

2. To establish regulatory measures and market-based instruments that will

rationalize the use of water reflecting scarcity value by 2010.

3. To enhance the knowledge and skills and improve the attitude of the
communities among the bay-regions on the importance of preserving water
resources and protecting the watershed through continuous information,
communication, education, and capacity-building (ICEC) activities starting in
2005.

Component Action Strategies

A. Community-based Watershed Reforestation and Urban Re-greening

1. Identify by 2005 critical watersheds, i.e. Mt. Malarayat, Mt. Makulot, spring
sources, and pumping stations, including urban areas for re-greening through
the city/municipalities’ “clean and green” projects.

2. Establish and/or strengthen city/municipal nurseries to ensure supply of

seedlings, preferably indigenous, including and barangay/village-level satellite
nurseries near or within critical watershed areas starting 2005 and onwards.

3. Mobilize starting 2005 the participation of the academe through their

environment centers and National Service Training Program (NSTP) of their
tertiary students as core participants in tree planting and maintenance and
ensure survival of trees planted.

4. Mobilize starting 2005 the industry sector and the civil society to become active
partners in reforestation and forest stewardship.

The LGUs can forge partnership with schools, industries and NGOs to adopt
strategic areas for re-greening and stewardship. This is a favorable proposition for
the fulfillment of corporate social responsibility among industries and community
extension service by schools.

B. Water Use Rationalization through Regulation and Market-Based Instruments

1. Review by 2005 the current water billing system for both residential and
commercial, including water usage by industries, and evaluate scarcity value of
water.
 Action Program 4
WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT

2. Conduct continuous collaborative research on water demand and supply

condition, water pricing, alternative sources and water-saving technologies.

3. Formulate, adopt and implement by 2005 an ordinance requiring (or encourage

with incentives) all industrial, commercial, and residential buildings to provide
rainwater capture facilities for flushing, watering of plants, and cleaning.

4. Regulate extraction of underground water by imposing a water use fee on

commercial and industrial use of water as early as 2006.

C. Information, Communication, Education and Capacity-Building

1. The ICEC campaign will focus on the following: (a) importance of water
resources and their preservation to health, livelihood, and economy, (b) the
current state of water resources, most especially in areas undergoing rapid
urbanization, (c) water-saving strategies, i.e. recycling, that can be
implemented, and (d) the roles of various sectors such as the LGUs, the water
districts, national government agencies, private sector, and the academe in
water resources protection.

2. Conduct an annual water forum starting 2005 to update various stakeholders

on the state of the province’s water resources, research findings, progress on
activities undertaken and actions to be taken.

3. Produce by 2005 and distribute information materials on water-saving

alternatives to at least 30% of the total households starting 2005 and onwards.

4. Put up of posters and billboards among communities especially near or within

critical watersheds as early as 2005.

5. Conduct school-based IEC campaign, i.e. seminars, conduct of water-related

research development activities, linking with student organizations and student
activities devoted to environment.

6. Conduct training on household-based water recycling and water-saving

techniques especially among women starting 2006 and onwards.
 Action Program 4
WATER RESOURCES PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT

Implementation Mechanism

Under the supervision, coordination, and policy direction by the Batangas

Environment Protection Council (BEPC) and the respective bay-region boards, the
implementation of this action program shall be spearheaded by the respective
city/municipal LGUs in collaboration with the local water districts. Cities and
municipalities will form and develop their respective City/Municipal Water Resources
Council whose membership will come from the government and private sectors
including the local government units (LGU), the local water district (WD), national
government agencies (NGA), industry, and the academe, especially the higher
education institutions (HEI). The local Water District, in partnership with the relevant
LGU constitutes the lead agency in the implementation of activities, with support from
the local agriculture office, CENR office (CENRO), industry, HEIs and NGOs.

In cases where critical watersheds are shared between two or more

municipalities, the bay-region board shall ensure the cooperation and collaboration
between and among these municipalities, or in case the said watershed is shared
between municipalities belonging to different bay-regions, the BEPC is responsible in
ensuring cooperation and collaboration. The BEPC and the bay-region boards shall
likewise mobilize funding resources to support the initiatives of the city/municipal LGUs,
in this regard.

The Technical Experts Group (TWG) under the BEPC, supported by the
respective TWGs of the bay-region boards shall provide technical assistance to the
city/municipal LGUs during inception, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation
stages. Task Forces may likewise be created within these TWGs principally composed
of relevant national and provincial government offices/departments, water districts, the
academe, private sector, and the civil society, to ensure meaningful implementation of
this action program, especially the innovative water use rationalization component.
 Action Program 5
FISHERIES PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT

Program Goal: To contribute to the food security of the province by ensuring sustainable
stock of marine and freshwater fish species.

Objectives:

1. To control, if not totally eliminate, all forms of illegal and destructive forms of
fishing in the province’s three bay-regions.

2. To regularly assess status of fisheries in the province and formulate policies to

ensure sustainable fisheries’ stock.

3. To promote coastal marine-based and freshwater-based enterprises and eco-

tourism livelihood opportunities.

Component Action Strategies

A. Marine Law Enforcement

1. Establish and institutionalize by 2005 the Bantay Dagat initiatives throughout the
coastal city/municipalities in the province as regular partner of the government’s
marine law enforcement agencies, through an ordinance.

2. Mobilize by 2005 and strengthen from 2005 and onwards marine law
enforcement agencies in the province.

3. Mobilize communities, private business, civil society, media as active partners in

marine law enforcement from 2005 and onwards.

4. Access funding to provide regular incentives and logistical support to Bantay

Dagat volunteers: patrol boats, allowances that would approximate Barangay
Tanods, life, accident and health insurances, capacity building training, etc.

5. Develop by 2005 IEC materials to increase public awareness and participation in

marine law enforcement.

B. Research, Policy, and Institutional Support

1. Conduct regular fisheries stock assessment and monitoring and other fishery
related researches starting 2005.

2. Formulate by 2005, policies to ensure sustainable fisheries’ stock, i.e. open and
close season, allowable fishing gears, etc. and ensure their implementation from
2005 and onwards.

3. Delineate bay-wide municipal waters consistent with the provisions of RA 8550

within 2005 and 2006.

4. Develop capacity among bay-wide integrated and municipal FARMCS as

partners in fisheries protection and development.
 Action Program 5
FISHERIES PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT

C. Livelihood and Enterprise Development

1. Identify, conduct inventory, and assess potential livelihood and enterprise

initiatives: coastal/marine-based, freshwater-based, and eco-tourism related

2. Conduct of entrepreneurial skills development training.

3. Establish loan/grant fund that can be accessed by entrepreneurs who will engage
in livelihood activities.

4. Assist establishment of coastal resource-based cooperatives.

Implementation Mechanism

Under the supervision, coordination, and policy direction by the Batangas

Environmental Protection Council (BEPC) and the respective bay-region boards, the
implementation of this action program shall be spearheaded by the respective
city/municipal LGUs in collaboration with the relevant national and provincial agencies,
civil society, private business, and the academe, i.e. BFAR, OPA, PNP, PCG, Tourism,
Provincial Cooperative Development Office, etc. In cases where activities are shared
between two or more municipalities, the bay-region board shall ensure the cooperation
and collaboration between and among these municipalities, or in case the said
activities are shared between bay-regions or between municipalities belonging to
different bay-regions, the BEPC is responsible in ensuring cooperation and
collaboration. The BEPC and the bay-region boards shall likewise mobilize funding
resources to support the initiatives of the city/municipal LGUs, in this regard.

The Technical Working Group (TWG) under the BEPC, supported by the
respective TWGs of the bay-region boards shall provide technical assistance to the
city/municipal LGUs during inception, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation
stages. Task Forces may likewise be created within these TWGs chaired by OPA and
principally composed of relevant national and provincial government
offices/departments, the academe, private sector, and the civil society, to ensure
meaningful implementation of this action program.
Relationship with Other Plans
This Strategic Environmental
Management Plan directly supports the
Philippine Agenda 21 and the Philippine
National Development Plan by adopting
and utilizing an ecosystem, community-
centered and multi-sectoral approach in
the management of natural resources;
enhancing the institutional capability for
ecosystem management of all partners
in sustainable development; ensuring
multi-stakeholder participation in
planning and management of the
environment and natural resources; and
empowering and enhancing
communities, civil society and labor as
sustainable development partners of
government in the strict monitoring,
compliance and enforcement of
environmental laws.
At the provincial level, it is
envisioned that this SEMP will be
integrated into the Provincial Physical
Framework Plan and the Provincial
Development Plan, both of which are
currently being updated. Meanwhile,
there are three important plans to which
this SEMP will be directly interacting
with: (1) the 25-year Strategic
Environmental Management Plan for the
Batangas Bay Region (SEMP-BBR)
formulated in 1996, (2) the 20-year
Integrated Coastal Management (ICM)
Plan of the Balayan and Adjacent Bays
Region adopted and endorsed by the
Provincial Development Council in 2004
and (3) the soon-to-be formulated ICM
Plan of the Tayabas and Adjacent Bays
Region. A summary of the SEMP-BBR
and the ICM Plan of BABR is given in
Annex 2a and Annex 2b.
It is expected that this SEMP,
while complementing the Provincial
Development Plan and the Provincial
Physical Framework Plan, will provide
the overall framework in the sustainable
management of the three bay regions in
the province, under the supervision of
the Batangas Environmental Protection
Council. The bay region-specific
environmental management and/or
integrated coastal management plans to
be implemented and/or currently
implemented by the concerned agencies
and institutions under the supervision
and management of their respective bay
region boards, will complement and/or
be aligned with this SEMP.
Within each action program of this
SEMP are the identified strategic
actions to be implemented by concerned
agencies and institutions across the
three bay regions, unless specified
therein as bay region-specific or
city/municipal-specific. There may,
however, be existing or planned bay
region specific programs or projects, as
defined by the respective bay region
plans, which already correspond to the
strategic actions as defined by this Plan,
and are thus anticipated to be
continuously implemented. Otherwise, it
is the responsibility of the BEPC and the
concerned bay region board to ensure
that the bay region specific strategic
actions are carried on. This SEMP is
designed as well to fill-up gaps that
were later on realized after the
formulation of the respective bay region-
specific environmental management or
ICM plans. Further, this SEMP will also
guide the formulation of future related
plans in any of the bay regions.
On the other hand, since the Taal
Volcano Protected Landscape is
separately managed through a PAMB
created by virtue of the NIPAS Act,
efforts shall be made to ensure
coordination and complementation of
the SEMP with that of the protected
landscape’s protection and development
plan.
Organization and Management
Arrangements
The implementation of this SEMP
will be guided by the principles of multi-
sectoral and participatory management.
As stated, this Plan’s mission is “to
mobilize and strengthen the capability
and partnerships among the local
government units, national government
agencies, private sectors, non-
government organizations, volunteer
groups, social organizations and coastal
community organizations and residents
for integrated management.”
Partnerships will be pursued, while at
the same time, the capacity and
capability of stakeholders are being
strengthened so that the stakeholders
themselves are able to contribute
significantly to the implementation of this
SEMP. This will ensure a high degree
of success in plan implementation.
Through an ordinance (Annex 3),
an apex multi-sectoral body called the
BEPC shall be organized at the
provincial level, headed by the
Provincial Governor, and composed of
the chairs of the three bay regions and
representatives from relevant
stakeholders. The BEPC will be
presided by the Governor while the
PG-ENRO will provide the secretariat
support as well technical and
administrative backstopping. Aside from
providing overall provincial
environmental management directions,
the BEPC will also facilitate information
sharing among the said three bay
regions.
A Technical Experts Group (TEG),
chaired by the academe, and composed
of relevant government and non-
government agencies, organizations,
and institutions, will be organized to
provide technical support to the BEPC.
The agency-members of the TEG will
directly and jointly implement the action
strategies and/or programs and projects
of this SEMP. The BEPC may also call
upon any instrumentalities, outside of
the TEG, to implement parts of this
SEMP, as needed. However, the TEG
provides the focal point for coordination
by all those who are involved in the
implementation of this SEMP.
Through the same provincial
ordinance, a Balayan and Adjacent
Bays ICM Board (BAB-ICMB) and a
Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM Board
(TAB-ICMB) will be created, while the
existing Batangas Bay Region
Environmental Protection Council (BBR-
EPC) shall be converted into a
Batangas Bay ICM Board (BB-ICMB).
The bay region ICM Boards will be
composed of the city/municipal mayors
of the city/municipalities covered by the
said bay region, as well representatives
of the various stakeholders in the bay
regions. Each ICM Board will be
chaired by one of the mayors, elected
by the members for a term of one year.
The MENRO/MPDC of the mayor
elected as chair will serve as secretariat.
The ICM Boards will provide inter-
municipal, and multi-sectoral policy
direction, coordination and integration in
accordance with their environmental
management or ICM plan, as aligned
with this SEMP. The bay region boards
will refer to the provincial BEPC, matters
requiring the latter’s policy and
guidance. Also, it will farm out
programs and projects, but retain
implementation policies, programs and
projects that are appropriate at the level
of the bay region. A Technical Working
Group, composed of relevant
government and non-government
agencies, organizations and/or
institutions, operating in the specific bay
region will provide technical support to
the board. The provincial government
agency in charge of the sector most
dominant in the bay region will chair the
technical working group.
At the city/municipal level, ICM
Councils (ICMCs) will be created and
will be chaired by the concerned Mayor.
The City/Municipal Environment and
Natural Resources Officers
(C/MENROs), or if there is no
C/MENRO, the City/Municipal Planning
and Development Coordinator
(C/MPDC), will provide the secretariat
support to these Boards. These
Councils, to be composed of as many
but manageable number of
representatives from various
stakeholders, will be responsible in
ensuring implementation of ICM
initiatives at the municipal level.
Consequently, the Provincial
Government of Batangas, through the
Batangas Environmental Protection
Council (BEPC) and the bay region
boards, the concerned city/municipal
local government units, national and
provincial government agencies, as well
as the organized civil society, private
business, academe, and people’s
organizations, will be the main executing
units of this SEMP. The Local Chief
Executives together with their respective
environmental management offices,
planning offices, agricultural offices
(where the fisheries sector is lodged in),
and the Sangguniang Bayan, especially
the chairmen on environment, will play
major roles in spearheading the various
area-specific programs, projects, and
activities stated herein.
The organization and management
arrangement is shown schematically in
the proposed three-tiered organizational
structure in Figure 2.
 Figure 2. Proposed Three-Tiered Multisectoral Organizational Structure

