Developing pro-poor markets for environmental services in the ...

formerly managed by the local government, and is now under PAMB management. It is
considered to be one of the most successful PAs in the country by far, both in terms of
biodiversity conservation and revenue generation. Various ecological studies have cited its
success in preserving the ecological balance and natural beauty of the sanctuary. Zones have
been created to accommodate various economic activities, such as scuba diving and fishing.
The management board collects entrance fees from scuba divers, generating a substantial
amount of revenue over the years. The case study looks at whether such revenues are being
properly ploughed back to the community, either for improving standard of living, or for
ecological enhancement of the reef and its resources.
The second case study looks at the Reforestation, Watershed Management, Health and/or
Environment Enhancement Fund (RWMHEEF) being managed by the Department of Energy
(DOE). The fund was set up as part of the ‘social responsibility’ mandate of the DOE,
whereby communities hosting energy projects are somehow compensated. From the very
name of the fund, environmental and social objectives seem to underlie the rationale for its
creation. Since the fee’s imposition in the mid-1990s, there has been no documentation on
whether the funds have indeed been used for watershed rehabilitation in areas affected by
energy projects. The study attempts to determine whether this scheme constitutes a market for
watershed-protection services, and whether an interplay between environment and
development objectives exists.
4.1 Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (AIPLAS)
Apo Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (AIPLAS) is located in the municipality of
Dauin, province of Negros Oriental. It was declared a protected area in 1994 through a
Presidential Proclamation by then-president Fidel Ramos (see Appendix F). 27 Shortly
thereafter, it was declared as a NIPAS site and a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB)
was formed for managing the area (see Section 3 of this paper).
4.1.1 Description of the study area
Apo Island lies in the middle of the Mindanao Sea, off the south-eastern coast of Negros
Island, central Philippines. 28 The island itself is very small: only 74ha. The highest peak is
200m high, on the northern side, while the southern side is characterised by low-lying hills.
The rest of the island is generally flat to sloping. The coastline is made up of steep, rocky
cliffs and five small white-sand beaches. There are two small shallow lagoons with
mangroves on the south-eastern side. A narrow but highly diverse fringing coral reef
surrounds the island. It is dominated by steep drop-offs and gradually sloping drops of 20 to
40-degree declines. The most extensive live corals are located in the eastern and southeastern
portions of the reef, with much of its growth supported by volcanic rock boulders. 29
Monsoon winds affect wave action as well as fishing activities around the island. 30 The northeast
monsoon occurs during November to March or April, which makes fishing difficult at
the north-east reef, but at the same time provides ideal yet challenging conditions for scuba
diving. On the other hand, the south-west monsoon during July to September or October
reverses the trend, whereby fishing conditions become favourable. Scuba diving is at its low
27 Available at http://www.iied.org/eep/.
28 Reboton (undated).
29 Reboton (undated).
30 Reboton (undated).
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