Accidental Mindoro Case Study

The Occidental Mindoro province off the southern coast of Luzon mainland is the western part of Mindoro Island and under the administrative region of MIMAROPA (Region IV-B). It has a land area of 587,990 ha, a coastal area of 17,000 ha, and a shoreline length of 334.8 km. The province has 11 municipalities, namely, Abra de Ilog, Calintaan, Looc, Lubang, Magsaysay, Mamburao, Paluan, Rizal, Sablayan, San Jose, and Santa Cruz. These municipalities have 82 coastal barangays.

The province has a total population of 452,972, of which 234,509 are male and 218,462 are female (NSO 2010). The primary sources of income of coastal residents are from capture fisheries and aquaculture. The average annual household income is approximately ₱166,109 (NCSB 2009). Common problems of coastal residents are poverty (in which basic needs are unmet), poor hygiene and sanitation (resulting to illnesses), and limited assistance and intervention from the government.

The coastal areas of Occidental Mindoro are home to a large and growing population. This growth along its coasts have produced many economic benefits, including improved transportation links, industrial and urban development, revenue from tourism, and food production. However, the burgeoning population combined with the effects of economic and technological developments have led to environmental decline and continues to threaten the ecosystem integrity of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests.

In the province, mangroves