Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2024

Publication Title

The West Philippine Sea: State of the Coasts

Pages

161-171

Abstract

[Introduction] Sablayan, situated on the western side of Mindoro Island facing the WPS (12.8564° N, 120.9101° E), is a first-class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro with a total land area of 2,188.8km² that is divided into 22 barangays, nine of which are along the coast. The coastline stretches for 115 km, with municipal waters covering approximately 750,000 km² (LGU-Sablayan 2008).

The Apo Reef Natural Park, one of its most prominent features, is located approximately 33 km off the coast (Figure 2.9-1) The Apo Reef Natural Park is a protected coral reef system under presidential proclamation 868 (1996) encompassing an estimated area of 274.69 km², including the core zone and peripheral buffer zone. It is considered to be the second largest contiguous coral reef in the world, consisting of three islands with Apo Reef being the largest, a 2m shallow lagoon with a rich mangrove ecosystem, and two atolls (North and South Atolls) separated by a 30m deep channel that opens to the WPS (Figure 2.8-1).

As of the 2020 census, total population is estimated at 92,598 individuals in 21,709 households) PSA 2020). The main economic activities are farmers and fishing (LGU-Sablayan 2008). Fisheries employ an estimated total number of 5,323 registered fishers (DA-BFAR 2023).

The state-of-the-coast review in the following sections uses information derived mostly from coral reef and fisheries assessments conducted in Sablayan in 2015-2017 under the NACRE-PEARRL project of the DOST-PCAARRD.

Rights

© 2024 University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute. All rights reserved.

"Any part of this publication may be photocopied or adapted without permission from the authors, provided that the parts copied or adapted are distributed free and credited to the authors or, where appropriate, to the original source."

Original Publication Citation

Añonuevo, M. C. J., Baldisimo, J. G. P., Recamara, D. B., Velos, M. J. P., Garcia, J. B. T., Sabban, F. B., Cabasan, J. P., Luciano, R. M., Valiño, D. A., Heyres, L. J., & Arceo, H. O. (2024). State of coastal and marine resources: Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro. In H. O. Arceo, M. J. P. Velos, M. A. C. Nuñez, P. M. Aliño (Eds.) The West Philippine Sea: State of the coasts (pp. 161-171). University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute. https://msi.upd.edu.ph/downloads/wps-soc-2024/

ORCID

0000-0002-3615-025X (Baldisimo)

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