Provincial Dev’t Council Batangas Environmental Protection Council

--------------------------------- Chairman: Provincial Governor
Sangguniang Panlalawigan

Secretariat: PG-ENRO
Technical Experts

Batangay Bay Balayan Bay Tayabas Bay

ICM Board ICM Board ICM Board

Secretariat:
MPDC/MENRO

Municipal Development Council City/Municipal ICM

------------------------------------------ Council
Chairman: Mayor
Sangguniang Bayan
Secretariat:
MENRO/MPDC
 Implementation Schedule
The implementation of this
SEMP covers a 15-year period from
2005 to 2020. The SEMP only provides
the overall framework, since it is
expected that the respective bay region-
specific environmental management or
ICM plans will be implemented as well,
which will eventually contribute to the
overall attainment of this SEMP’s goals
and objectives.
The first year is basically
focused on organizing multi-stakeholder
participation in plan implementation,
establishing baseline information and
management systems, detailed design
of programs and projects, and initial
implementation of some programs and
projects. The next five years to fifteen
years will build on what have been put in
place during the first year. The activities
will include full implementation by
various stakeholders of the programs
and projects designed during the first
phase, activating and strengthening the
information and management systems,
and continuous policy development and
implementation oversight by the three-
tiered management bodies. The
detailed implementation schedule for
each action program is discussed below
and is provided for each activity in the
implementation summary matrix.
1. Institutional Development and
Integrated Planning
Under the institutional
development strategy, the first
year (2005) will be devoted to
securing the legal mandate for the
BEPC and the formation of the
three bay-region boards. The
city/municipal ICM councils will be
formed in the second year (2006).
Operation of these institutions will
continue until 2020 and beyond.
Under the integrated planning
strategy, the integration of the
provincial land and water use
plans into the provincial
development framework plan will
be facilitated in the first year as
well as the updating and
formulation of the bay region
plans. The city/municipal
development plans will take three
years starting 2006 depending on
the readiness and capability of
municipalities. The formulation of
the Provincial Environmental Code
will take two years starting 2006,
although some preliminary
research inputs have already been
gathered by PG-ENRO. The
formulation of City/Municipal
Environmental Code will
immediately follow the
development of the Provincial
Code and will take three years,
which is a relatively shorter target
period since inputs from the
experiences of the Provincial Code
will surely be most helpful. An
evaluation of all plans made at
various levels will be done at
regular intervals in 2010, 2015 and
2020 and the results will be fed
into improvement and modification
of the plans based on the
experiences of the previous years.
Capacity-building activities such as
the strengthening of the Batangas
ICM Center, updating of the
Provincial ICM website,
management and maintenance of
the IIMS and the conduct of ICEC
activities are continuing activities
from 2005 to 2020.
2. Waste Management
Solid waste management action
programs will start in 2005 with the
reconstitution of the SWM Board to
prepare and improve the SWM plans
at the provincial, city/municipal and
barangay levels. At the same time,
massive multimedia IEC will be
conducted continuously until 2020.
Material recovery facilities will be
established in both municipalities
and barangays starting 2005 and
onwards until 2020. Currently, some
municipalities have already
established their MRFs in
compliance with the provisions of RA
9003 but the majority are still in the
process of looking for suitable sites.
Likewise, the choice of site and
establishment of controlled
dumpsites and sanitary landfills will
start as early as 2005 and will
continue until 2020 depending on
the pacing of the LGUs in locating a
site and in forging partnership with
investors and funding institutions.
Under the strategy on industrial and
agricultural waste management,
programs, strategies and policies
that will strengthen community and
LGU participation in the EIA system
will be developed in the first two
years. There is already an existing
MOA between DENR and PG-ENRO
devolving some of the EIA functions
to the Provincial Government of
Batangas that can be concretized by
designing detailed strategies and
corresponding policy support. At the
same time, the existing multisectoral
monitoring team will be reconstituted
as early as 2005 to conduct regular
monitoring of water quality at various
predetermined pollution point
sources. By 2006, the Batangas
Environment Laboratory will expand
its services to cover the three bays
and rivers and will continue to do
regular water sampling and analysis
until 2020. Likewise, a Quick
Response System will be organized
in 2006 to respond to oil spills and
pollution-related events.
A process to create an
environmental guarantee fund will be
started in 2006 and the operation of
the fund is expected to continue until
2020 and onwards.
3. Habitat Restoration and
Management
All strategies under this action
program require the conduct of
research focusing on identification,
inventory and assessment which are
planned on the first two years
covering 2005 to 2006. Community
mobilization will also be done in the
first two years while management,
conservation and rehabilitation
activities will follow thereafter,
including river rehabilitation projects,
mangrove replanting and
enhancement/management of urban
greenbelt areas and waterfront
reserves.
Database management and ICEC
for public awareness and
participation are continuing activities
starting as early as 2005 until 2020.
4. Water Resources Protection and
Management
Under the strategy on community-
based watershed reforestation and
urban greening, the first year will be
devoted to identification of critical
watersheds and the formulation of
reforestation and forest stewardship
program. Continuing activities
starting as early as 2005 and
onwards to 2020 consist of
establishment and strengthening of
municipal nurseries to ensure supply
of seedlings and the mobilization of
communities, academe, industry
sector and civil society to become
partners in reforestation/urban
greening and partnership.
Under water use rationalization
strategy, the first year will be
devoted to doing research to
evaluate the scarcity value of water
and formulating and adopting a
provincial ordinance that will
regulate extraction of underground
water. Continuing activities include
collaborative research on water
demand and supply conditions,
pricing and alternative sources and
promising technologies.
Implementation of the provisions of
the ordinance will immediately follow
its adoption after a year of
preparation.
The conduct of a water forum will be
an annual activity while the
production and distribution of IEC
materials will be done continuously.
The academe will be tapped as an
IEC medium on the second year.
Likewise, the conduct of training on
household-based water recycling
and water-saving techniques
especially among women will also
commence on the second year.
5. Fisheries Protection and
Management
Under the strategy on marine law
enforcement, the formulation and
adoption of an ordinance that will
establish and strengthen Bantay
Dagat initiatives will be done as
early as 2005. Getting access to
funding to provide regular incentives
and logistic support to the Bantay
Dagat team will be done at the same
time and will be a continuing activity
until 2020. Likewise, marine law
enforcement agencies will be
mobilized in 2005 to strengthen
enforcement continuously until 2020
and onwards. Communities will be
mobilized as early as 2005 including
private business, civil society and
media to be active partners in
marine law enforcement. Currently,
this kind of partnership is in infancy
in some coastal communities in the
Balayan Bay Region. The
development and distribution of IEC
materials is a continuing activity to
increase public awareness and
participation in marine law
enforcement.
Throughout the project time frame,
research, policy-making, capacity-
building and the holding of annual
fisher folks forum will be carried out.
The bay wide municipal waters will
be delineated consistent with the
provisions of RA 8550 in the first two
years to minimize multiple use
conflicts as early as possible.
The strategy on livelihood and
enterprise development will
commence with the identification,
inventory and assessment of
potential livelihood and enterprise
alternatives in 2005. This will be
followed in 2006 by the conduct of
continuous entrepreneurial skills and
development training and the
establishment of a fund for
extending loans and financial
assistance to fisher folks engaged in
livelihood projects. The
establishment of coastal resource-
based cooperatives will be started in
2006 and by 2020, it is expected that
all fishing communities have bound
themselves together towards
cooperative undertaking and self-
help activities.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The monitoring and evaluation of
the SEMP implementation will be the
main responsibility of the Secretariat of
the Councils/Boards. For this SEMP, a
detailed plan implementation monitoring
and evaluation (M&E) system will be
formulated during the inception stage.
The M&E system will establish specific
measurable environmental management
indicators reflective of the distinct
characteristics of the action programs’
strategic activities.
A preliminary list of the expected
outputs or success indicators is
provided in the implementation
summary matrix. Most of these are
quantitative indicators are output-biased
but they also allow for on-going learning,
correction and adjustment by all parties
concerned. Other indicators require the
generation of documents, plans and
proceedings as proof of activities
undertaken and their corresponding
results and output.
In addition, the M&E system
will (a) provide reporting formats,
including the frequency of its generation
and submission to appropriate units
such as the provincial BEPC, the bay
region boards, and the city/municipal
ICM Councils; (b) establish and maintain
data base and information feedback
system for effective integrated
management of the area’s coastal
marine and terrestrial resources; (c)
identify problems affecting SEMP
implementation and the formulation of
recommended solutions for appropriate
action by the management bodies and
chief executives of the province and the
municipalities; and (d) develop a sub-
system for the effective information flow
in the implementation of this SEMP.
All these M&E related functions
will be carried out by the respective
secretariats in close coordination and
collaboration with all key actors, such as
the LGUs, NGOs, POs, industry,
academe, and national line agencies
situated in the area. Monitoring of the
implementation of the plan will focus on
the delivery mechanisms and
conversion processes of inputs into the
desired outputs.
Aside from the regular conduct of
monitoring and evaluation, as provided
for in the M&E system, midterm and ex-
post evaluation will be conducted. A
midterm evaluation is necessary to
review the activities, evaluate their
results, assess their impacts and make
recommendations on measures for
improvement and extension of
demonstrable experience. On the other
hand, the objective of the ex-post
evaluation is to look into the outcomes
or impact of SEMP implementation in
both environmental and the socio-
economic conditions in the area, as well
as the performance of the different
multi-stakeholder arrangements, and the
effectiveness and sustainability of the
SEMP implementation strategies,
approaches, processes and techniques.
Both midterm and ex-post evaluation
results, among others, will be the bases
for re-planning.
Indicators for the midterm and ex-
post evaluation can be categorized into
five major categories – state, pressure,
process, sustainability and impact
indicators (Annex 4). State indicators
consist of three components;
physical/environmental state indicators,
economic state indicators, and local
governance/political state indicators.
Process indicators are assessed in
terms of preparation for program
implementation, initiation of ICM
activities, and development of ICM
program. Response indicators are more
focused on the extent of adoption and
implementation of plans formulated.
Sustainability indicators emphasize
more on perception and behavior
changes among stakeholders,
sustainable financing systems,
integration of ICM into local
development programs and the
establishment and operationalization of
mechanisms for knowledge generation,
sharing and extension. Process,
response and sustainability indicators
are all measured using a 10-point scale
as follows:
 0 – not available opportunities for the provincial BEPC,
1 – initiated the bay region boards, and the
5 – significant progress city/municipal ICM councils to review
10 – completed and, if necessary, modify the existing
policies, implementation strategies,
Impact indicators are assessed in programs, projects, approaches,
terms of environmental impact, processes and techniques in order to
economic impact, social impact, and make them more appropriate to the
political impact. Impact indicators are conditions and requirements of
assessed using the following scale: particular areas or communities.

