TITLE:TRIDACNA/TAKLOBO TOURS: CONSERVATION AND LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES

FOR COASTAL COMMUNITIES IN THE ISLAND GARDEN CITY OF SAMAL

PROJECT TEAM: Girley S. Gumanao, Franco N. Salac, Xavier N. Lopez, Marjho Mae E.Saceda, Lemuel T. Cardona, Rosie Lyn P. Tejada ,Cyril Tom Ranaraand MRP Staff

IMPLEMENTING AGENCY:Lead Agency: Davao del Norte State CollegeProject Site: Adecor, Kaputian, Island Garden City of SamalFUNDING AGENCY : Commission on Higher Education (CHED)DURATION : 1 yearPROJECT COST : 1.3 million

ABSTRACT

The Davao del Norte State College is a recipient of the UP-MSI Giant Clam (Tridacnaspp.) Stock Enhancement Program in 2001. With an increasing interest in these endangeredspecies among local and international tourist as only few of them are found in the wild, acollaboration of LGU-IGACoS, BLGU-Adecor, DNSC and AdUFOr was formalized through aMOA for conservation, livelihood and tourism opportunities “Taklobo Tour” for the fisherfolkbeneficiaries, Adecor United Fisherfolk Organization (ADuFOr) and coastal communities. Theproject aims to promote the conservation of giant clams as endangered species through amarine protected area (MPA) and to enhance the income of local communities. This is anchoredon the initial findings of the Save-Our-Shores Program that most of the coastal communities inRegion XI have violated the rules and regulations of these endangered species as they are stillcollected, eaten and sold which call for an intensive IEC and advocacy. The project waslaunched on February 2013 and the beneficiaries served as the local tour guides. It hasgained much attention among local and foreign tourists as evidenced by the regular visit ofguests, features in various media and blogs in the internet. Recently, it has gained an income of146,790.00 Php from 2,097 local and international guests excluding income from ancillaryservices. The average number of guests is 349/month or 12/day with a projected to annualincome 293,580.00 PhP for direct beneficiaries only. As an economic activity, it involvesdifferent sectors, and it is viewed by local communities as an opportunity and also a threat totheir existence hence a need for constant monitoring and project re-planning.

INTRODUCTION

In 1999, the Davao del Norte State College (DNSC) is given the right to manage a14-hectare Marine Reserve Park at Adecor, Kaputian, Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS)by the Local Government Unit through City Ordinance No. 99-12. In 2001, the Marine Parkbecame one of the demonstration site of Giant Glam Stock Enhancement Program of the UP-Marine Science Institute. Through the years, the conservation efforts have successfullyprotected 5 species giant clam, Tridacna gigas, Tridacna squamosa, Tridacna derasa,Tridacna maxima and Hippopus hippopus and other marine species. Currently it is a home ofmore than 3,000 giant clams. As such, it has been identified as one of the learning andtourism sites in the Island Garden City of Samal. In fact, it has been regularly visited by thetourists of the famous Pearl Farm Resort and Hotel as part of their tour package.

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Realizing the tourism potentials of these protected species, DNSC has conceptualizedthe TRIDACNA/TAKLOBO TOUR, a Community-Based Ecotourism Project. The project intendsto contribute to biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation through public and privatepartnership. It is designed to showcase the successful conservation of endangeredspecies,giant clams in a marine protected area and to provide additional income to fisherfolksand coastal communities.

The targeted project beneficiary is the Adecor United Fisherfolk Organization(AdUFOR), the PO organized and supported by the Davao del Norte State College andGerman International Cooperation (GIZ). However, it is expected that indirect beneficiariessuch as motorcycle drivers, boat operators and vendors will also benefit from the projectthrough various ancillary services. It is anticipated that the Tridacna/Taklobo Tours Project willbe a springboard for many livelihood projects in barangay Adecor.

One of the important features of the project is the orientation on the status, biology,rules and regulations of giant clam as an endangered species. This is anchored on the initialfindings of the Save-Our-Shores Program that most of the coastal communities are not awareof the rules and regulations of these species which calls for an intensive IEC and advocacy.This advocacy will be done by the trained local tour guides, the fisherfolks and coastalcommunities.

OBJECTIVES

The project aims to enhance the income of local communities through biodiversityconservation, tourism and community participation. It shall highlight the role of marine protectedareas (MPA) in the conservation of endangered species. Specifically, the project intends to:

1. Capacitate the local communities and develop community partnership;

2. Advocate the conservation of Endangered Species through Marine Protected Areas;and

3. Enhance the income of Fisherfolks and coastal Communities through tourism andconservation;

METHODOLOGY

NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The Tridacna Tours is a compoment of the program development interventions in theIsland Garden City of Samal. It was based on the following studies conducted:

Research Conducted Findings-Basis for Intervention

Impacts of Marine Protected Areas in theIsland Garden City of Samal

Low CPUE -less than a kg/person/hrHook and Like

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Strengthening Governance andSustainability of Small-Scale FisheriesManagement

Fishers have Low Income ,Fishers have limited skills and opportunities

Save-Our-Shores ProjectOnly few from the communities are aware ofrules and regulations ofgiant clamsGiant clams are still eaten and soldNot all declared MPAs /sanctuaries arefunctional

Pre-implementation Survey Giant clams are still eaten , sold and made assouvenirs

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

A. PROJECT LOCATION

The project is located in Marine Reserve Park, Barangay Adecor, KaputianDistrict, Island Garden City of Samal (Fig.1). This is one of the demonstration sites of Giant ClamStock Enhancement Program of UP-MSI.

