Evaluating Management effectiveness of three marine protected areas in Davao City,

Mindanao, Philippines
By

Marie Antonette Paña-Tautho, MSc ERM

PhD Candidate
College of Development Management
University of Southeastern Philippines

Abstract

Evaluating management effectiveness of three established marine protected area in Davao

City through the Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT) is important to look into
the status of development of coastal resource management. The objective of the study is to
look into METT as a tool to be able to identify significant management effective measures that
can be further enhance to achieve outcome goal. For evaluation tool, causal inference through
path analysis was used to determine correlation of all variables and Multiple Linear
Regression (MLR) was used to analyse best fit to achieve outcome. Outcome of a highly
functional established MPA can be manifested by a predominantly biodiverse, ecologically,
cultural values intact and that the community economically benefits from the MPA.

Keywords: MPA, MPAN, METT, Davao Gulf, Davao City

I. INTRODUCTION

Globally, the demand for fisheries resources (including aquaculture) has remained an important
source of food, employment, and revenue in many communities and countries (WHO, 2017).
Communities that are dependent on fisheries derived their "cash crop" from the daily fish catch,
and this does not include those employed within fisheries sector generating income from fish
food chain such as fishing crew, pond laborers an estimate of 660-820 million people totally
dependent to fisheries (HLPE, 2014). However, these resources are continuously exhausted
and threatened, and establishing a marine protected area (MPA) is one of the identified
conservation efforts to sustain fisheries' productivity (FAO, 2017). Establishing MPAs have
gained positive biological, social, and physical outcomes but may vary from among and across
sites (Ahmadia, 2015).

Within Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines has long-established and ranked the highest
number of declared MPAs (Aliño et al. 2000). With the coastal stretch of 80,791 coastal
kilometers, there are 1620 MPAs locally managed, and 33 nationally managed MPAs all over
the country (Dizon, E.C. et al. 2013). Davao Gulf in Mindanao was identified as Marine Key
Biodiversity Area (MKBA), including Verde Island Passage, Southern Palawan, Tañon Strait
Protected Seascape, and Lanuza Bay (UNDP, 2017). Given this prioritization, Davao City,
established 3 MPAs namely; Punta Dumalag MPA (37Has.), Agdao Centro MPA (21Has.), and
Bunawan-Lasang MPA (415Has.), a locally managed MPA which was declared through local
ordinance 0370-07 in 2007.

Moreover, established three MPAs of Davao City in isolation is not enough to support fish,
corals, invertebrates, and other biologically important species. In 2014, additional MPAs within
the City was proposed to be established to scale up conservation efforts. Through the efforts of
the City Government of Davao, in partnership with the University of Southeastern Philippines
and Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany Deutsche
Gesselschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Protected Area Management
Enhancement (PAME) Project was implemented to promote the establishment of MPA Network
(MPAN) system. PAME projects looks into functional well-managed MPAN with an increased
level of community involvement and participation, and identifying supplemental livelihood for
fisherfolks in Davao City. Major objective of PAME project was to established MPAN expanding
seven (7) more community managed MPAs. Scaling up conservation efforts requires sustained
functional management strategies. However, local ordinance 0370-07 was not yet amended to
scale up MPA into network system. MPA Network is as discussed in IUCN-WCPA (2008) is
known to promote connectivity in terms of governance (institutional) which includes expansion
of management, joint initiatives from planning to management (i.e law enforcement, monitoring
and evaluation), ecological in terms of expansion of protection of critical and ecologically
connected habitats (i.e migration corridors, nursery and aggregation sites, source and sink of
corals, fish and other inverts) and socio-economic in terms of cohesion and equitable benefits
(i.e improved awareness, social groups, and biodiversity friendly enterprise).

This paper will only focus on assessing the management effectiveness of the established 3
MPAs sites that was covered by the local ordinance. Management effectiveness of established
MPAs in the Philippines whether locally or nationally managed are being monitored through The
Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT or Tracking Tool) prepared by World Bank
and WWF was adopted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resource – Protected
Area Wildlife Bureau as a primary instrument for measuring management effectiveness of
protected areas in the Philippines.