0 – not detected/cannot be To improve SEMP

determined
1 – sign of slight change
5 – sign of moderate change
10 - sign of significant change
Effective collaboration initiatives
should pay attention to both the task
and the process and so meet the needs
that the different stakeholders have in
both areas. In this regard, the task can
be defined in terms of what those
involved have to do while the process is
concerned with how people and groups
work together and maintain
relationships.
Revision and Implementation
Improvement of the Plan
The periodic monitoring and evaluation,
preferably annually, will serve as
implementation, the Secretariat of the
Councils/Boards will document early
recognizable “success stories” in the
course of monitoring and evaluation so
that lessons from its initial programs,
projects and activities can be
communicated to concerned key actors
and stakeholders. Such lessons will
also serve as vital inputs in the revision
or improvement of the SEMP.
Any changes in the SEMP in terms
of scope, duration, and implementation
arrangements of specific major
programs or projects will be subject to
the approval of the bay region board,
and if necessary by the provincial
BEPC, with prior consultations with the
concerned stakeholders and the
concurrence of donor institutions, where
applicable.

The implementation of the SEMP
requires the allocation of resources not
normally appropriated by LGUs.
However, there may be related budget
lines or activities within the LGUs which
are regularly funded and that can be
realigned or mainstreamed to the
proposed strategic actions in the Plan.
For example, LGUs are mandated to
allocate at least 20% of the respective
20% Development Fund to the Human
and Ecological Security (HES) activities.
The HES can be a source of funds for
the environmental management or ICM-
related activities.
Commitments of money and other
resources are limited only to localized
settings and may not be enough to
provide a comprehensive coverage of all
proposed programs. For example, the
Batangas Coastal Resources
Management Foundation (BCRMF) in
the Batangas Bay Region and the
Bacnotan Coal Fired Thermal Power
Plant (BCFTPP) in the Balayan and
Adjacent Bays Region have allocated
substantial amounts for environmental
protection but the coverage of targeted
interventions have to be expanded
beyond their localized settings.
Likewise, higher education institutions
have at least 10 percent of their total
budget allocated to research and
development and community service; it
is a challenge for the SEMP
stakeholders/ implementers from the
HEIs to direct part of these funds to
support research and development
programs identified in the SEMP.
To support the implementation of
programs listed in the SEMP, the
different stakeholders identified possible
sources and corresponding ballpark
amount being dedicated to these ICM –
related activities. The indicative budget
for the five major action programs is
shown below.
ACTION PROGRAM BUDGET
(P‘000)
Institutional Development 65,950
& Integrated Planning
Waste Management 408,645
Habitat Restoration and 71,010
Management
Underground Water 65,865
Protection and
Management
Fisheries Protection and 126,295
Management
All Programs 737,765
Tentatively, around 737.76 Million
Philippine pesos is required in the
implementation of this 15-year SEMP.
Approximately, P 472.26 Million is
needed to cover the first six years of
plan implementation (or the first phase),
from 2005 to 2010. Meanwhile, around
P 132.75 Million is earmarked for each
of the second and third phases of plan
implementation, i.e. 2011-2015 and
2016-2020.
The above figures represent only
the direct operational costs associated
with the activities in the action programs
and do not include (a) salaries, wages
and any form of compensation of people
involved in ICM activities, (b) vehicles,
equipment and machinery that are
already existing and currently in use by
stakeholders/institutions, (c)
office/working spaces dedicated ICM
activities. It is expected and assumed
that the existing local experts and
support staff from the provincial and
municipal local government units, the
national agencies, the civil society,
private business, higher education
institutions, and the communities will be
mobilized to implement specific
components of the plan. The allocation
by activity is included in the
implementation summary matrix while
annual allocation is provided in detail in
Annex 5.
Regular appropriations from
provincial and municipal local
government units will be the main bulk
of the sources of funds, complemented
by support from national agencies, civil
society, private business, higher
education institutions, and the
communities. In addition, sustainable
financing mechanisms, once
established, will also greatly contribute
towards funding specific components of
the plan.
As implied by the budget
presented, the increased responsibility
associated with environmental
management, warrants substantial
commitment in terms of providing policy
and planning environment for the
generation of additional resources both
from the government and non-
government sources and from other
stakeholders like the industries, tourism-
related sector, fisherfolks, academe,
etc., to carry out the various strategic
actions identified of this SEMP as well
as that of the bay region-specific plans.
Support from diverse interest
groups should therefore be sought since
it assures greater integration and allows
for coordinated action. The challenge is
to mobilize the private sector, national
and local resources, and even foreign
assistance or international funding
institutions to finance these plans. The
sourcing can be undertaken by the
province-wide BEPC, the bay region
boards, through their Secretariat and
TWG, and also directly by the
city/municipal ICM councils. Innovative
schemes can serve to cushion the
impact of additional financial
requirements, by developing and
establishing sustainable sources of
financing. New opportunities for
increased funds and more efficient use
of existing resources are provided by
various market instruments that are
likely to play an increasingly important
role in the future. Trust funds, fees, and
charges, may be developed. The LGU
of Mabini, for example, is currently
collecting a conservation fee from
visitor-divers to help finance its coastal
resources protection and management
initiatives. The neighboring municipality
of Tingloy is expected to soon follow.
The imposition of a water extraction fee
as an instrument to capture the scarcity
value of water in Batangas and at the
same time as a source of revenue for its
conservation is also under study by the
Provincial Government.
 Box 5. Implementation summary matrix of the SEMP by action programs
Action Program 1. Institutional Mechanism and Sustainability

ACTION PROGRAM/ INDICATOR OF OUTPUT TIME INDICATIVE RESPONSIBLE SUPPORTING

COMPONENTS/ACTIVITIES TABLE BUDGET Agencies LAWS
(P ’000)

A. Institutional Development
1. Adopt an ordinance establishing a three-
tiered multisectoral organizational mechanism Provincial Ordinance adopted 2005 PG-ENRO, SP
25 Local
2. Form, establish, and operationalize the Organized and operational: Government
Batangas Environmental Protection Council BEPC and TEG 2005 - 2020 2,400 PG-ENRO, TWG, Code (RA
(BEPC) and the three bay region ICM Boards, Municipal LGUs,
Batangas Bay ICM Board (BB-ICMB) and
Provincial Offices,
7160)
including their respective TWGs TWG
2.1 Batangas Bay ICM Board (BB-ICMB) National Agencies, Civil
Balayan and Adjacent Bays ICM Board Society, Private Land Use
2.2 Balayan and Adjacent Bays ICM (BAB-ICMB) and TWG Business, Fisherfolks Code
Board (BAB-ICMB) Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM Board
2.3 Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM (TAB-ICMB) and TWG
Board (TAB-ICMB) Minutes of meetings & consultations
Records of decisions made and conflicts
resolved
3. Form, establish, operationalize the no. of ICMC organized and operational City/Municipal LGUs,
City/Municipal ICM Council (ICMC) in each Observable indications of political 2006 – 2020 19,200 MENROs, MAOs, Civil
LGU or the mobilization of municipal commitment on LGU executives Society, Private
development councils as the ICMCs Minutes of meetings of ICMCs Business, Fisherfolks
 B. Integrated Planning Systems
1. Update provincial development framework
Provl Development updated 2005 50
plans integrating provincial land and water use
Provl Physical Framework Plan updated
BEPC/TWG,
plans and ICM concerns PPDO, PLUC,
PDC

Batangas Bay SEMP updated 2005 650 BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/

2. Update the Batangas Bay SEMP and the Balayan and Adjacent Bays ICM Plan 2005 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
Balayan and Adjacent Bays ICM Plan and updated TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
formulate a Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM Plan 2006 ENRO, PPDO
Plan, all aligned with this SEMP formulated
3. Update city/municipal development plans 2006 1,275 City/Municipal LGUs,
integrating land and water use plans and city/municipal development plans updated C/MENRO, C/MPDC,
ICM/ICM concerns and operational C/MAO, C/MDC

Provincial Environmental Code formulated BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/

4. Formulate a Provincial Environmental Code 2006 – 2007 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
Proceedings of workshops and consultations 100
Report on approval and adoption of the code TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
ENRO, PPDO
5. Formulate City/Municipal Environmental city/municipal environmental codes
C/MENRO, C/MPDC,
Codes formulated 2008 – 2010 1,200 C/MDC
proceedings of workshops & consultations
Evaluation Report(s) BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/
6. Evaluation of plans and re-planning Batangas SEMP refined 2010, 2015, 1,875 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
Batangas Bay SEMP refined 2020 TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
Balayan and Adjacent Bays ICM Plan refined ENRO, PPDO
Tayabas and Adjacent Bays ICM Plan refined
 C. Capacity-Building
1. Strengthen the Batangas ICM Center and report on training conducted PG-ENRO, DENR,
conduct regular training for ICM practitioners at 2005 - 2020 800 LGUs, HEIs
directory of trainees/participants
the local and national levels
list of local experts and resource persons
training modules
2. Maintain and regularly update the provincial Batangas coastal link (website) maintained
ICM website (batangascoastalink) and develop and updated, # of recorded visitors to website 2005 - 2020 10,400 BEPC/TWG, PG-
bay-region specific and city/municipal specific ENRO, City/Municipal
3 bay region specific websites established
ICM/ICM websites. LGUs, HEIs
city/municipal specific websites established
3. Manage and update environmental and ICM- IIMS regularly updated PG-ENRO, PPDO,
related data and information thru the Integrated 2005 - 2020 12,000 LGUs, HEIs
data categories available
Information Management Systems (IIMS),
report on extent of Information sharing
encourage information sharing among ICM
practitioners and partners. report on observable indications of
usefulness of information
4. Conduct ICEC activities to increase IEC materials produced and PG-ENRO,
capacities of ICM practitioners and partners, disseminated/distributed 2005 - 2020 12,000 City/Municipal LGUs,
and maximize partnership with media to ensure local and national
report on observable indications of improved
timely dissemination of issues and concerns media
capacity of practitioners and partners
and encourage active collaboration
report on observable indications of media
support
5. Establish and implement sustainable sustainable financing mechanisms BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/
financing schemes that will support activities of established 2006- 2020 3,975 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
the SEMP. TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
indicative amount generated thru sustainable
ENRO, City/Municipal
financing mechanisms
LGUs
 Action Program 2 – Waste Management

ACTION PROGRAM/ INDICATOR OF OUTPUT TIME INDICATIVE RESPONSIBLE SUPPORTING

COMPONENTS/ACTIVITIES TABLE BUDGET Agencies LAWS
(P ’000)

A. Solid Waste Management

1. Reconstitute SWM Boards and prepare 10-year SWM Plan BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
and/or improve SWM plans (provincial, 2005 300 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG, Ecological
minutes of meetings of SWM boards
municipal, barangay) TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
ENRO, DENR, City/
Solid Waste
Municipal LGUs Management
2. Conduct massive multi-media ICEC that will Report on barangay assemblies organized PG-ENRO, DENR, City/ Act (RA 9003)
help mobilize communities and even 21,600 Municipal LGUs, civil
IEC materials produced and disseminated/
households in the proper segregation, recycling 2005 - 2020 society, local media,Toxic and
distributed
and disposal of wastes HEIs
Report on trainings conducted Hazardous
number of households reached & mobilized Waste
PG-ENRO, DENR, City/
Management
3. Promote innovative schemes that will help List of junkshop operators
Municipal LGUs, civil Act (RA 6969)
minimize accumulation of wastes: “pera sa Report on recycling efforts 11,430
basura”, recycling and linkages to buyers of 2005-2006 society, local media,
recycled materials, assist organization of HEIs Local Govt
junkshop operators, composting, biodigesting, Code (RA
organic farming, etc 7163)
MRFs and composting facilties established BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
and operationalized 43,200 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
4. Establish and develop material recovery
2005 - 2020 TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
facilities (MRFs) in both barangay and MBIs adopted in communities for managing
ENRO, DENR, City/
municipal levels wastes
Municipal LGUs, civil
society, private
business
5. Establish and develop city/municipal Controlled dumpsites established BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
sanitary land-fills and/or controlled dumpsites TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
sanitary land fills established
for disposal of wastes TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
partnership developed 2006-2010 300,000 ENRO, DENR, City/
funding assistance sought Municipal LGUs, private
business
B. Management of Industrial and Agricultural Wastes
BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/ EIS System
1,260 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG, (PD 1586)
1. Strengthen community and LGU Guidelines on devolution of EIA functions
2005 - 2006 TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
participation in the EIA system projects with LGU participation in the EIA ENRO, DENR, City/
process Municipal LGUs, civil Marine
society, SP, SBs Pollution
2. Expand membership of ICM and build on its list of active members & projects conducted Decree (PD
initiatives 2005 - 2020 BCRMF 979)
list of industries which underwent PMA
records of monitoring surveys conducted in
the bays and among pollution point sources 2005 - 2020 11,680 PG-ENRO, DENR, City/ RA 6969
2. Build capacity through training of multi-
Municipal LGUs, civil
agency Management Monitoring Teams (MMT) progress reports and analysis
society, industries
to be able to properly monitor pollution observable indications of effective teamwork/
mitigating measures by industries
minutes of meetings of the team
time-series data base on water quality
monitoring 3,200 PG-ENRO, DENR, City/
3. Strengthen the Batangas Environment
2005 - 2020 Municipal LGUs, civil
Laboratory to conduct monitoring and amount of funds allocated to lab operations
society, industries
evaluation surveys in the bays and among # of personnel dedicated to the lab
pollution point sources
available lab equipment and capacity
membership of the QRS team
9,450 PG-ENRO, DENR,
4. Mobilize industries, academe, civil society Oil Spill Contingency Plan
2006 - 2020 PCG, PPA, local media
and media to participate in a Quick Response report on polluted related events responded
System (QRS) that will promptly respond and
report on observable indications of effective
undertake mitigating measures to pollution
teamwork
related events

consultations done to develop policies for BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/

environmental guarantees 6,525 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
5. Establish environmental guarantee fund
2006 - 2020 TAB-ICMB/TWG,
amount of fund generated and sources
PG-ENRO, DENR, City/
guidelines on establishment of guarantee Municipal LGUs,
fund industries, SP, SBs
 Action Program 3 – Habitat Restoration and Management