B. BENEFICIARIES

Direct Beneficiaries

The beneficiaries of the Tridacna/Taklobo Tours is the Adecor United FisherfolkOrganization (AdUFOr). This is the organization jointly supported by the Davao del Norte StateCollege and German International Cooperation (GIZ) for a livelihood project. Currently, the

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AdUFOr and DNSC has a joint bank account which serve as a depository of the income derivedfrom the project. The same bank account is used for this additional alternative livelihood.

Indirect Beneficiaries

As the project starts, ancillary services (motorcycle, boat, food services etc.) are expectedto be available as they are necessary in this tourism project. Thus, the motorcycle drivers, boatoperators, vendors are considered as indirect beneficiaries of the project. These ancillaryservices are anticipated based on the common questions of tourists to wit:

1. How to get there?2. What to experience?3. What to eat?4. Where to stay?5. What to bring home?

This project could only address questions 2 and 5. Hence, the services that thecommunities may offer are assumed to be livelihood opportunities for other barangay residents.In fact, these needed services have been included as one of the concerns during the planningand consultation with the barangay. The Barangay Captain of Adecor, Hon. Saturnino Bacalareshas appointed Barangay Officials to initially organize responsible groups for said ancillaryservices. Hence, the Tridacna Tour project will be the springboard of many livelihood projects inthe barangay.

C. PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND COMPLEMENTATION

The project is jointly implemented by the Davao del Norte State College, LGU-IslandGarden City of Samal, BLGU-Adecor and Fisherfolk Organization. The complementation andcollaboration are stipulated in the drafted Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) as follows:

Davao del Norte State College

1. Over-all management of the Marine Park ;2. Capacitate the local communities on conservation aspects of the giant clams and the

role of marine protected areas in its conservation;3. Provide technical services to the local communities particularly in the preparation of

IEC Materials and promotion of the site;4. Facilitate the preparation of proposal for funding support; and5. Strengthen the Fisherfolk Organization, AdUFOr.

LGU Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS)- City Tourism Office (CTO)

1. Promotion and Marketing of Tridacna Tours Project in the regional, national andinternational levels;

2. Training/capability building on tourism aspect of the partner organization; and3. Provision of needed support facilities.

Barangay LGU of Adecor

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1. Promote the Marine Park to the local communities and tourists;2. Provide Booking Office and Reception Area and needed support facilities ; and3. Provides CVO and security measures for guests/tourists;

Adecor United Fisherfolk Organization (AdUFOr)

1. Serve as Tour Guide during the educational tours;2. Help promote the Marine Park to the local communities and tourists;3. Assist in Guarding and Maintenance of the Marine Park;4. Provide human resources that will facilitate the project operation;5. Collect donations, Environment Users’ Fee and Other payments; and6. Submit reports to the Management Board.

Component I: ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHENINGThe targeted primary beneficiary of the project, the Adecor United Fisherfolk Organization

(AdUFor). To capacitate the fisherfolks to operate the conservation- tourism and livelihoodproject, series of capability building activities were conducted such as learning visits andtrainings.

Component II: PROMOTION AND ADVOCACYThe promotion of the tourism and livelihood project is facilitated by the Local Government

Unit of the Island Garden City of Samal. However, the advocacy and conservation of theendangered species is facilitated by the fisherfolks who were trained by DNSC project staff. Thepromotional activities was facilitated through billboard brochures and posters while theadvocacy of the endangered species is facilitated through the orientation (on-site), brochuresand other IEC materials.

Component III : LIVELIHOOD AND TOURISMThe Tridacna/Taklobo Tours is the main livelihood project operated by the fisherfolk

organization, AdUFOr. The project showcases the successful conservation of endangeredspecies, giant clams in a marine protected area. An orientation on the status, biology, rules andregulations of giant clams is one of the important features of the tour. A 5-7 minute boat trip tothe Marine Reserve Park where 1-2 hours on site viewing of the endangered species in itsnatural habitat (Fig.3) which is facilitated by the fisherfolk Tour Guides. A corresponding tourismfee of P75.00 is collected as a source of income of AdUFOr and for Project Sustainability andMaintenance Fund. However, additional experiences using tourist facilities is chargedaccordingly (Table 1). This is complemented with another livelihood, selling of souvenir items,“Taklobo designed T-shirts” for all age-groups and rentals of facilities.

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Figure 3. Viewing Area of Marine Reserve Park Adecor, Kaputian, IGaCoS

Table 1. Tridacna Tour Activity and Tour FeesActivity Amount

OrientationViewing in Natural Habitat from MRP Cottage 75.00 PhPUse of Snorkel 100.00 PhP

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Note: Boat Fare from Booking to MRP area is not yet included.

The guests shall be accommodated according to the following nature of guests/tourists:

1. Travel/Resort Tourists – group of tourists who are reserved for Tridacna Tours throughresorts, travel agencies, dive shops)

2. Institutional/Group Tourists – group of tourists who are reservedfor Tridacna Tours through their agencies/corporations/organization.

3. Walk-in Tourists – individuals or group of persons who are reserved for Tridacna Toursdirectly through the booking office .