The study utilizes the secondary data conducted METT from City Agricultures Office, Local
Government Unit of Davao City conducted by United Nations Development Fund (UNDP)
SmartSeas Global Environmental Fund (GEF) from 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2019 for 3
established MPAs in Davao City. The objective of the study is to look into METT as a tool to be
able to identify significant management effective measures that can be further enhance to
achieve outcome goal. For evaluation tool, causal inference through path analysis was used to
determine correlation of all variables and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) was used to analyse
best fit to achieve outcome. Outcome of a highly functional established MPA can be manifested
by a predominantly biodiverse, ecologically, cultural values intact and that the community
economically benefits from the MPA.
II. EVALUATION METHOD

The elements of evaluation under METT from the secondary data covers context, planning,
inputs, processes, outputs, and outcomes (these elements can be likened to context, inputs,
processes, and product CIPP Model from Stufflebeam-1983). Exploratory statistical analysis
was used specifically Path Analysis and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR). As extension to
determine regression model, path analysis was utilized to compare two or more causal models
which in this case was used to determined relationship among significant variables.
MLR was utilized to investigate model best fit to achieve outcome and then path analysis model
was presented for correlation matrix to present the regression model. The coverage of the study
and status of biophysical coastal resources data is presented in figure 1 and table 1.

Figure 1. Map showing location of established Table 1. Consolidated summary of MPA and
and proposed MPAs in Davao City. status of coastal resources, Davao City.

METT, as developed by the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)has been the
framework to monitor the progress of established protected area toward improving management
effectiveness hence help resource managers track progress and harmonized and consistent
reporting system which then can be replicable in implementing protected areas globally. WCPA
framework was based on the premise that there are six distinct stages, or elements to ensure
outcomes. This element begins with understanding the context of existing values and threats,
progresses through planning, and allocation of resources (inputs), and as a result of
management actions (processes), eventually produces products and services (outputs), that
result in impact or outcomes.

Furthermore, resource managers can ensure reliability, and comparability of gathered

information worldwide as this tool was acknowledged as one of the most widely used
management-assessment tools for protected areas (Stolton et. Al 2007) Summary of the
questions in the tracking tool of which the data was derived was summarized and presented as
table 2, as follow:
Table 2. Summary of WCPA Framework

Source: Programme of Work on Protected Area, CBD Technical Series number 18, Secretariat of the
Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, www.biodiv.org/doc/publicaiton/cbd-ts-18pdf
 Table 3. Variables of the study.

For this study, elements of evaluation will be assigned

variables reflected in Table 3.
METT highest achievable maximum score is at 102 points.
Given this, highest score for context was set at 3 points,
planning at 24 points, input at 25 points, process at 38
points, output at 3 points and outcome at 9 points. The
assessment scoring range between poor to excellent. The
current system assumes, for example, that all the questions
cover issues of equal weight, whereas this is not
necessarily the case. Scores will therefore provide a better
assessment of effectiveness if calculated as a percentage for each of the six variables of the
WCPA framework.

III. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

Results of METT in three MPA are summarized at table 4. Data showed that the values of the
elements increased with time. Year 2013 data showed the most of the respondent’s rate
management effectives below 50%; given Punta Dumalag MPA at 44%, Agdao Centro MPA at
32%, and Bunawan-Lasang MPA at 33%. Subsequently, 2016 data showed an increased in
rating above 50%; given Punta Dumalag MPA at 67%, Agdao Centro MPA at 61%, and
Bunawan-Lasang MPA at 52%. As it is observed to increase through time, 2017 data showed a
better ranking of management effectiveness comparing to 2016 except for Agdao Centro MPA;
given Punta Dumalag MPA at 85%, Agdao Centro MPA at 37%, and Bunawan-Lasang MPA at
61%. However, 2019 result showed different trends of increased for Agdao Centro MPA at 57%
and Bunawan-Lasang at 71%, while Punta Dumalag MPA noted decreased at 77%.