ACTION PROGRAM/ INDICATOR OF OUTPUT TIME INDICATIVE RESPONSIBLE SUPPORTING

COMPONENTS/ACTIVITIES TABLE BUDGET Agencies LAWS
(P ’000)

A. Protected Area Management

1. Identify, conduct inventory and assess BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/
critical habitats and ecosystems through report on identification and inventory of critical 1,300 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG, RAMSAR
participatory and scientific techniques habitats and ecosystems 2005 - 2006 TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
ENRO, City/Municipal
1971
LGUs, NGOs, HEIs
2. Mobilize communities as active partners in list of participating communities CBD 1992
protected area management, and design a 1,300 BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/
province-wide network of protection/
province-wide and bay region-wide 2005 - 2006 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG, NIPAS Act
conservation areas designed (with M&E
network/system of protected/conservation TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
system)
ENRO, City/Municipal
(RA 7586)
areas, inclusive of a biodiversity and habitat
3 bay region specific network of protection/ LGUs, NGOs, HEIs
monitoring system
conservation areas designed (with M&E Guidelines
system) on
3. Establish marine and terrestrial protected/ Ordinance establishing protected or BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/ Establishing
conservation areas through ordinance(s) and conservation areas 2006 - 2020 19,500 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG, Ecotourism
manage the same through community TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
ENRO, City/Municipal Development
partnership and sustainable financing
LGUs, NGOs, HEIs Areas
4.Develop and regularly update management management plans formulated BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/ (EO 111)
plans and data base on the network of 2006- 2020 10,500 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
data base regularly updated/ IIMS
protected/ conservation areas through a habitat TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG- DENR AO
report on habitat assessment and monitoring ENRO, City/Municipal
assessment and resource monitoring system #15
surveys conducted LGUs, NGOs, HEIs
5. Develop and disseminate IEC materials to IEC materials produced and
increase public awareness and participation in disseminated/distributed 2005 - 2020 11,200 PG-ENRO,
the protection and management of the network City/Municipal LGUs,
Report on observable change in perception
of protected/conservation areas NGOs, HEIs
and awareness
B. Rehabilitation of Degraded Habitats and Ecosystems
BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/
1. Identify, inventory and assess degraded Report on identification and inventory of 1,260 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
habitats and ecosystems, especially river degraded habitats and ecosystems 2005 – 2006 TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
systems ENRO, City/Municipal
LGUs, NGOs, HEIs
2. Design and implement a “Sagip Ilog” initiative BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/
among prioritized rivers (Calumpang River, 3,900 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
Pansipit River, Benanbang River, etc) i.e. river River Rehabilitation Plan 2006 - 2010 TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
clean-up, removal of silt, monitoring of water report on status of rivers ENRO, City/Municipal
quality, regulation of waste dumping through LGUs, NGOs, HEIs
ordinances, riverside tree planting, awareness
campaign on the importance of the river
system, etc

3. Conduct mangrove re-planting and report on mangrove rehabilitation activities PG-ENRO,

restoration of degraded lands including location and area planted 2006 - 2010 4,150 City/Municipal LGUs,
NGOs, private business
C. Urban Greenbelts and Waterfront Reserves
BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/
1. Identify, conduct inventory, and assess report on potential urban greenbelt areas and 2005 - 2006 1,250 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
potential urban greenbelt areas and waterfront waterfront reserves TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
reserves. ENRO, City/Municipal
LGUs, NGOs, private
business
2. Establish urban greenbelt areas and Ordinance establishing urban greenbelt areas 2006 - 2007 500 SP, SBs
waterfront reserves through ordinance(s) and waterfront reserves
3. Enhance/manage urban greenbelt areas and area (hectares) of urban greenbelt areas and PG-ENRO,
waterfront reserves through community waterfront reserves managed through 2007 - 2020 16,150 City/Municipal LGUs,
partnerships community partnerships NGOs, private business
 Action Program 4 – Water Resources Protection and Management

ACTION PROGRAM/ INDICATOR OF OUTPUT TIME INDICATIVE RESPONSIBLE SUPPORTING

COMPONENTS/ACTIVITIES TABLE BUDGET Agencies LAWS
(P ’000)
A. Community-Based Watershed Reforestation and Urban Regreening
1. Identify critical watersheds (i.e. Mt. Makulot, Report on critical watersheds and urban areas BEPC/TWG, BB-ICMB/
Mt. Malarayat, spring sources, pumping for re-greening 2005 605 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
stations) and urban areas for re-greening, and TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
Reforestation and stewardship program
ENRO, DENR,
Phil. Water
formulate massive year-round reforestation and formulated and operationalized
stewardship City/Municipal LGUs, Code
NGOs, Water Districts (PD 1067)
2. Establish and/or strengthen city/municipal nurseries established (municipal & barangay
nurseries to ensure supply of seedlings, levels) 2005 - 2020 11,280 PG-ENRO, DENR, Provincial
including barangay/ village-level satellite City/Municipal LGUs
record of seedlings produced and distributed Water
nurseries near or within critical watershed areas
progress reports on status of nurseries Utilities Act
and urban areas for re-greening
(RA 9275)
3. Mobilize communities, academe (thru NSTP institutions and individual partners in PG-ENRO, DENR, City/
students), industry sector (i.e. as “sponsors”, reforestation/urban re-greening and 2005 - 2020 10,480 Municipal LGUs, NGOs,
and civil society to become partners in stewardship private business, HEIs Clean Water
reforestation/ urban re-greening and Act (RA
report on locations and sizes of reforested
stewardship areas 9275)
B. Water Use Rationalization Through Regulation and Market-Based Instruments
1. Evaluate scarcity value of water (i.e. review Research report on scarcity value of water BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
current water billing system for both residential 2005 340 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG, MTDP 1999-
Report on water supply and demand
and commercial, including water usage by TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
ENRO, DENR, City/
2004
industries)
Municipal LGUs, NGOs,
Water Districts, HEIs
2. Conduct continuous collaborative research report on water-related researches conducted
on water demand, supply scarcity conditions, 2005 - 2020 5,040 DENR, City/ Municipal
proceedings of forum where researches are
reasonable pricing, alternative sources and LGUs, NGOs, , Water
presented
water-saving technologies Districts, HEIs
3. Formulate and adopt a provincial ordinance
that will regulate extraction of underground 2005 50 BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
water by imposing a water use fee and will TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
provincial ordinance passed TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
require all industrial, commercial, and
residential buildings to provide rainwater ENRO, SP
capture facilities for flushing, watering of plants,
and cleaning.
4. Implement the provincial ordinance report on consultations PG-ENRO, DENR, City/
regulating extraction of underground water 2005 - 2020 10,800 Municipal LGUs, Water
guidelines on regulation of water use
Districts
IEC Campaign
1. Conduct an annual water forum to update BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
various stakeholders on the state of the 2005 - 2020 5,840 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
Proceedings of annual water forum
province’s water resources, research findings, TAB-ICMB/TWG, PG-
progress on activities undertaken and actions to ENRO, DENR, City/
be taken. Municipal LGUs, Water
Districts, HEIs
2. Produce and distribute multi-media
information materials on the following topics: IEC materials produced and distributed and 2005 - 2020 10,480
importance of water resources and their PG-ENRO, DENR, City/
disseminated
preservation to health, livelihood, and economy; Municipal LGUs, Water
report on observable signs of increased Districts, HEIs, local
the current state of water resources (especially
awareness in the community media
in areas undergoing rapid urbanization); water-
saving strategies, i.e. recycling
3. Conduct school-based IEC campaign, i.e. report on school- based IEC campaign events
seminars, conduct of water-related research report on observable sign of increased 2006 - 2020 5,475 HEIs
development activities, linking with student awareness & education among students &
organizations and student activities devoted to faculty
environment
4. Conduct training on household-based water report on trainings conducted
recycling and water-saving techniques 2006 - 2020 5,475 PG-ENRO, DENR, City/
report on observable increased awareness
especially among women Municipal LGUs, Water
among women
Districts, HEIs
report on observable practices on water-
saving techniques & recycling
 Action Program 5 – Fisheries Protection and Management

ACTION PROGRAM/ INDICATOR OF OUTPUT TIME INDICATIVE RESPONSIBLE SUPPORTING

COMPONENTS/ACTIVITIES TABLE BUDGET AGENCIES LAWS
(P ’000)

A. Marine Law Enforcement

BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
2005 25 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
1. Formulate and adopt an ordinance that will Provincial Ordinance adopted
TAB-ICMB/TWG, OPA,
establish and institutionalize Bantay Dagat
BFAR, City/ Municipal
Fisheries
initiatives Code of
LGUs, SP
BPEC/TWG, BB- ICMB/ 1998
2. Mobilize communities, private business, civil list of members 2005 - 2020 4,400 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG, (RA 8550)
TAB-ICMB/TWG, OPA,
society, media as active partners in marine law record of violations and apprehensions City/ Municipal LGUs,
enforcement
private business, civil
society, local media
3. Motivate, mobilize and strengthen marine law schedule of patrol-days BPEC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
enforcement agencies in the province 2005 - 2020 4,400 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
record of violations and apprehensions
TAB-ICMB/TWG, PNP,
PCG, PPA
4. Access funding to provide regular incentives report on appropriations made BPEC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
(allowances that would approximate Barangay 2005 - 2020 33,600 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
amount (cash and in-kind) from various
Tanods, life, accident and health insurances, TAB-ICMB/TWG, OPA,
sectors supporting marine law enforcement
capacity building training) and logistical support City/ Municipal LGUs,
(patrol boats) to Bantay Dagat volunteers private business

5. Develop and distribute IEC materials to report on IEC materials produced and
increase public awareness and participation in distributed and disseminated 2005 - 2020 4,400 OPA, City/ Municipal
marine law enforcement LGUs, civil society,
report on observable signs of increased
local media
awareness
B. Research, Policy and Institutional Support

report on fishery stock assessment conducted BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/

2005 - 2020 4,400 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
1. Conduct regular fisheries stock assessment report on fishery related researches
TAB-ICMB/TWG, OPA,
and monitoring and other fishery related conducted
BFAR, City/ Municipal
researches, and form scientific advisory Scientific advisory committee for fisheries LGUs, HEIs, FARMCs
committee for fisheries

Policies and ordinances on sustainable BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/

fisheries adopted and implemented 2005 - 2020 3,600 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
2. Formulate policies, to ensure sustainable
TAB-ICMB/TWG, OPA,
fisheries’ stock, i.e. open and close season, report on observable practices in support of
BFAR, City/ Municipal
allowable fishing gears, etc. policies
LGUs, HEIs, civil
society, FARMCs, SP,
SBs
BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
2005 - 2006 1,050 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
3. Delineate bay-wide municipal waters ordinance delineating municipal waters
TAB-ICMB/TWG, OPA,
BFAR, City/ Municipal
LGUs, civil society,
FARMCs, SP, SBs