Flow for Tour Booking

A. Travel/Resort Tourist

Send request DNSC/Tourism Office

AdUFOr Confirms(Schedule)

Resort submits information Sheet of Tourist (Annex A)and pays Tourists Fees to AdUFOr

Orientation with Brochures(AduFOr )

Reception(DNSC Marine Reserve Staff)

Tour to Marine Reserve Park(Tour Guide-AduFOr/Barangay)

B. Institutional Tourists

Send request to any of the following:Barangay Adecor/City Tourism /DNSC

Inform DNSC

AdUFOr Confirms

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(Schedule)

Barangay Adecor Informs the Requesting Party(Requirements and Schedule)

Requesting Party Complies

ReceptionArrival of Requesting Party at the Booking office

Filling-up of Information Sheet (Annex A)Payment and Collection

(AdUFOr)

Orientation with Brochures(AdUFOr )

Reception(DNSC Marine Reserve Park Staff)

Tour to Marine Reserve Park(Tour Guide-AdUFOr/Barangay)

C. Walk-In TouristsReservation of Guest

( Booking Office )

Individual/Group of PersonsSubmits Information Sheet of Tourist (Annex A)

and payment of guest to AdUFOr

Orientation with Brochures(AduFOr )

Reception(DNSC Marine Reserve Park Staff)

Tour to Marine Reserve Park

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(Tour Guide-AduFOr/Barangay)

Tridacna/Tridacna Tour/Entrance Fee

A minimal tour fee of P75.00 is collected from the tourist/s who would like to experiencethe Tridacna Tour. This is the source of income of fisherfolk tour guides and AdUFOr and therest is shared by the key players of the project. The breakdown of the Tridacna Tour Fee sharingis presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Amount of Tridacna Tour Fee and Sharing SchemeParticulars Purpose Amount

Tour Guide Fee Incentives for 3 Tour guidefisherfolk members

P15.00

AdUFOr Fund for the Fisherfolk Organization P10.00MRP Development Fee Sustainability and Maintenance

1. Marine Park (DNSC)2. Promotion (LGU-IGaCos)3. Booking and Reception

Office (LGU-Adecor)

P45.00

Environmental User’sFee

60% for the BLGU-Adecor and 40%for LGU-IGaCoS

P5.00

TOTAL P75.00Note* This is the initial Tour Fee but the management board may decide to increase or decreasethe fees to rationalize the operation of the project.

Sustainability Mechanisms

To ensure the sustainability of the project, the partnership and complementation of theDNSC, LGU-Adecor, LGU-IGaCoS and the beneficiaries will continue even after the end ofproject duration as funded by CHED.Technical

The component 2 of this project, capability building is designed to provide fisherfolkswith technical skills and to empower them to operate independently with or without thepresence of the implementing institution. The trainings include management, tour guiding andstatus biology and policies of giant clams. These are necessary as they are expected to be theadvocates for conservation of the endangered species.

3. FinancialThe Project Sustainability fund will be used for the maintenance and operation of the

project. The rentals will also be used for developmental activities of the project. All income of theAdUFOr is deposited in the joint bank account of the AdUFOr and DNSC. DNSC is responsiblefor the financial monitoring of the project. All disbursements shall be in accordance with theoperational plan.

4. InstitutionalFor DNSC, the project Tridacna/Taklobo Tour is an institutional extension program and

CRM learning site of students and stakeholders. For the LGU-IGaCoS and BLGU-Adecor theproject is a newly identified tourists destinations in the Island Garden City of Samal. Moreover,the Local Chief Executive issued an Executive Order 29, series of 2012 creating theTridacna/Taklobo Tour management board in support to the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)of DNSC, LGU-GaCoS, LGU-Adecor and AdUFOr for this project.

5. Environmental

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The Tridacna/Taklobo Tour is designed to promote biodiversity conservation throughmarine protected areas. This is in line with the priorities of the LGU-IGaCoS In fact, the MRP iswithin the Marine Protected Area 9 in the Coastal and Marine Water Zone Ordinance.

To ensure protection of the species, viewing area are identified. Activities are limited toviewing only. The gues t will be oriented with the Dos’ and Donts’ within the area by the tourguides prior to the actual tour (Table 3). To monitor tour visits at the MRP, all guest/s and touristsare required to accomplish the information sheet.

Table 3. DOs and DON’T’sDOs DON’T’s

Viewing of Giant ClamsTouching and annoying any marine

organism in the MRPSCUBA Diving except during research and

monitoring of the area by authorized Technicaland Management PersonellEating and Bringing Food in the Area

The management of the Marine Park will be done by DNSC however, guarding the MRPwill be jointly conducted by DNSC, LGU-Adecor and Fisherfolk Organization.

6. SocialThe business and other ancillary services shall be allowed only to Residents of

Adecor only to support the livelihood of Adecor Communities. Hence, the vendors, themotorcycle and boat operators shall be organized and should abide with the followingmembership requirement:

1. Compliance to required permits and registration2. Manifests grooming and hygiene at all times3. Resident of Barangay Adecor4. Duly recommended by the Purok Chairman5. Willing to abide with the Tridacna Tours mechanisms/policies.

Project ManagementThe Taklobo Tours management board is created through Executive Order 29 series

2012 issued by the Local Chief Executive of the Island Garden City of Samal. It is composed ofthe signatories of the memorandum of agreement (Fig. 5). The management board is theover-all overseer of the project in coordibation with the City Tourism Office. It shall plan, monitorand evaluate the progress of the project. It shall conduct regular quarterly meetings and feed-backing; decide on the policies mechanisms of the Tours; recommends Tour Fees to the LGUs;and Submit reports to the LGU – IGaCoS. A yearly project evaluation shall be done by theManagement Board with Representatives from government agencies such as BFAR, DENR andDepartment of Tourism shall be invited at least once a year. The Management Board

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Figure 5. Organizational Structure of Management Board

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

ORGANIZATIONAL STRENGTHENING

The beneficiary of the livelihood project, the Adecor United Fisherfolk Organization(AdUFOr) crafted a Constitution and By Laws after which the organization was registered toDepartment of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The organization was also registered to BIR tobe able to get official receipts to be used in Taklobo Tour operation. Regular monthly meetingis conducted for feedbacking and monitoring.

