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Economic Valuation for Biodiversity Conservation of Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park and World Heritage Site, Sulu Sea, Philippines
Dissertation Abstract:
The economic valuation of biodiversity conservation in Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park (TRNMP), a UNESCO world heritage site located in Sulu Sea, Philippines, was determined using contingent valuation method (CVM). This site is highly rich in marine biodiversity, has been a popular scuba diving destination around the globe, and has supported the neighboring fishing grounds with its teeming fisheries. However, it has been greatly threatened by society’s wasteful and destructive use. The willingness-to-pay (WTP) of Filipinos, particularly non-users, to contribute to biodiversity conservation of TRNMP was assessed in three cities; namely, Quezon City, Cebu City, and Puerto Princesa City. Two variants of data collection--personal interview (PI) and self-administered survey (SA)--were employed in a dichotomous choice-referendum CVM with 3,200 respondents.
Across sites and CVM modes, 41 percent of 2,591 valid observations (47% for PI and 31% for SA) were willing to pay to a trust fund for biodiversity conservation of TRNMP. The main motives for positive WTP were bequest value/motive (concern for future generations), existence value/motive, altruistic value/motive, and good cause. The main reasons for non-willingness to pay were (1) limited income, (2) thought that conservation would take place without respondent’s contribution, and (3) mistrust on the institutions that would handle the conservation funds. Bid price significantly and negatively affected willingness to pay, while annual income, education, familiarity with marine biodiversity, and education level positively contributed to WTP.
The average WTP values using SA (PHP 233 for Quezon City, PHP 135 for Cebu City, and PHP 278 for Puerto Princesa City) were lower than the values obtained using PI (PHP 437 for Quezon City, PHP 285 for Cebu City, and PHP 496 for Puerto Princesa City). For the household population of the three cities, the aggregate WTP ranged from PHP 141 million using SA to PHP 269 million using PI. This amount represented a potential source of financing for the protection of TRNMP. A conservative estimate of the latter was placed at PHP 10 million. This points to a huge potential of tapping non-users’ contribution to financing conservation of TRNMP. Efforts on developing mechanisms to do so were called for.