2005 - 2020 8,400 OPA, BFAR, City/

4. Conduct capacity building training for bay- report on trainings conducted
Municipal LGUs, HEIs,
wide integrated and municipal FARMCS as report on observable indications of improved civil society, FARMCs
partners in fisheries protection and capability
development

BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/

2005 - 2020 4,400 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
5. Hold annual fisherfolks forum, and forge proceedings off annual fisherfolks forum
TAB-ICMB/TWG, OPA,
partnerships among fisherfolks, private partnerships forged by various sectors with BFAR, City/ Municipal
business, academe, and NGOs. fisherfolks LGUs, HEIs, civil
society, private
business, FARMCs
C. Livelihood and Enterprise Development

1. Identify, conduct inventory, and assess OPA, BFAR, PCDO,

potential livelihood and enterprise initiatives: 2005 315 DTI, TESDA, City/
report on potential livelihood and enterprises
coastal/marine-based, freshwater-based, and Municipal LGUs, HEIs,
identified and assessed for feasibility
eco-tourism related civil society, private
business, FARMCs
report on trainings conducted & participants OPA, BFAR, PCDO,
2005 - 2020 10,480 DTI, TESDA, City/
2. Conduct entrepreneurial skills development report on observable indications of
Municipal LGUs, HEIs,
training entrepreneurial skills
private business,
FARMCs
3. Assist establishment of coastal resource- list of coastal resource-based cooperatives OPA, PCDO, DTI,
based cooperatives organized 2006 - 2010 1,825 TESDA, City/ Municipal
LGUs, FARMCs
status report of cooperatives
4. Establish loan/grant fund that can be BEPC/TWG, BB- ICMB/
accessed by entrepreneurs/fisherfolks who will list of loan/grant fund available for access 2006 - 2020 45,000 TWG, BAB-ICMB/TWG,
engage in livelihood (i.e. seaweed farming, amount of loans/funds availed TAB-ICMB/TWG, OPA,
tilapia culture, smoked fish making, fish sauce BFAR, PCDO, DTI,
documented stories & testimonies of livelihood TESDA, City/ Municipal
making, payao, giant clam seeding, ecotourism- activities enjoying funding
based activities) LGUs, HEIs, civil
society, private
business, FARMCs
 Annex 1

RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND

NATIONAL LAWS, POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND

NATIONAL LAWS, POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

Fisheries

1. Fisheries Code of 1998, Republic Act 8550 where the mandate for coastal
management is devolved to the local government. This includes jurisdiction over its
municipal waters (i.e. marine waters included between two lines drawn perpendicular
to the general coastline from points where the boundary lines of the municipality
touch the sea at low tide and a third line parallel with the general coastline including
offshore islands and fifteen kilometers from such coastline); together with the
FARMC they will be responsible for the management, conservation, development,
protection, utilization and disposition of all fish and fishery/aquatic resources with
their municipal waters. Likewise, creation and mandate of an IFARMC is stated.

Biodiversity and Resource Use

2. The Philippines is a signatory to the following international agreements : (a)

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially of Waterfowl Habitat
(RAMSAR 1971), (b) Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage (Paris, 1972), (c) Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Washington, 1973), (d) Convention on the
Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn, 1979), (e) Convention on
the Protection of the Natural Resources and Environment of the South Pacific
Region (1986), and (f) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, 1992)

3. The Biodiversity Conservation and Integrated Protected Areas Republic Act No 7586
of 1992, the National Integrated Protected Area System (NIPAS) Act is the primary
law that governs the establishment and management of protected areas.

4. Integrated Mangrove Rehabilitation and Seedling Production Project – funded by the

government and with 2 main components, mangrove rehabilitation and seedling
production with municipalities as partner of DENR. The cost of labor for plantation
establishment and maintenance and protection is the counterpart contribution of the
municipality. The project aims to establish 56 hectares of mangrove plantation.
Likewise, it aims to raise a total of 140,000 forest tree seedlings to support clean and
green programs of cities and municipalities.

5. Study and Mapping and Land Cover Assessment of Mangrove Areas – foreign-
assisted and covers all mangrove areas of the country using SPOT Data as basis.

6. Republic Act 9147, 2001–Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act -

providing for the conservation and protection of wildlife resources and habitat to
promote ecological balance and enhance biological biodiversity, to regulate the
collection and trade of wildlife and initiate or support scientific studies on the
conservation of biological biodiversity.
 7. The DENR Department Administrative Order No. 15 series of 1990 provides the
rules governing the utilization, development and management of mangrove
resources.

8. Presidential Decree 1801 which declares many small islands as tourism areas and
limits other types of development in the specified area (e.g. Nasugbu).

Water and Water Use

9. The Philippine Water Code, PD 1067 contains the law governing the ownership,
appropriation, utilization, exploitation, development, conservation and protection of
water resources. It is based on the Constitutional provision that all waters belong to
the State. It created the National Water Resources Board (NWRB) which regulates
the country’s water resources through coordinating and regulating agencies for water
resources management and development. NWRB regulates water use, resolve
issues and conflicts in water resources & development such as inconsistencies in
fees and charges; approves project involving the appropriation, utilization,
exploitation, development, control, conversion of the country’s water resources

10. PD 198 – Provincial Water Utilities Act of 1973 which provides for the creation of
independent and locally controlled water district that could own and operate water
supply and distribution system for domestic, industrial, municipal and agricultural
uses. It established the Local Water Utilities Administration which manages all the
water districts and review rates or charges established by local water utilities

11. RA 8041 – National Water Crisis Act of 1995 – addresses the water crisis especially
in terms of supply, distribution, finance, privatization of state-run facilities, protection
and conservation of watersheds and waste and pilferage of water; created the
Presidential Task Force on Water Resources Development and Management; plans
and coordinates water policies and programs, including pricing and monitoring

12. Clean Water Act (RA 9275) aims to protect the country’s water bodies from pollution
from land-based sources such as industries, and commercial establishments,
agriculture and community/household activities). It provides for comprehensive and
integrated strategy to prevent and minimize pollution through multi-sectoral and
participatory approach involving all stakeholders. RA 9275 prohibits the following:
(a) discharging or depositing any water pollutant to water body, or such which will
impede the natural flow of water, (b) discharging, injecting or allowing to enter into
the soil, anything that would pollute groundwater, (c) operating facilities that
discharge regulated water pollutants without valid required permits, (d) disposal of
potentially infectious medical wastes into the sea by vessels, (e) unauthorized
transport or dumping into waters of sewage sludge or solid waste

13. National Policy Directions for Water Resources Management and Development
(1999-2004) as outlined in the Medium Term Development Plan. It aims to (a)
pursue the preservation of the environment, (b) pursue sustainable development and
management of water resources, (c) adopt a holistic approach to link social and
economic development with the protection of natural resources and ecosystems, (d)
encourage recycling of water and harvesting and impounding of water, (e) enhance
information campaign and training in proper waste disposal and ecological and
environmental preservation with special emphasis on women’s participation, (f)
create an independent authority that will formulate national policies on water
resources management, regulation, utilization, planning and conservation, (g)
support the creation of river basin authorities to effect integrated water resources
 management, (h) develop standards for regulation and service efficiency, (i) pursue
and strengthen the strict enforcement of water-related laws, rules and regulations,
and adopt stiff and proportionate penalties for violators, (j) provide a favorable
environment for LGUs’ and private sector participation in the provisions of water
supply and sanitation services, (k) pursue private sector participation in providing
water supply and sanitation, especially in urban areas, (l) harness the resources of
private sector in improving water services and sewerage facilities (m) develop and
provide incentives for continuous water districts to amalgamate into single business
entities, and (n) continue the improvement of financial and technical evaluation of
water districts to address water services sustainability

Waste Management and Pollution

14. Environmental Protection and Pollution Control, PD 1586, a law that implements the
Environmental Impact Assessment System (EIS). The EIS requires the assessment
of the environmental impacts of projects that have been classified as
Environmentally critical or projects located in environmentally critical areas.
Guidelines are contained in DENR Administrative Order No 96-37. PD 856,
15. The Sanitation Code of the Philippines updates and codifies past laws to ensure
adherence to modern standards of sanitation with a handy reference that is provided
for enforcement.
16. PD 984, National Pollution Control Law, supports the policy to prevent, abate, and
control pollution of water, air and land for more effective utilization of resources. It
establishes and implements emissions and ambient standards for air and water.
17. Republic Act 6969, Toxic Substances Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Act 1990,
covers control over importation, processing, handling, storage, transportation, sale,
distribution, use and disposal of all unregulated chemicals and registration, storage,
treatment and disposal of hazardous and nuclear wastes. Implementing rules
contained in DENR Administrative Order No 29.
18. Philippine Inventory of Chemicals and Chemical Substances to compile and maintain
a national inventory of all chemicals and chemical substances in use throughout the
country for use by the government, the industry and the general public.

19. Persistent organic Pollutants Project to identify and make an inventory of chemical
substances which are not only bio-accumulative but also persistent thus posing risk
to health and the environment.

20. A Philippine Ozone Desk was established and completed investment projects funded
by the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal protocol have phased out about 1,300 mt of
ozone depleting substances in various industry sectors. Regulations were also
issued to control ODS importation.

21. Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 which calls
for the institutionalization of a national program that will manage the control, transfer,
transport, processing and disposal of solid waste in the country.
 Annex 2a

STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

FOR THE BATANGAS BAY REGION 1996-2020

STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN

FOR THE BATANGAS BAY REGION
1996-2020

Vision: Batangas Province will serve as a model for the attainment of the
socio-economic objectives of the people, together with the conservation of its
natural resources and the protection of the environment.

Mission: To mobilize and strengthen the capability and partnerships among the
LGUs, national government agencies, private sector, NGOs, volunteer groups,
social organizations and coastal community organizations and residents for
integrated management.

Goal: To achieve an acceptable balance between the overall level of

economic development and environmental management.

Long Term Objectives:

1. Develop the Batangas Bay Region’s (BBR) environmental and natural

resources to the fullest extent possible in accordance with sound
management concepts and practices in order to ensure its sustainable
use;
2. Create environmental conditions conducive to human health,
employment, income generation and recreation; and
3. Conserve the marine resources and coastal ecosystems for the benefit of
the future generations, for the advancement of science, and for the
development of tourism and recreation areas.

Short-term Objectives:

1. Establish an integrated coastal management system for BBR’s

sustainable development, including the mechanisms for multisectoral
participation and integration of environmental concerns into development
planning;
2. Mitigate land- and water-based pollution in the BBR through proper mix
of policy instruments, such as market-based instruments (MBIs) in
combination with command-and-control measures;
3. Improve and maintain the water quality of the Bay and the river tributaries
draining to it, within government-prescribed standards;
4. Minimize incompatible and conflicting uses of the bay’s coastal zone
through land use planning and zoning and passage of appropriate
policies and ordinances;
 5. Strengthen LGUs’ and other stakeholders capabilities on integrated solid
waste management, water pollution prevention and monitoring, and other
aspects of environmental management including information
management;
6. Identify sources of long-term financing for specific programs and projects
identified for sustainable management of the BBR and the bay; and
7. Harness coastal community organizations for advocacy and management
of the Bay’s environment and for alternative sustainable livelihood
development.

Area of Coverage: Batangas Bay; coastal: Batangas City, municipalities of San

Pascual, Bauan, Mabini, Tingloy, and Lobo; inland: Lipa City
and municipalities of San Jose, and Ibaan.