To capacitate the fisherfolks to manage a tourism and livelihood project, series of capabilitybuilding activities were conducted namely Financial Management and Bookkeeping, Tourism andTour Guiding, Safety of Life at Sea, Rescue and First Aid, Status and Biology of GiantClams, Policies of Giant Clams, Basic Leadership, Values Formation and Water Safety andRescue (WASAR). Moreover, Lakbay Aral was conducted on May 2013 to Camiguin Island toidentify good practices , gain insights and share success of community-based tourism andCRM sites and recommend strategies to improve the management of Taklobo Tours (Table 4).Learning Report attached as Appendix A.

Table 4. LAKBAY ARAL Learnings and RecommendationsLearnings Recommendations to

Improve Taklobo ToursChildren are front liners in IEC and At an early age, children should know conservation

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advocacy and they serve as effectivecommunication facility in advocatingconservation of endangered speciesand other marine life.

concepts. School children and children of ADUFORmembers should be highly involved in IEC andAdvocacy and they too should undergo the training.

Tour guiding requires goodcommunication skills. Tour guide alwaystalk to the visitors with utmost courtesy.

Tours guides should develop communication skills inEnglish, Cebuano and Tagalog. Constant practice ofTaklobo Tours Script is necessary. Additional trainingfor Tour Guiding is necessary.

Photography is one of interestingaspects of tourism as tourists wanttake home good pictures as proof of theirvisit.

Identify a scenic spot in Adecor or Samal Island ingeneral where photography could be an element ofinterest among tourists. Enhance tour guide capacityin photography.

Mascots are used as Ambassadors ofMPA and CRM and their appearanceadded color to the CRM street play.

Taklobo Tour should explore developing a concept forgiant clam mascot.

Tourism is networking and there is aneed to connect one site to othertourism sites if the aim is to fullyentertain the guests.

Connect Taklobo Tours with other tourism sites inSamal Island through a Tour Package. The CityTourism Office should facilitate this.

Interpretive center aids in makingintellectual and emotional link to tourismand conservation sites as it givessufficient information prior to the tour.Good presentation (powerpoint, videoand brochures) is an aid to increaseenthusiasm of tourists.

The mini-museum of the tourism growth areasproject should be designed to complement thetaklobo tour operations. It should be planned to aidin information dissemination to highten the curiosity oftourists. Well-crafted information materials and goodpresentation should be available all the times.

Accessible roads is necessary to easilytransport visitors from one to other sites

Roads going to Adecor and other tourism sites inSamal Island should be concreted .

Strong MPA Enforcement is a requisiteto functional Sanctuaries and MarineParks and LGU and community supportto MPAs is evident

Adecor Community and Adufor should take part inguarding the Marine Reserve Park, site of theTaklobo tour and home of more than 3,000 giantclams.

Other tourism sites are not supported byLGUs but they continued to exist

AdUFOr should take advantage of the support ofLGU-IGACOS, BLGU-Adecor, Davao del Norte StateCollege and CHED to truly improve the tour.

Tourism and Enterprise development aremostly conservation-based. Thisincreased community support to CRM.

Need to emphasize biodiversity andConservation as important requisites in tourismand livelihood.

PROMOTION AND ADVOCACYThe promotion of the tourism and livelihood project is facilitated through different channels.

1. LGU-IGaCoS Tourism Office.Currently, there is a billboard posted In-front of the ferry boat wharf in Babak.

The Taklobo tours is already included in the tourism destination in Samal Island and Davao delNorte Province.

2. Tour GuidingThe advocacy and conservation of the endangered species is facilitated by the DNSC

through the Fisherfolk Organization during the Tour guiding using a script delivered in Cebuanoand English (selected fishers). It describes the barangay Adecor, Biology and reproduction ofGiant Clams , MPAs as a Tool for Giant Clam Conservation and Policies and Regulations aboutGiant Clams (Table 5). Rehearsals on the tour guide script took more than a year before thefishers mastered the piece. This was facilitated by the Marine Biology OJT students and MRPStaff.

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Table 5. Tour Guide Script (Cebuano and English)TRIDACNA/TAKLOBO TOURS-Cebuano Tour Guide Script

TRIDACNA/TAKLOBO TOUREnglish Tour Guide Script

Welcome to the Taklobo Tour!Maayong pag-abot sa Barangay Adecor!

Nia kita karon sa Isla sa Samal. Kining atongnahimutangan, tapad sa “Pearl Farm BeachResort”, usa ka International Tourist Destination.

Ang Taklobo Tour usa ka Community-Based Ecotourism Project nga gidumala saAdecor United Fisherfolk Organization (AdUFOr).Kini joint project sa AdUFOr, BLGU-Adecor,LGU-IgaCoS ug Davao del Norte State College(DNSC) . Ang proyekto gimugna para saConservation, Livelihood ug Tourism. Kinimagpasabot sa katawhan ug unsa ang taklobo,unsa ang iyang kahimtang sa pagkakaron, ugmga balaod niini. Ipasabot usab ug unsa kaimportante ang Santuaryo o Marine ProtectedArea para sa Konserbasyon sa Taklobo.Unsa kining Taklobo (Giant Clams)?

Ang taklobo makit-an kini sa mabaw ngabahin sa dagat dapit sa mga kagasangan (coralreef). Dinhi sa barangay Adecor, adunay 5 kaklase sa taklobo makit-an didto sa MRP. AngTridacna gigas (pinakadako nga taklobo),Tridacna derasa, Tridacna squamosa, Tridacnamaxima ug Hippoppus hippoppus . Sa gawas saMRP, au g usab ang Tridacna crocea (boringclam) taklobo nga mosuksuk sa mga bato ugkagasangan.