A correlation coefficient was run of all elements of evaluation (X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, and X6) to look
into significant correlation and path analysis showed that (p=0.01), showed that elements of
evaluation such as planning (r=0.798), process (r=0.753), and input (r=0.677), are significantly
correlated to achieving outcome as presented in figure 2, 3, 4. At R-value (0.804), planning,
input and process showed a high correlation in achieving outcome. Note that of all the
evaluation elements, planning ranks the highest correlation to outcome. Figure 2 shows
outcome of correlation between each of the variables being presented in this study.

Table 4. Summary of METT data for 3 MPAs in 2013, 2016, 2017, and 2019.
Figure 2. Path analysis diagram showing correlation to outcome.
IV. DISCUSSION

Data presents the unequivocal measures for resource managers to do proactive measures given
that these natural resources are not finite. Considering Davao City as highly urbanized City the
presence and status of the coastal resources at hand heightened the need to effectively manage
these resources. As was presented in table 1, presence of biologically important species such
as sightings of whale shark and identified nesting ground for marine turtles are evidences of the
presence of valuable resources that needs management effectiveness measures.

Mainly this paper presents the importance of seriously undertaking the management
effectiveness evaluation measures which are necessary for resource managers to review and
modify management interventions. Planning was observed to have the significantly highest
correlation to outcome. Given that planning encompasses setting up MPA regulations that
provides excellent basis for management, and the need to draft management plan to delineate
boundary, to help achieve the overall objectives. However, input, and processes are crucial
since these are what is needed to assess and carry out management intervention to implement
management programmes and actions and delivery of products and services.

The overall evaluation of the effectively managing the resources impacts the outcome which
mainly is a manifestation of a predominantly biodiverse, ecologically balance marine ecosystem,
cultural values intact and that the community economically benefits from the MPA.

V. RECOMMENDATION

The following are recommended policies to support functional MPAs for Davao City:

1. The MPA Ordinance 0370-07 should be amended to include 7 proposed MPA sites
within Davao City promote connectivity of MPAs in terms of governance, ecological and socio-
economic development. One cannot overemphasize the necessity to implement development
program that has legal bearing.
2. One crucial part of planning is the participation and representation of every sector in the
community. most of the active stakeholders who gets involve in coastal resource management
interventions are organized people/fisher organization. Most of these interventions includes
participatory action research on the management of a MPA, fisheries regulation and mangrove
reforestation. Collective participation in community-based coastal resources management
activities (e.g. establishment of marine sanctuaries) in the country has been well-documented.
In some undertakings, the primary motivation for participation is the hope for personal/household
socio-economic gain however this can be discounted if there is an increase level of awareness
and in turn encourages participation and involvement of stakeholders in the community.

3. The for every MPAs to come coastal resource management plan and to conduct regular
monitoring and evaluation of how the plans are being implemented.

4. Budget allocation has always been the constraints in undertaking development programs
especially coastal resource management because its less visible thus less prioritize, therefore
continuous information, education campaign on the ground should be adhere.

Reference:
WHO,2017. Global and Regional food consumption patterns and trends.
https://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/3_foodconsumption/en/index5.html

HLPE, 2014. Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture for food security and nutrition. A report by
the High-Level Panel of Exports on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World
Food Security, Rome 2014.

Ahmadia GN, Glew L,Provost M, Gill D, Hidayat NI, Mangubhai S,Purwanto, Fox HE. 2015
Integrating impact evaluation in the design and implementation of monitoring marine protected
areas. Phil.Trans. R. Soc. B 370: 20140275.http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2014.0275

UP-MSI, ABC, ARCBC, DENR, ASEAN, 2002. Marine Protected Areas in

Southeast Asia. ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation, Department
of Environment and Natural Resources, Los Baños, Philippines. 142 pp., 10 maps.

Strengthening MPAs to Conserve Marine Key Biodiversity Areas in the Philippines.

https://www.oceanactionhub.org/strengthening-mpas-conserve-marine-key-biodiversity-areas-
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