Duration: 25 years, 1996-2020

COMPONENTS/PROGRAMS/PROJECTS

A. Development of Legal and Institutional Mechanisms

1. PG-ENRO establishment
2. Batangas Bay Council for ICM formation

B. Strengthening of Integrated Policy and Planning Systems

1. Integrated planning systems for environmental management strengthening:

harmonization and integration of national, regional, and local development plans,
integrated land and water use planning
2. Policy support systems for sustainable development strengthening:
updating/improvement of land- and water-use zoning ordinances, application of
market based instruments with command-and-control measures, improvement of
resource-use pricing structures
3. Enforcement and monitoring capabilities strengthening: setting-up of environmental
monitoring system, creation of multi-sectoral environmental protection committees

C. Integrated Solid Waste Management

1. Waste disposal sites identification/development

2. Disposal schemes for toxic and hazardous wastes (THW) development
3. Community-based garbage collection system organization
4. User charges for garbage collection and disposal development
5. Waste incinerators establishment
6. Waste segregation and recycling system implementation
7. Waste recycling industry development assistance
8. Garbage collection transfer stations establishment
D. Water Pollution Abatement

1. Oil spill contingency plan implementation

2. Pollution management appraisal (PMA) system implementation
3. Fishing techniques information and education program
4. Sewage treatment plants establishment
5. Private sector investment to support reception facilities
6. Control measures for pollution discharges at point source development
E. Conservation of Special Ecosystems
1. Coral reef protection/rehabilitation
2. Innovative aquaculture techniques development

F. Coastal Tourism Development

G. Alternative Livelihood Development
H. Capacity Building
1. Training/education needs assessment
2. Human Resources Development Program
3. Curriculum development and visual aids preparation
4. Training organization
5. Organization of demonstration, planning, and policy workshops for decision-makers
and resource managers
I. Community Organizing and Community Development

J Information, Education and Communication

1. Multi-sectoral IEC system development

2. IEC materials preparation and dissemination
3. Organization of symposia on environmental management
4. Integration of environmental education in school curricula promotion
K. Research and Extension
1. Environmental carrying capacity assessment and model development
2. Sustainable multiple use study of coastal and marine resources and model
development
3. Pollutant flux into the sea investigation and prediction models development
4. Water generation as resource system study
5. Waste movements investigation
6. Socio-economic analysis of present and future developments in the bay
7. Vessel traffic analysis
8. Publications of bulletins and technical papers
9. Institutional linkages establishment

L. Management Information System Establishment

M. Development of Sustainable Financing Mechanism

1. Privatization
2. BOT scheme promotion
3. Trust fund mechanism establishment
4. Government and private sector resources mobilization
 STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION

Implementation was mostly undertaken by the LGUs, under the supervision,

coordination, and policy directions of the Batangas Bay Region Environmental
Protection Council (BBREPC), chaired by the Provincial Governor. The Council was
created by virtue of Provincial Ordinance No. 001 series of 1996. The PG-ENRO
provides the secretariat support to the Council and conduct day-to-day coordination
and implementation of the Plan. Private participation was mostly through NGOs and
the Batangas Coastal Resources Management Foundation, composed of major
industries in the bay. There are still, however, several components/programs/projects
of the Plan which are still to be initiated after almost 10 years of Plan implementation.
 Annex 2b

INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE BALAYAN

AND ADJACENT BAYS REGION, 2004-2023.

INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE

BALAYAN AND ADJACENT BAYS REGION
2004-2023

Vision: A sustainable and equitable economy where God-loving and

empowered citizenry live in a well-planned and protected environment
governed by responsible and committed leaders through efficient and
effective integrated management systems.

Mission: To mobilize, strengthen the capability of, and sustain the

partnership among stakeholders for the integrated environmental
management of the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Bay Region.

Goal: To develop and sustain a high level of environmental quality in

the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region while promoting responsible
multiple use and access of its resources.

Objectives:

1. To provide alternative and supplemental livelihood opportunities

among individuals and coastal communities in the Balayan and
Adjacent Bays Region, especially among the disadvantaged small
municipal fisherfolks and dislocated fishworkers;
2. To protect critical and important coastal/marine habitats and flora
and fauna of the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region, use rationally
its coastlines, and rehabilitate its degraded lands;
3. To generate data and information for the policy makers of the
Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region, their project implementors and
concerned stakeholders, for them to be able to make “well-informed”
decisions and actions in pursuing this ICM Plan; and
4. To establish appropriate institutional mechanisms that will mobilize
“environmentally aware” multi-sectoral stakeholders in the
implementation of integrated coastal resources management efforts
within the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region.

Area of Coverage: Balayan Bay and the adjacent bays of Pagapas,

Talin, and Nasugbu; the coastal municipalities of Nasugbu, Lian,
Calatagan, Balayan, Calaca, Lemery, Taal, San Luis, and parts of Bauan,
Mabini, and Tingloy, that directly surround the said bays; and the
municipality of Tuy, that indirectly influence the use and state of the said
bays;

Duration: 20 years, 2004-2023

 ELEMENTS/PROGRAMS/PROJECTS

A. Livelihood and Enterprise Improvement

1. Alternative and supplemental livelihood assistance

2. Coastal community-based cooperatives development
3. Market development and network building
4. Technical assistance

B. Habitat Restoration and Management

1. Integration of land and water use planning

2. Protected areas establishment
3. Coastline improvement and land rehabilitation
4. Pollution control and waste management

C. Information Base Improvement and Management

1. Land and water use studies

2. Marine studies and monitoring
3. Policy and socio-economic studies
4. Management and geographic information systems establishment

D. Governance and Community Mobilization

1. Establishment of multi-sectoral coastal zone management mechanisms

2. Policy development and enforcement
3. Environmental education and awareness campaign
4. Capacity building
5. Establishment of sustainable financing mechanisms

STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION

The Plan was recently (in 2004) approved and endorsed by the Provincial
Development Council. Individually, municipal LGUs have been implementing, in
collaboration at times with NGOs and POs, various programs/projects specified
by the Plan, i.e. marine law enforcement, conservation financing, waste
management, establishment of protected areas, etc., but will require inter-
municipal collaboration pending the creation of a bay-wide ICM council.
 Annex 3

PROVINCIAL ORDINANCE

AN ORDINANCE STRENGTHENING THE INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS

FOR INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT (ICM) IN BATANGAS AND
AMENDING PROVINCIAL ORDINANCE 96-01
 AN ORDINANCE STRENGTHENING THE INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS
FOR INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT (ICM) IN BATANGAS
PROVINCE AMENDING PROVINCIAL ORDINANCE 96-01

CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 1. Title. This Ordinance shall be known as the “Institutional Mechanism
Strengthening the Integrated Coastal Management in Batangas”.

Section 2. Policy. It is the policy of the Province of Batangas to develop and

sustainably manage to the fullest the resources of the Bay Regions through an
integrated approach and in accordance with sound management concepts and practices
consistent with the existing environmental laws, rules and regulations and other relevant
legal issuances for the benefit of present and future generations.

Section 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Ordinance, the following terms
and phrases shall mean:

a. Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region – refers to the bay known as Balayan Bay
and the adjacent smaller bays such as Pagapas Bay, Talin Bay, and Nasugbu
Bay, and the municipalities that directly surround the bays and influence the use
and state of the said bays;

b. Batangas Bay Region – refers to the body of water known as Batangas Bay and
the municipalities and cities that directly surround the bay including the mainland
local government units that influence the use and state of the said bay;

c. BEPC – refers to the Batangas Environmental Protection Council, established

and adopted by this Ordinance;

d. Bay – refers to a semi-enclosed body of water shared by various coastal

cities/municipalities that surround the said bay;

e. Bay Region – refers to the bays in the Province of Batangas including the
terrestrial cities/municipalities and their watersheds influencing, directly or
indirectly, the use and state of the bays;

f. BB-ICM Board – refers to the Batangas Bay Integrated Coastal Management

Board, created by this Ordinance, to replace the Batangas Bay Region
Environmental Protection Council created under Provincial Ordinance No. 001
series of 1996 of the Province of Batangas;

g. BAB-ICM Board – refers to the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Integrated Coastal
Management Board, created by this Ordinance;

h. Bantay-Dagat – A community-based law enforcement group organized by LGUs

and deputized either by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) or
the Local Chief Executive concerned for the purpose of enforcing fishery laws
and ordinances and other related environmental laws, rules and regulations;
i. Bantay-Dagat Network – A network of Bantay-Dagat organizations from the
municipalities within a specific fishing grounds such as bays, lake and the like;

j. City/Municipal ICM Council – refers to the City/Municipal Integrated Coastal

Management Council, enjoined to be created by this Ordinance, or otherwise
created by the concerned city/municipal LGUs, pursuant to this ordinance;

k. City/Municipal ICM Plan – refers to the integrated coastal management plan

that describes a comprehensive approach to the management of the
city/municipality, developed and implemented through the active participation of
its stakeholders, and reflecting the visions and aspirations of their citizenry.

l. ICM Plan of Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region – refers to the integrated
coastal management plan document that describes a comprehensive approach
to the management of the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Region, developed and
implemented through the active participation of its stakeholders, and reflecting
the visions and aspirations of the people in the bay region;

m. IFARMC – refers to the Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

Management Councils of the Province of Batangas created pursuant to RA 8550,
otherwise known as the Fisheries Code of 1998;

n. Local Development Councils – refers to the City/Municipal or Provincial

Development Councils of the Province of Batangas created pursuant to RA 7160,
otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991;

o. LGUs – Local government units referring to the Province of Batangas, and the
cities and municipalities within the jurisdiction of the province;

p. Municipal waters – refers to municipal marine waters including the offshore

islands 15 kilometers from the coastline, and as defined by the Local
Government Code of 1992 and by the Fisheries Code of 1998;

q. Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) of Batangas – a

document describing a comprehensive approach to the management of the bay
regions in the Province of Batangas, developed through the active participation of
its stakeholders, and reflecting the visions and aspirations of its people;

r. Strategic Environmental Management Plan of the Batangas Bay Region

(SEMP-BBR) – a document describing a comprehensive approach to the
management of the Batangas Bay Region, developed and implemented through
the active participation of its stakeholders, and reflecting the visions and
aspirations of its people;

s. Tayabas Bay Region – refers to the body of water known as Tayabas Bay,
shared with the Province of Quezon, and also the municipalities that directly
surround the bay, and influence the use and state of the bay;

t. Tayabas Bay Region ICM Plan – refers to the integrated coastal management
plan document that describes a comprehensive approach to the management of
the Tayabas Bay Region, to be developed and implemented through the active
 participation of its stakeholders, and reflecting the visions and aspirations of
people in the bay region;

u. TAB-ICM Board – refers to the Tayabas Bay Integrated Coastal Management

Board, created by this Ordinance.

CHAPTER II
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
Section 4. Batangas Environmental Protection Council (BEPC)

a. Creation and Role. There is hereby created a Batangas Environmental

Protection Council (BEPC) in order to administer and implement the provincial
policies on ICM. BEPC shall be the lead policy-making, coordinating and
planning body for the implementation of the SEMP. It shall likewise ensure inter-
bay region coordination, cooperation, and integration, in the pursuit of the goals
and objectives of the SEMP.

b. Composition. The BEPC shall be chaired by the Provincial Governor of

Batangas, with the President of the Mayor’s League as Vice-Chair supported by
a Technical Experts Group and a Secretariat. The BEPC shall be composed of
the following members:

1) Chairperson, Batangas Bay ICM Council

2) Chairperson, Balayan and Adjacent Bays ICM Council
3) Chairperson, Tayabas Bay ICM Council
4) Chairperson, Committee on Environmental Protection, Sangguniang
Panlalawigan ng Batangas
5) PG-Environment and Natural Resources Officer, as head of Secretariat
6) President, Provincial Federation of Liga ng mga Barangay
7) President, Provincial League of Councilors
8) President, Provincial Federation of Sangguniang Kabataan
9) A representative from the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council
10) A representative from the Integrated FARMCs
11) A representative from the medium/heavy industries and agricultural
estates
12) A representative from the tourism industry
13) A representative from the non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
involved in environmental protection
14) A representative from the peoples’ organizations (POs) involved in
fisheries
15) A representative from academic institutions
16) A representative from the local print and broadcast media
17) A representative from the Bantay-Dagat Networks

The representatives from IFARMCs, medium/heavy industries and

agricultural estates, tourism industry, NGOs, POs, academic institutions,
media and Bantay-Dagat Networks, who shall serve a term of two (2) years
shall be appointed by the BEPC Chairperson, upon the nomination of their
respective sectors and as recommended by the Chairs of the ICM Boards.
c. Powers and Functions. BEPC shall have the following powers and functions.