Ang Taklobo usa ka solar animal,mabuhi tungod sa supporta sa adlaw (solarenergy). Sama sa gasang (corals) ug mga tanom(plants), sila makabuhat ug kaugalingon ngapagkaon pinaagi sa “Photosynthesis” ngaginahimo sa zooxanthellae, usa ka algae nganagpuyo sa lawas sa taklobo. Sobra 90% sailang pagkaon gihatag sa zooxanthallae.Unsaon pag daghan sa taklobo?Modaghan ang taklobo pinaagi sa SexualReproduction, paghiusa sa semelya (sperm) ugitlog (egg) –Fertilization. Ang Taklobo usa ka“hermaphrodite”, usa siya ka kababae ug usausab ka lalaki. Ilang isabwag sa dagat ang ilangdaghan kaayo (millions) nga semelya ug itlog(Broadcast spawning) diin didto sila magkahiusaug mahimong gagmay nga mga taklobo.Unsa ang kahimtang sa mga Taklobo?Gamay nalang ug hapit na sila mahurot sa ilangnatural nga puloy-anan. Karon naapil sila salistahan sa endangered species sa CITES(Convention on the International Trade ofEndangered Species). Ang R.A. 8550 (Philippine

Welcome to the Taklobo Tour!We are currently located in the

Western side of Samal Island. We aresituated beside Pearl Farm Beach Resort, anInternational Tourist Destination.

Taklobo Tour is A Community-BasedEcotourism Project operated by the AdecorUnited Fisherfolk Organization, AdUFOr.This is joint project of AdUFOr, BLGU-Adecor, LGU-IGaCoS and Davao del NorteState College. The project promotesbiodiversity conservation, tourism andlivelihood. It educates communities andtourists about the status of conservationstatus of giant clams and its policies, rulesand regulations. It also highlights theimportance of marine protected areas (MPA)in the conservation of endangered species.What is a Giant Clam?

Most of the giant clam species livesin the shallow waters particularly in coral reefareas ( gasang). There are 5 species ofGiant Clams in barangay Adecor, in MRP.Tridacna gigas (biggest giantclams),Tridacna derasa, Tridacna squamosa,Tridacna maxima and Hippoppus hippoppus.Outside the MRP, we can also find Tridacnacrocea ( boring clam) in the wild.

The giant clam is a solar animal. It isdependent on sunlight to survive. Like theplants, the giant clams can make their ownfood through photosynthesis due to thepresence of zooxanthellae in their mantle(lawas). More than 90% of their food isprovided by the Zooxanthellae.

The reproduction of giant clamsinvolves sexual reproduction (Fertilization ofegg and Sperm) . It is a hermaphrodite, soone giant glam can produce both egg andsperm. They release the egg and sperm(Broadcast Spawning) in the sea wherethey meet and fertilize and become ajuvenile (young) giant clams.What is the Conservation Status of GiantClams?

Giant clams are already depletedand their numbers has extremely reduced inthe wild. Hence, it is included in the list ofendangered species in CITES (Convention

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Fisheries Code), naga protekta sa taklobo.Bawal o dili na pwede kuhaon, ibaligya, kaononug dal-on bisan asa nga lugar ang taklobo.Nganong Adunay daghang taklobo ang Adecor?

Tungod kini sa Proteksyon pinaagi saMarine Protected Area (MPA)/Santuaryo, andDNSC Marine Reserve Park. Ang Santuaryo,Lugar nga gidumala sa mga regulasyon paramaprotektahan ug maayo ang kadagatan au gmga nagpuyo niini. Kini magpalambo sakagasanganan (corals), magpagdaghan sa mgaginikanan sa taklobo, isda ug uban pangrekursos sa kadagatan nga maoy mangitlog ugmopasanay sa ilang kaliwatan. Dinhi saSanctuary mo gawas ang mga gagmayng mgataklobo, isda ug mga rekursos nga moadto salugar nga pwede panagatan (Fishing Area).

Tungod niini , atong supportahan angmga santuaryo!Unsa ang mga kasinatian sa Taklobo Tour?Ang Taklobo Tour pagahimoon sulod sa duha ka

oras. Mosakay kita ug boat (5-7 minutos) gikandiri sa barangay hall padulong sa MRP. Sa sulodsa duha ka oras sa MRP, inyong masinati angendangered species, Taklobo (giant clams).Namugna ang MRP niadtong 1999 pinaagi saCity Ordinance No. 99-12 sa LGU-IGaCOS nganagatugot sa Davao del Norte State College(DNSC) sa pagdumala sa 14-hectare MRP forScientific and Educational purposes. Sa tuig2001, ang MRP nahimong demonstration site saUP-Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) GiantClam Stock Enhancement Program. Tungod sapag protekta niini, aduna na kita 5 ka klase ngataklobo nga niabot na karon ug sobra sa 3,000kabook.

Mga Pahimangno:• Magsoot au g lifevest ug swimminggadgets• Ayaw mo paglakaw-lakaw nga magtiniil,• Ayaw usab hikapa o disturboha ang mgataklobo!Aduna bay pangutana? Kung wala na, atongtan-awon ug maglingaw-lingaw ta sa mgataklobo.DAGHANG SALAMAT UG BALIK-BALIK SATAKLOBO TOUR!

on the International Trade of EndangeredSpecies). The R.A. 8550 (PhilippineFisheries Code) prohibits taking, selling andeating of giant clams.

Why are there abundant giant clams inAdecor ?

Giant Clams are protected in theMarine Reserve Park , a Marine ProtectedArea (MPA). An MPA is a specific areawhich is governed by specific rules orregulations to protect part or the entireenclosed coastal and marine environments .It increases the spawning stock of fish andother marine species and enhances areasclose to the MPA. It improves habitat andenhances biodiversity and speciesprotection.

