Perceived economic factors influencing the sustainability of integrated coastal management projects in the Philippines

The use of integrated coastal management (ICM) has a long history in the Philippines. Despite all this effort, however, most ICM efforts in the Philippines have not been sustainable. If ICM is to be fully accepted and integrated by the Philippine government into its natural resource management efforts, than the issue of sustainability of ICM must be addressed. An understanding of the factors that influence ICM sustainability will contribute to improving the design of ICM for more sustainable efforts. This paper examines factors influencing the sustainability of ICM projects in the Philippines. Specifically, the study focused on two locations in the country, Bais Bay area of Negros Oriental Province and Mabini-Tingloy (known as Anilao) area of Batangas Province, where a number of ICM projects have been implemented since the mid-1980s. Indicators for ICM project impacts are developed and analyzed to determine their relationships with ICM project sustainability.