1) Review of policies and programs that ensure and promote the sustainable
development of the province;

2) Identify inter-agency, cross-sector, and inter-bay region mechanisms, as

appropriate, for sustainable development planning, evaluation and
endorsement of development projects, enforcement of and compliance
with concerned laws and regulations, scientific research, environmental
monitoring and assessment, and information services, within the
limitations of applicable provincial ordinances and national laws including
the Local Government Code;

3) Encourage appropriate information and education activities to promote

involvement of all sectors of society and maximize public participation in
the integrated management of the various bay regions of the province;

4) Adopt the Strategic Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) and related

environmental action plans of the province of Batangas and monitor and
evaluate the implementation of the same;

5) Conduct consultations among national agencies, local government units,

non-government organizations and the private sector to ensure that their
activities, projects and programs are consistent with the plans, programs
and policies adopted by the BEPC;

6) Arrange for, and accept donations, grants, gifts, loans, and other funds
from domestic and foreign sources, in behalf of the Batangas
Environmental Trust Fund, for implementing the policies, plans and
programs of the BEPC;

7) Recommend to the local legislative councils, local development councils,

or to Congress, whenever appropriate, such matters that may require
legislation or policy determination in support of a more efficient and
effective environmental management of the province;

8) Adopt appropriate measures to ensure compliance with national and local

laws pertaining to fisheries and coastal resources management, pollution
abatement and control, and liability and compensation in the bay regions,
and to promote projects that will encourage the prevention, reduction,
abatement, and risk management of marine pollution;

9) Promote health, welfare, and proper solid waste management in

coordination with concerned boards such as but not limited to, Provincial
Disaster Coordinating Council and the Provincial Solid
Waste Management Board;

10) Enter into agreements with national agencies for the delineation of duties
and responsibilities under this Ordinance and existing laws, as may be
necessary and appropriate;
 11) Settle disputes, through arbitration, among bay regions and among local
governments, that may arise in connection with the implementation of the
SEMP and related plans, programs, and policies;

12) Create a Technical Experts Group (TEG) and technical committees within
said TEG, as may be necessary, and/or call on any government agency,
entity, or instrumentality, including NGOs, POs and the private sector, to
advice the BEPC on specific issues and/or concerns and/or assist in the
performance of its duties;

13) Delegate its power to the Secretariat or to the TEG/TWG or to any

government agency, entity, or instrumentality, whenever necessary and
appropriate, except in the adoption of the SEMP and environmental
action plans, governance of the Batangas Environmental Trust Fund, and
other policy determining functions which affect the whole province and/or
any two of the bay regions;

14) Perform such other powers and functions as may be necessary in

carrying out its mandate, and the provisions of this Ordinance.

d. Technical Secretariat. The PG-ENRO shall act as the Secretariat of the

BEPC.

1) Perform administrative and record-keeping functions for the BEPC. It

shall set the agenda, keep the minutes and handle official
communications of the BEPC.

2) Liaise between the BEPC and among the bay region boards and the
general public.

3) Provide technical assistance to the BEPC in the performance of their

mandates and functions, and in close coordination with their respective
TEG members that may cover, but not limited to, the following:

• environmental monitoring and assessment: - establish a

monitoring, control and surveillance system; determine degraded
habitats and posts red flags in areas needing regeneration and
protection; represent the BEPC in the review, evaluation and
monitoring of projects covered by the EIA system; and prepare
and disseminate periodic reports on the state of the province’s
environment.

• research and data base management: collect and periodically

update data and information for planning and decision-making;
maintain and update the ecological profile and the statistical
compendium at convenient time intervals; collaborate with
concerned agencies in the conduct of scientific and action
researches in support of planning, policy, and decision-making;
and reconcile and validate province-wide data holdings with those
of the bay-regions, the municipal LGUs, the provincial government
offices, national agencies and related institutions.
 • information and advocacy: undertake continuing public
information, education, and communication to encourage the
involvement of all sectors of society and maximize public
participation in the integrated planning and management of the
province; conduct consultations among national government
agencies, bay-region boards, municipal LGUs, private sectors,
and NGOs, and other stakeholders; and recommend and lobby
before local and national agencies the enactment of measures
that may require legislative support for the effective management
of the area.

• planning support: support the BEPC and the bay region boards in
the formulation of policies, programs and projects; and periodically
revise the SEMP upon direction of the BEPC and the bay-wide
ICM plans upon direction of the respective bay region boards.

4) Monitor and evaluate the results of the implementation of programs and

projects, in behalf of the BEPC to generate inputs to the next planning
and programming cycle.

5) Perform such other powers and functions, as may be necessary in

carrying out its mandate, and the provisions of this Ordinance, and as
delegated upon by the BEPC.

e. Meetings and Quorum. The BEPC shall meet every quarter, on the second
Wednesday of March, June, September and December. A decision is carried by
consensus. A general assembly meeting of the BEPC with bay region ICM
boards and local ICM Councils shall be held twice a year for planning and
evaluation purposes.

Section 5. Bay Region ICM Boards

a. Creation and Role. There are hereby created three Bay Regions Integrated
Coastal Management (ICM) Boards, namely; the Batangas Bay Integrated Coastal
Management Board or BB-ICMB, the Balayan and Adjacent Bays Integrated Coastal
Management Board or BAB-ICMB, and the Tayabas Bay Integrated Coastal
Management Board or TB-ICMB, and each shall consist of a TWG and a Secretariat.
Each bay region board shall be the lead policy – making, coordinating and planning
body for the implementation of the SEMP, within the bay region. It shall likewise
provide inter – city/municipal and multi-sectoral policy direction, coordination and
integration within the bay region.
b. Composition. The Chair and the Vice-Chair of each bay region ICM board shall
be elected by the mayors among themselves on a rotation basis of three years or co-
terminus with their official term of office. The members of each board shall be as
follows:

1) Mayors of cities and municipalities within the bay region

2) A representative of the congressional district(s) covering the bay region
3) Chairperson of the bay region IFARMC
 4) A representative from medium/heavy industries and agricultural estates
based in the bay region
5) A representative from the tourism industry based in the bay region
6) A representative from the non-government organizations (NGOs) based in
the bay region involved in environmental protection
7) A representative from the people’s organization (POs) based in the bay
region and involved in fisheries and/or environmental protection
8) A representative from the academic institutions based in the bay region
9) A representative from the local print and broadcast media based in the bay
region
10) A representative from Bantay-Dagat Network
11) PG-Environment and Natural Resources Officer

The representatives from medium/heavy industries and agricultural estates,

tourism sector, NGOs, POs, academic institutions, media and Bantay-Dagat
Network, who shall serve a term of two (2) years, shall be appointed by the
Chairman of the ICM Board, upon the nomination of their respective sectors
organizations.

c. Powers and Functions. Each bay region board shall be the lead policy-
making, coordinating and planning body for the implementation of the SEMP, within
the bay region. It shall likewise provide inter-city/municipal and multi-sectoral policy
direction, coordination and integration within the bay region. Each bay region board
shall have the following powers and functions:

1) Develop policies and programs to ensure and promote the sustainable

development of the province through proper conservation and utilization of
natural resources and protection of its ecosystem;

2) Utilize the board as an inter-agency, cross-sector, and inter-bay region

mechanism for sustainable development planning, evaluation and
endorsement of development projects, enforcement of and compliance with
concerned laws and regulations, scientific research, environmental
monitoring and assessment, and information services, within the limitations of
applicable provincial ordinances and national laws including the Local
Government Code;

3) Encourage appropriate information and education activities to promote

involvement of all sectors of society and maximize public participation in the
integrated management of the bay regions;

4) Concur and/or conform to the Strategic Environmental Management Plan

(SEMP) and related environmental action plans for the province of Batangas
formulated and adopted by the BEPC, and assist the latter in monitoring and
evaluating their implementation;

5) Formulate and adopt a bay region ICM action plan and related environmental
action plans, which are aligned with the SEMP and monitor and evaluate their
implementation;
 6) Conduct consultations among national agencies, local government units, non-
government organizations and the private sector to ensure that the activities,
projects and programs are consistent with the plans, programs and policies
adopted by the BEP Council;

7) Assist the BEPC in arranging for, and accept donations, grants, gifts, loans,
and other funds from domestic and foreign sources, in behalf of the Batangas
Environmental Trust Fund;

8) Recommend to the local legislative councils. local development councils, or

to Congress, whenever appropriate, through the BEPC, such matters that
may require national and/or local legislation or policy determination in support
of a more efficient and effective environmental management of the province
and that of the bay regions;

9) Adopt appropriate measures to ensure compliance with national and local

laws pertaining to fisheries and coastal resources management, pollution
abatement and control, and liability and compensation in the bay region, and
to promote projects that will encourage the prevention, reduction, abatement,
and risk management of marine pollution within the bay region;

10) Assist the BEPC in promoting health, welfare, and proper solid waste
management in coordination with concerned boards such as, but not limited
to, Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council and the Provincial Solid Waste
Management Board;

11) Settle disputes, through arbitration, among local governments within the bay
region that may arise in connection with the implementation of the SEMP and
related plans, programs, and policies; other disputes beyond the authority of
the board shall be brought to the BEPC for settlement;

12) Create a Technical Working Group (TWG), and technical committees within
said TWG, as may be necessary, and/or call on any government agency,
entity, or instrumentality, including NGOs, POs and the private sector, to
advice the bay region board on specific issues and/or concerns and/or assist
in the performance of its duties;

13) Delegate its power to the Secretariat or to any government agency, entity, or
instrumentality, whenever necessary and appropriate, except in the adoption
of the ICM Plan and related environmental action plans, and other policy
determining functions which affect the whole bay regions;

14) Perform such other powers and functions as may be necessary in carrying
out its mandate, and the provisions of this Ordinance.

d. Technical Working Group. Each bay region TWG shall be headed by the
provincial government office that is in charge of the dominant sector in the bay
region. The TWG shall be composed of representatives both from government
agencies and private sectors within the bay region. The bay region TWG shall have
the following functions:
 1) Help execute the plans and projects of the bay region boards;

2) Assist in monitoring and evaluating the results of the implementation of

programs and projects, in behalf the bay region board to generate inputs to
the next planning and programming cycle, and recommend the same to the
bay region board;

3) Performs technical support to the bay region boards and to the city/municipal
ICM council that may include, but not limited to the formulation of policies,
programs and projects and the periodical revision of the SEMP and/or the
ICM plans, upon direction of the BEPC and by the concerned bay region
board.

4) Performs such other powers and functions, as may be necessary in carrying

out its mandate, and the provisions of this Ordinance, and as delegated upon
by the bay region board.

e. Secretariat. The provincial government office that is in charge of the dominant

sector in the bay region shall act as the Secretariat of the bay region board.
Specifically, the Secretariat shall have the following functions:

1) Perform administrative and record-keeping functions for the board. It shall set
the agenda, keep the minutes and handle official communications of the
board.

2) Liaise between the bay region board and its TWG and the TWG’s smaller
technical committees, and among the bay region boards and the general
public.
3) Provide technical assistance to the board in the performance of its mandates
and functions, and in close coordination with their respective TWG members.
Technical assistance may cover, but are not limited to those stated in Section
8 (e).

4) Monitor and evaluate the results of the implementation of programs and

projects, in behalf of the board to generate inputs for the next planning and
programming cycle.

5) Perform such other powers and functions, as may be necessary in carrying

out its mandate, and the provisions of this Ordinance, and as delegated upon
by the bay region board.

Section 6. Local integrated Coastal Management Council

a. Creation and Role. Respective ICM Council are hereby created by the
coastal City/Municipal LGUs, on a multi-stakeholder body mandated by the
concerned LGUs to develop integrated environmental policies, municipal wide
action plans, and setting of guidelines for the implementation of the policies
and action plans. It shall be responsible in ensuring implementation of ICM
initiatives at the city/municipal level, consistent with the SEMP.
b. Composition. The local ICM Council shall be chaired by the respective
city/municipal mayor and shall be composed of as many, but within a
manageable number, representatives from various stakeholders as possible,
including government agencies, and the private sector representatives, i.e.
private business, NGOs and POs, Municipal Bantay-Dagat Chairman and the
academe.

c. Powers and Functions. The city/municipal ICM Council shall have the
following powers and functions:

1) Develop policies and programs to ensure and promote the sustainable

development of its municipality through proper conservation and
utilization of natural resources and protection of its ecosystem;

2) Utilize the council as the inter-agency, cross-sector, and inter-

barangay mechanism for sustainable development planning,
evaluation and endorsement of development projects, enforcement of
and compliance with concerned laws and regulations, scientific
research, environmental monitoring and assessment, and information
services, within the limitations of applicable city/municipal and
provincial ordinances, and national laws including the Local
Government Code;

3) Undertake appropriate information and education activities to promote

involvement of all sectors of society and maximize public participation
in the integrated management of the municipality and the various bay
regions of the province;

4) Concur and/or conform to the Strategic Environmental Management

Plan (SEMP) and related environmental action plans for the province
of Batangas formulated and adopted by the BEPC and the ICM Plan
and related bay region-wide environmental actions for formulated and
adopted by the bay region board, and assist both the BEPC and the
bay region board in the monitoring and evaluating their
implementation;

5) Formulate, adopt, and implement city/municipal-specific ICM plan and

related environmental action plans, consistent with the SEMP and
monitor and evaluate their implementation;

6) Conduct consultations among its constituent-stakeholders to ensure

that their activities, projects and programs are consistent with the ICM
plan;

7) Assist the BEPC and the bay region board in arranging for, and
accepting donations, grants, gifts, loans, and other funds from
domestic and foreign sources, in behalf of the Batangas Environmental
Trust Fund, without precluding the possibility of the local government
unit, individually or in conjunction with other municipal LGUs, from
establishing its own environmental trust fund;
 8) Recommend to the Sangguniang Bayan/Panlalawigan and/or the
Local Development Council, whenever appropriate, such matters that
may require local or national legislation or policy determination in
support of a more efficient and effective environmental management of
the city/municipality;