Let us support Marine ProtectedAreas/Sanctuaries.What to experience during the Tour?

You will experience the Taklobo Tourwithin 2 hours. We will travel by boat for 5-7 minutes going to the Marine ReservePark and within 1 hour, you will view theendangered species, giant clams. The MRPwas established in 1999 through CityOrdinance No. 99-12 of LGU-IGaCOSwhich authorizes DNSC to manage the 14-hectare MRP for Scientific and Educationalpurposes. In 2001, MRP became one ofdemonstration sites of the UP-MarineScience Institute (UP-MSI) Giant Clam StockEnhancement Program. Due to the long-term protection of DNSC, there are morethan 3,000 giant clams in the area of 5different species.

Reminders:• Wear your life vest and swimming

gadgets• Do not walk with bare foot to avoid

injuries• Do not Touch or annoy the Giant

Clams!Do you have questions? If none, let uswatch and have fun with the giant clams!

THANK YOU AND COME AGAIN!

3. Television, Media and Internet

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Tridacna/Taklobo has a facebook account “Taklobo Tours”. The Tour was featured withABS CBN programs such as Kris Reality TV, Mag TV na, Sadya Ta. It has has gained muchattention in fact, there were two blogs appreciating the Taklobo Tours by Ida Nanette Damo,Giant Clams (Tridacna) Encounter (www.choosephilippines.com) and Joji Alcantara, Swimmingand Tripping with Tridacna http://dabawenya.me/adventures/2013/05/13/samal-tripping-with-tridacna).

LIVELIHOOD AND TOURISM

On June 18, 2012, Araw ng KaputianDistrict, the City Mayor of IGaCoS, Hon.Aniano P. Antalan, Barangay Captain ofAdecor, Hon. Vincent R. Floirendo, DNSCPresident, Dr. Jonathan A. Bayogan andAduFOr President, Ruben R, Martin signeda MOA for the Tridacna Tours Projectand it was launched on February 22, 2013.

Tourists and Guests

A total of 1870 guests with anaverage of 312 guest/month or 10/dayvisited the Taklobo tour which is consist of foreigners (21.28%) and Filipinos (78.7%). Amongthe foreign guests, there were more Koreans than other nationalities (Table 6). These guestswho visited the site have learned the successful conservation of endangered species in amarine protected area.

Table 6. Nationality of GuestsNationality Number of Guest

1. Pilipino 1,6992. Koreans 1853. Americans 584. Asean (Group) 305. Chinese 226. Japanese 187. Canadian 168. European 169. Germans 1610. Arabian 711. British 712. Taiwanese 613. Indian 414. Singaporean 415. Spanish 316. Australian 217. Dutch 218. Russians 2

Total 2097

Income and Sharing

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The fisherfolk beneficiaries earn income from the entrance fee, souvenirs and snorkelrentals. An income of 130,900 PhP from entrance fee was collected from February 2013 toAugust 2013. Peak months which means higher income falls during summer from April toMay 2013 (Table 7).

Table 7. Income from Entrance FeeMonth Number of Guest Income (Php)

February 48 3,360.00March 286 20,020.00April 396 27,720.00May 340 23,800.00June 354 24,780.00July 333 23,310.00

August 340 23,800.00Total 1870 146,790.00 PhP

The beneficiaries of the project, Adecor United Fisherfolk Organization had higher share (37%)than other partners who also shares the income of 21.% each for project development (Table8.). However, the share of the tour guides is just minimal with an average of 467.5Ph.P/month. But additional income will be given annually from AdUFOr Organization’s share.

Table 8. Sharing of Income (Entrance Fee)Month LGU BLGU DNSC AdUFOr-Org. AdUFOr-Tour

GuideTotal

February 720 720 720 480 720 3360March 4290 4290 4290 2860 4290 20020April 5940 5940 5940 3960 5940 27720May 5100 5100 5100 3400 5100 23800June 5310 5310 5310 3540 5310 24780July 4995 4995 4995 3330 4995 23310August 5100 5100 5100 3400 5100 23800Total 31455 31455 31455 20970 31455 146,790.00

The total income entrance fee and other sources such as souvenir items and snorkelrental is 167,790.00 PhP (Table 8). However, income from ancillary services such as motorboatis also estimated (Table 9). This means that the project had also enhanced the income of boatoperators which is even higher than the income of target beneficiaries. To sum, it will have aprojected annual income of 617,580 PhP (Table 10).

Table 8. Total Income (6 months)Income Source Income

1. Entrance Fee 146,790 .00 PhP2. Souvenir Items 15,000.00 PhP3. Snorkel Rental 6,000.00 PhP

Total 167,790.00 PhP

Table 9. Estimated Income from ancillary services (6 months)Income Source Boat Rental Estimated Income

1. Boat operators(140 trips with 15pax/trip) 1000 PhP 140,000.00 PhP

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Total 140,00.00 PhP

Table 10. Total Income and Projected Annual IncomeIncome Source Total Income

(6 months )Projected Annual Income

1. Entrance Fee 147,790 .00 PhP 295,580.002. Souvenir Items 15,000.00 PhP 30,000.003. Snorkel Rental 6,000.00 PhP 12,000.004. Boat Rental 140,000.00 Php 280,000.00

Total 276,900.00 Php 617,580.00 PhP

FINDINGS AND LESSONS LEARNEDThe collaboration of LGU-IGACoS, BLGU-Adecor, DNSC and AdUFOr for a tourism

conservation and livelihood project “Taklobo Tour” for Adecor United Fisherfolk Organization(ADuFOr) has been very fruitful as it has capacitated the local people to be local tour guides topromote conservation of endangered species and outcomes of a marine protected area (MPA).However, organizational strengthening and capability building takes a long process. It hasalso provided income to the target beneficiaries, Adecor United Fisherfolk Organization. It shouldbe noted that the income from ancillary services if fully explored may exceed the income fromthe main tourism activity.

