Inter-Local Collaboration: A New Approach Toward the Implementation of the Integrated Coastal management (ICM) Program of Batangas, Philippines

Sim Carlo Jesuel L. Arriola; Aljon G. Pangan; Harvey Leo M. Romano

doi:10.22151/politikon.27.7

Authors

Sim Carlo Jesuel L. Arriola University of Santo Tomas
Aljon G. Pangan University of Santo Tomas
Harvey Leo M. Romano University of Santo Tomas

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22151/politikon.27.7

Keywords:

Batangas province in the Philippines, coastal region, inter-local collaboration, Integrated Coastal Management Program, local government

Abstract

Today, Batangas is one of the only provinces in the Philippines, who have implemented the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) program successfully alongside with Bataan and Guimaras. It is a mechanism to increase the efficiency of coastal governance in terms of its ability to achieve sustainable use of coastal resources. The Local Government Code of the Philippines encourages cooperative mechanisms and partnerships among stakeholders at the local level. Furthermore, different sectors and stakeholders, from international, national, and local levels, have contributed to the implementation of the program. The Local Government Units (LGUs) of Batangas are among the key actors in the implementation of the program. Using the Model of Collaborative Governance (Ansell & Gash, 2007), and Common Pool Resource Theory (Ostrom, 1990), this paper reveals that the inter-local collaboration of Batangas City and 14 coastal municipalities of Batangas province as regards the successful implementation of the ICM program in their province is effective based on the Critical Ingredients for Effective Inter-Local Government Unit (LGU) Cooperation, which was formulated by the Philippine Development Forum Working Group on Decentralization and Local Government's Sub-Working Group on Inter-Local Cooperation. A qualitative approach was used in this research, through the descriptive method following an evaluative design. As such, this research caters contributions to the field of political science, both theoretically and practically by applying the aforementioned theories, and by exemplifying the interactions of the LGUs of Batangas in fulfilling the goals of the ICM program as a successful model which could be adopted by other LGUs in the country.

Author Biographies

Sim Carlo Jesuel L. Arriola, University of Santo Tomas

The authors are graduating students at the University of Santo Tomas, España, Manila 1015 pursuing Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. They wrote their thesis entitled, “An Assessment of the Inter-Local Collaboration of the Coastal City and Municipalities of Batangas as regards the Implementation of the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) Program.” Mr. Arriola’s academic interests include public administration and international relations

Aljon G. Pangan, University of Santo Tomas

Mr. Pangan’s academic interests, on the other hand, include public policy and administration, governance, international relations, international political system and global environmental politics.