9) Adopt appropriate measures to ensure compliance with national and

local laws pertaining to fisheries and coastal resources management,
pollution abatement and control, and liability and compensation in the
municipality, and to promote projects, individually or in conjunction with
other cities/municipalities, that will encourage the prevention,
reduction, abatement, and risk management of marine pollution within
the bay region and the municipal waters;

10) Promote health, welfare, and proper solid waste management, in

coordination with concerned councils or boards such as, but not limited
to, the City/Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council and the
City/Municipal Solid Waste Management Board;

11) Create a Secretariat and technical committees, as may be necessary,

and/or call on any government agency, entity, or instrumentality,
including NGOs, POs and the private sector, to advice the ICM Council
on specific issues and/or concerns and/or assist in the performance of
its duties; provided that the Secretariat shall be appointed by the
Mayor from any of the following: City/Municipal Environment and
Natural Resources Officer (C/MENRO), City/Municipal Planning and
Development Coordinator (C/MPDC) or the City/Municipal Agricultural
Officer;

12) Delegate its power to the Secretariat or to any government agency,

entity, or instrumentality, whenever necessary and appropriate, except
in the adoption of its ICM Plan and related environmental action plans,
and other policy determining functions which affect the whole
city/municipality;

13) Perform such other powers and functions as may be necessary in

carrying out its mandate, and the provisions of this Ordinance.

d. City/Municipal ICM Secretariat. The Local Chief Executive of the

City/Municipality concerned shall designate the council secretariat preferably
designated City ENRO/Municipal ENRO or the Municipal Planning and
Development Coordinator. The Secretariat of the city/municipal ICM Council
shall have the following powers and functions:

1) Perform administrative and record-keeping functions for the ICM

Council. It shall set the agenda, keep the minutes and handle official
communications of the council.

2) Liaise between the ICM Council and the bay region board, other
municipal ICM councils within the bay region, the stakeholders, and
 the general public. The head of the Secretariat shall represent the
ICM Council in the respective TWG of the bay region board.

3) Monitor and evaluate the results of the implementation of programs

and projects to generate inputs for the next planning and
programming cycle.

4) Perform technical support to the local ICM Council which may include,
but not limited to, the formulation of policies, programs and projects
and the periodic revision of the ICM plan, upon direction of the ICM
Council.

5) Perform such other powers and functions as delegated upon by the

ICM Council.

Section 7. Conflict Management. Local government units shall have primary

responsibility in the evaluation, approval and monitoring of projects or activities within
their respective territorial jurisdiction. Conflicts in resource use among various sectors
within the city/municipality shall be discussed, evaluated and decided upon in the
City/Municipal ICM Council. All local government units are enjoined to establish local
environment and natural resources offices (ENROs) to help implement the SEMP and
strengthen the conflict management process at the city/municipal level.

Projects involving issues, conflicts and impacts encompassing several municipalities

shall be referred to their respective bay region board for discussion, evaluation, and
decision; and for endorsement to the BEPC if the board fails to come up with a
consensus or make a decision. Projects with multi-bay regional impacts shall be
referred by the concerned bay region board to the BEPC for evaluation and decision.

Section 8. Integrated Land and Water Use Plan. The BEPC in coordination with the
bay region boards shall develop and adopt an Integrated Land Water Use Zonation Plan
which shall take into consideration the most appropriate combination of uses of both
land and marine resources based on natural potentials and socio-economic
development opportunities. The plan shall define limits of the development pattern of
the bay regions in order to minimize resource use conflicts. The plan shall be integrated
with the Provincial Physical Framework Plan to be consistent with the overall socio-
economic development objectives of both provincial and municipal local governments
and of the bay regions.

Section 9. Relationship with the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape. Efforts shall
be made so that the implementation of the SEMP and the policies, plans, and programs
developed by the BEPC shall be mutually supportive of the Taal Volcano Protected
Landscape. Conversely, the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Taal
Volcano Protected Landscape shall likewise be enjoined to ensure mutual cooperation
with the BEPC. The PAMB Chair of the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape shall be
invited as an ex-officio member of the BEPC.
 CHAPTER III
SUSTAINABLE FINANCING
Section 10. Appropriations. Such funds as may be necessary for the administrative
support of the BEPC and the bay region boards, the TWGs and technical committees,
and the implementation of the functions of the PG-ENRO shall be charged to the current
budget of the PG-ENRO. At least ONE MILLION PESOS (P1, 000,000) is hereby
appropriated annually for the operations of the BEPC and the bay region boards. Said
appropriation shall be included in the annual budget of the province of Batangas as
statutory obligation. Concerned departments of the Provincial Government may likewise
allocate funds, out of their respective appropriations, through programs or projects,
directly or indirectly supporting or complementing the SEMP. All other amounts
necessary for the implementation of this Ordinance shall be charged to the Batangas
Environmental Trust Fund.

Section 11. Sustainable Financing of BEPC Operations and Programs. The BEPC
shall establish a Batangas Environmental Trust Fund to finance the effective
implementation of the SEMP. The money for the Fund may be sourced through direct
allocations of local governments and congressional representatives, donations, grants,
international assistance, a share in fees and charges that may be imposed, loans or
bond flotation and other sources. The Fund shall be used to implement the operations
and programs of the BEPC and the bay region boards, as well as specific action plans.
The Fund shall also be used to develop the capabilities of local government units in
implementing these programs. The BEPC in conjunction with the bay region boards shall
formulate the guidelines for the management of the fund, which could either be an
endowment fund or a sinking fund.

The BEPC in coordination with the bay region boards shall also develop
innovative financing mechanisms to sustain the implementation of the various programs
in the SEMP. A financing plan shall be developed which may include, but not limited to,
user-pay schemes, build-operate transfer, fines, contributions, or similar schemes. The
local government units, through their respective ICM Councils, singly, or in conjunction
with other LGUs, may also establish their own environmental trust funds and/or develop
innovative financing schemes that will finance and/or sustain the implementation of their
respective action plans.

CHAPTER IV
FINAL PROVISIONS
Section 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The BEPC and the bay region
boards shall promulgate their respective guidelines to implement this Ordinance.

Section 13. Repealing Clause. All ordinances, including Ordinance No. 001 S-96,
orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 14. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Ordinance is declared illegal or
unconstitutional, the other provisions of this Ordinance shall remain valid.

Section 15. Effectivity. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its approval.
 Proposed Three-Tiered Multisectoral Organizational Structure

Provincial Dev’t Batangas Environmental

Council Protection Council
------------------------------- Chairman: Provincial Governor

Secretatriat: PG-ENRO
Technical Working
Group

Balayan Bay Tayabas Bay

Batangay Bay
ICM Board ICM Board
ICM Board

Secretariat/Technical
Working Group

Municipal ICM Council

Municipal Development Chairman: Mayor
Council Secretariat:
MENRO/MPDC
------------------------------------
 Annex 4

POST EVALUATION PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

A. State indicators for ICM program

Before 5 Years 10-15
State Indicators ICM After Years
ICM After
ICM

Physical/environmental
• Coastal extension (km)
• Area under ICM (sq km)
• Levels of key pollutants
• Solid wastes in the beach
Economic
• Average household income
Social indicators
• Public awareness on coastal issues
• Intellectual capital
Political
• Vision & perception of local leaders &
stakeholders
• Participation of people/sectors
• Enforcement of ICM related policies and
regulations
• Intergovernmental, inter-agencies and
cross-sectoral partnerships
B. Process indicators for the ICM program in the BBR
Process Indicators Score*

Preparation for Program Implementation

• Project mechanism established
• Core group formation
• Consensus building among stakeholders
• Capacity-building activities conducted

• Data/information related to specific management issues gathered and

used for management
• Management boundary defined
• Public awareness created
• Issue or area specific plan developed
• Initial efforts to institutionalize ICM implementation
• Environmental monitoring program developed
• Information management system established and operational
Development of ICM Program
• Project monitoring, evaluation and reporting protocols developed
• Data utilized for management decisions

*Scoring for process indicators:

0 – not available
1 – initiated
5 – significant progress
10 - completed

C. Response indicators for ICM programs

Response Indicators Score*

Adoption and Implementation

• Interagency, multisectoral coordinating committee established and
operational
• Action plan for ICM implemented
• Communication plan implemented
• Integrated environmental monitoring program implemented
• Legislation for ICM amendments of existing regulations adopted and
implemented
• Information management system operational
• Law enforcement mechanism strengthened
• Project monitoring, evaluation and reporting protocols implemented

*Scoring for response indicators:

0 – not available
1 – initiated
5 – significant progress
10 - completed
D. Sustainability indicators for ICM programs
Sustainability Indicators Score*

• Perception and behavior changes among stakeholders detected

• Sustainable financing systems in support of ICM
• Integration of ICM into local government development program
• Mechanisms for knowledge generation, sharing and extension
established and operational

*Scoring for sustainability indicators:

0 – not available
1 – initiated
5 – significant progress
10 - completed

E. Impact indicators for ICM programs

Impact Indicators Score

Environmental impact indicators

• Visual sign of improvement in environmental quality as shown in coastal
water and in the beach
• Protection of marine and coastal environment
Economic impact indicators
• Improved welfare condition
• Employment opportunities increased
Social impact indicators
• Investment in environmental facilities and services increased
• Utilization of coastal and marine resources harmonized
• Public awareness on coastal issues and sustainable development
increased
Local governance/political impact indicators
• Vision and perception of local leaders and stakeholders on sustainable
development strengthened
• Public participation mechanism strengthened
• Effective enforcement practiced
• Improved efficiency of the administrative process
• Intergovernmental and cross sectoral partnerships and coordination
strengthened

*Scoring for impact indicators

0 – not detected/cannot be determined
1 – sign of slight change
5 – sign of moderate change
10 - sign of significant change
 Annex 5. Annual budget allocation by action program

Budgetary Requirement (P ’0000

Strategies/Component/ Activity 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2005-2010 2011-2015 2016-2020
Total
Institutional Development 4,275 4,290 4,290 4,640 4,215 4,840 26,550 19,700 19,700 65,950
and Integrated Planning
Systems
Institutional Development 1,375 1,350 1,350 1,350 1,350 1,350 8,125 6,750 6,750 21,625
Integrated Planning System 700 475 475 825 400 1,025 3,900 625 625 5,150

Capacity Building 2,200 2,465 2,465 2,465 2,465 2,465 14,525 12,325 12,325 39,175

Waste Management 7,400 68,165 66,820 66,820 66,620 66,620 342,445 33,100 33,100 408,645
Solid Waste Management 5,540 65,540 64,825 64,825 64,625 64,625 330,280 23,125 23,125 376,530

Industrial & Agricultural Waste 1,560 2,625 1,995 1,995 1,995 1,995 12,165 9,975 9,975 32,115
Management

Habitat Restoration and 3,255 7,115 5,285 5,035 5,035 5,035 30,760 20,125 20,125 71,010
Management

Protected Area Management 2,000 4,000 2,700 2,700 2,700 2,700 16,800 13,500 13,500 43,800

Rehabilitation of Degraded 630 2,240 1,610 1,610 1,610 1,610 9,310 9,310
Habitat and Ecosystems
Urban Greenbelts and Water 625 875 975 725 725 725 4,650 6,625 6,625 17,900
Front Reserves
Water Resources Protection 4,365 4,100 4,100 4,100 4,100 4,100 24,865 20,500 20,500 65,865
and Management
Community-based Watershed 1,965 1,360 1,360 1,360 1,360 1,360 8,765 6,800 6,800 22,365
Reforestation and Urban Re-
greening
Water Use Rationalization 1,380 990 990 990 990 990 6,330 4,950 4,950 16,230
through Regulation and
Market-based Instruments
ICEC Campaign 1,020 1,750 1,750 1,750 1,750 1,750 9,770 8,750 8,750 27,270

Fisheries Protection and 5,770 8,795 8,270 8,270 8,270 8,270 47,645 39,325 39,325 126,295
Management

Marine Law Enforcement 2,950 2,925 2,925 2,925 2,925 2,925 17,575 14,625 14,625 46,825
Research, Policy, and 1,825 1,825 1,300 1,300 1,300 1,300 8,850 6,500 6,500 21,850
Institutional Support
Livelihood and Enterprise 995 4,045 4,045 4,045 4,045 4,045 21,220 18,200 18,200 57,620
Development

Total 25,065 92,465 88,765 88,865 88,240 88,565 472,265 132,750 132,750 737,765
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