There is an increasing interest on endangered species among local and internationaltourist as only few of them are found in the wild. The project has gained attention among localand foreign tourists as evidenced by the regular visit of guests, features in media and blogsin the internet. This is a good indicator that people learn

Tour guide share is very minimal and therefore should be increased. There is a needto link the taklobo tours to other tourism destination. Other ancillary services such as food andhome stay should be explored by the organization to maximize income.

Tourism is an economic activity and it involves different sectors. It is viewed by localcommunities as an opportunity and also a threat to their existence hence a need for constantmonitoring and re-planning particularly on the ancillary services. As such, organization ofmotorcycle and boat operators and standardization of fare rates are necessary.

NEXT STEPSEnhancement of MRPEstablishment of Mini-Museum /Interpretive CenterCapability Building of BeneficiariesPlanning to integrate lessons learned from Lakbay Aral and from operations

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APPENDIX ALAKBAY ARAL AT CAMIGUIN ISLAND

NARRATIVE REPORTby

GIRLEY S. GUMANAOProject Leader, Taklobo Tours

INTRODUCTION

The Davao del Norte State College (DNSC), main implementer of the newly launchedTridacna/Taklobo Tours project aims to expose the primary beneficiary, Adecor United FisherfolkOrganization (AdUFOr), local partners (LGU-Island Garden City of Samal City Tourism Officeand BLGU- Adecor) and project implementers (Taklobo Tour and Tourism Growth AreasProjects) to varied tourism experiences to improve the Taklobo Tours operations.

The Taklobo Tours Lakbay Aral was conducted on May 16-18, 2013 at CamiguinIsland, a volcanic Island of the Bohol Sea. The primary beneficiary, Adecor United FisherfolkOrganization (AdUFOr), local partners (LGU-IGACOS and BLGU-Adecor) and its projectimplementers (DNSC) were the participants. The Island was selected since it is among thehottest tourism destinations in Mindanao which has on-going community-based CRM projects,conservation-based eco-tourism and enterprise and functional Marine Protected Areas. Afterthe trip the participants are expected to identify good practices , gain insights and sharesuccess of community-based tourism and CRM sites and recommend strategies to improve themanagement of Taklobo Tours.

REPORT HIGHLIGHTSOn May 16, 2013, the participants had a

long travel of 10 hours from Panabo to Camiguin

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Island of which 8 hours was spent for land trip to Balingoan, Misamis Oriental and another 2hours for ferry boat trip to Binoni Port of Camiguin Island. While on ferry, the minor islet, WhiteIsland of the municipality of Mambajao is clearly viewed from the boat. Upon arrival at Binoniport, the participants immediately noticed the Tourist Assistance and Information Center. Theparticipants proceed to Municipality of Mambajao and stayed at Villa Paraiso . The Lakbay Aralstarted on May 17, 2013 with an orientation of Camiguin CRM Project (CCRMP) and Profile ofthe Island at the DENR Provincial Office. The DNSC Marine Biology alumnus, Mr. JuliusGuirjen who is working as CRM Specialist of Conservation and Education Foundation (CCEF),aNew Zealand Aid Programme (NZAP) served as Resource Person and Tour Guide. Theorientation highlighted the Camiguin CRMP, a comprehensive CRM program in the entireCamiguin province. Its programs focused on Marine Protected Areas, Conservation-BasedTourism Projects, Community-based Livelihood Projects and Advocacy. A tour around theIsland immediately followed covering the 5 municipalities namely Mambajao, Catarman,Guinsiliban, Sagay and Mahinog but more time was allotted to the Interpretive Centers,CRM Street Play, Mascots, MPA sites, community-based aquasports livelihood, mangroveprojects and Cantaan Giant Clam Ocean Nursery.

Majority of the participants were amazed that every municipality has a mascot to representas MPA ambassadors. Since there are 5municipalities, so 5 mascots are there in CamiguinIsland namely Baby Pagang, (Staghorn Corals) fromthe Municipality of Mambajao, Aleya (Bannerfish)from the Municipality of Guinsiliban, Tuti (greenturtle) from the Municipality of Catarman, Inggo (thebig-eye trevally) from Municipality of Mahinog andMokoy the Mokos (squid) from the Municipality ofSagay. However, the participants had a closeencounter with only two mascots, Baby Pagang, theStaghorn Corals and Aleya, the Bannerfish. Incelebration of the Ocean month, the school childrenthrough a CRM street play, portrayed the life incoral reefs. It was in that show where theparticipants first saw Baby Pagang. On the otherhand, the participants saw Aleya in the InterpretiveCenter at the Municipality of Guinsiliban. Asobserved, the Province of Camiguin adopts Social Marketing approaches in coastalresource management.

The Interpretive Center at the Municipality of Mambajao gained much attention. It isan area set aside for dissemination of knowledge of natural and/or cultural heritage of CamiguinIsland. It uses scenographic exhibits andmultimedia programs as aids to stimulate thevisitor's intellectual and emotional connection toheritage and biodiversity conservation-basedtourism sites prior to the actual tour. A tour guidewas introduced who fluently unfold the history ofCamiguin Island and its current scenicattractions. This was supplemented with theminiature of Camiguin Island that truly depicts thephysical profile of the Island. The beautiful minorislets, White Island and Mantigue Island, includingMt. Hibok-Hibok and Mt. Vulcan, the volcanoes withhistorical eruptions were the main subjects ofdiscussion. These were complemented withlectures and brochures provided to the participants.While in the Interpretive Center, the Taklobo Tours and Tourism Growth Areas Projectimplementers are already looking forward to develop a concept for the Mini-Museum in

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Barangay Adecor, a small interpretive center to support the Taklobo Tours operations throughthe funds under the Tourism Growth Areas Project.

