In 2008, Xavier University - McKeough Marine Center spearheaded the establishment of the Macajalar Bay Development Alliance (MBDA) to implement Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) in one of the most important bays in the Philippines, the Macajalar Bay. The bay is a major fishing ground in Misamis Oriental of Region 10, Northern Mindanao. It is 50km wide at the mouth and 30km long, with an area app
roximately 1000km2. Further, it is the gateway of northern Mindanao, with heavy, medium, to light industries, with rapid development and strong coastal migration, threatening the condition of the bay. The MBDA is composed of the provincial government of Misamis Oriental and 14 coastal local government units (LGUs), namely: Cagayan de Oro City (Chartered). El Salvador City (Component), Alubijid, Balingasag, Binuangan, Jasaan, Kinoguitan, Lagonglong, Laguindingan, Opol, Salay, Sugbongcogon, Tagoloan and Villanueva. The local chief executives of the member-LGUs sit in the Council, which serves as the highest policy and decision-making body of the alliance. Four members from the Council are elected as Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Secretary and the Treasurer of the Executive Committee. In addition, technical working group (TWG) members were appointed from each LGU who closely coordinate with various sectors in the implementation of ICM plan in the bay. Coastal Law Enforcement, b. IEC, c. Habitat and Resource Management, d. Policies and Good Governance, and e. Monitoring and Evaluation. The 14 coastal municipalities and cities are further divided into 4 Clusters to identify key issues that need to be addressed and implemented jointly as an alliance. The Program Management Office of the MBDA is the main project and program development body, represented by a PMO Manager and 8 officers who also sit as the TWG coordinators and Cluster coordinators of the alliance. The MBDA has been doing its programs and projects in close collaboration with various stakeholders such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippine National Police- Maritime Group, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), RARE, Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), STEAG Power Inc, Mindanao State University—Naawan, and Xavier University –Ateneo de Cagayan. OBJECTIVES
The Project covers the networking and liaison activities to bring together all different stakeholders in the maritime corridor to come up with an integrated coastal management plan using the data gathered from the corollary baseline profiling. Main tasks of the MBDA are:
A. Formulation of the integrated Coastal Management Plan for the Macajalar Bay
B. Establishment of the comprehensive Law Enforcement Unit
C. Harmonization of ordinances (comprehensive bay wide fishery ordinances)
D. Capacity enhancement of LGUs and partners in ICM (supports regional and national capacity building)
E. Monitoring and evaluation of MBDA projects and programs and its members’ ICM implementation
F. Establishment of Marine Protected Areas Networks
G. Resource Mobilization
To guide its Integrated Coastal Management, the Ridge to Reef and community development work, MBDA adheres to the following strategic thrusts:
• To work with communities in pursuing the environmental well- being.
• To help develop and strengthen sustainable grassroots organizations.
• To seek and develop with communities environmentally appropriate economic technologies to ease the pressure on the natural resources.
• To ensure the people’s participation in development processes.
• To engage in pro-active advocacy and public awareness building.
• To seek and realize with communities the respect for the integrity of creation.
• To engage in community- based and applied researches.
• To conduct together with communities direct biodiversity conservation and resource rehabilitation actions.
• To pilot models for socio- economic development projects that could be eventually adopted by and among the communities.
• To develop MBDA into a strong and independent alliance recognized as a pioneering institution in Northern Mindanao.