The Pasil Eco-tourism Support Services at the Municipality of Catarman marked adifferent experience to the participants. It is a scenic view of a huge cross, built incommemoration of the sunken cemetery when thetown of Bonbon sank below sea level during theformation of Mt. Vulcan. Photography is one ofinteresting aspects in this tourism site. Theparticipants stayed a few minutes for picture takingat a view of the huge cross. The children andyouth played significant roles in this tourismactivity as they assisted the visitors in settingtheir hands in varied creative ways to fully capturethe cross in the photos. There is no entrance feerequired in this site but visitors voluntary gave“love offerings” of any kind as courtesy to theservices of the children and youth. But if visitorswant to come at the vicinity of the cross, a boatfee is required for the transport .

A meeting with an active MPA enforcer“Dodong” in Lawigan Catarman was among the unforgettable moments during the trip. He

narrated the difficulties the MPA enforcersencountered while guarding the MPA.Enforcement which demands 24/7dedication is not an easy task, much morethat some intruders were not from thelocality. Despite these, it is their fullcommitment to guard the Lawigan MarineProtected Area in Catarman that inspiresthem. A strong enforcement is a requisite tofunctional Marine Protected Area. Animmense realization of the AdUFOr membersthat they themselves should take part inguarding the Marine Reserve Park in Adecorand not only DNSC staff. This is the siteof the Taklobo Tour so this is a source oftheir livelihood.

The Cantaan Giant Clam Ocean Nursery was the last site visited but it was the maintarget of the trip. The Cantaan Centennial Multi-purpose Cooperative (CCMC) is currentlymanaging the site and the Silliman University Angelo King Center for Resource andEnvironmental Management (SUAKCREM) is the Technical Team assisting the Project with Dr.Angel C. Alcala as Consultant. This site advocates giant clam conservation through IEC and itshowcases adult clams in the ocean and in nurseries. According to the CCMC Chairman, AlonaG. Cordero there are more than 2,000 giant clams in the area with 6 species namely Tridacnagigas, Tridacna derasa, Tridacna squamosa, Tridacna maxima, Tridacna crocea and Hippopusporcelanus. There were juveniles of Tridacna maxima, Tridacna crocea displayed in the

nursery which are products of naturalspawning in the wild. It was surprisingthat grade schoolers are front liners inthe conduct of IEC and they havearticulated well the biology of giantclams in both Cebuano and English.The AdUFOr members, local tourguides of Taklobo Tours took thisobservation as a big challenge.

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The entrance fee is minimal at 25.00 Php but this excludes the Tour guide Fee of 150.00 Phpand masks and snorkel rental of 50.00 Php. They have visitors coming regularly to see theamazingly beautiful clams with an average 2,000 visitors during the peak months and 800visitors during the lean months. The participants believed that the Cantaan Giant ClamNursery reached almost at the peak of the tourism industry. They also realized thatTaklobo Tours has a long way to go before reaching this status but will be made possiblewith the multi-agency partnership supporting the project.

Other areas visited were Cantaan Mangrove Protection site, Taguines Lagoon Aqua-sports, Ardent Hotsprings and Ostrich Farm. These constitute additional tourist attractions inCamiguin Island. The Mantigue Island Dive sites was supposed to be included in the itinerarybut it was not realized due to time constraint. The national road encircling the mountainousIsland makes it possible for tourists to explore the entire Island in just a day. It was a greatday full of excitements and learning. The participants left Camiguin Island in the morning ofMay 18, 2013 with full of enthusiasm to apply the lessons learned to improve the TakloboTours in Samal Island, Davao, Philippines.GOOD PRACTICES, INSIGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The participants’ learnings and good practices in Camiguin Island were notedand shared in the learning reports. The involvement of children and social marketing in IEC andCRM activities, multi-agency collaboration, institutionalized CRM in all municipalities, use ofmascots as ambassadors for conservation, comprehensive legislation, conservation-basedenterprise and tourism, strong community support for MPA enforcement, Strong LGU support toMPAs, presence of tourist assistance center, affordable hotels, accessible tourism sites due towell-planned roads and network of tourism sites were among the good practices noted.

The participants strongly believed that these good practices can be applied to improvethe Taklobo Tours and tourism industry in Samal Island. The participants realized that theTaklobo Tours being newly launched has a long way to go before reaching the status ofCantaan Giant Clam nursery and it has to improve its tour guiding, tour operation, promotionand networking and ancillary services (Table 1). The children being highly involved in IEC andbeing articulate in both English and Cebuano in describing the biology of giant clams is a bigchallenge to AdUFOr Tour Guides. However, they believed that everything will be doable asthey have adequate support from local and national agencies unlike some areas they recentlyvisited. Based on these, a planning workshop will be done soonest to identify strategies toimprove the Taklobo Tours operations.Table 1. LAKBAY ARAL Learnings and Recommendations

Learnings Recommendations toImprove Taklobo Tours

Children are front liners in IEC andadvocacy and they serve as effectivecommunication facility in advocatingconservation of endangered speciesand other marine life.

At an early age, children should know conservationconcepts. School children and children of ADUFORmembers should be highly involved in IEC andAdvocacy and they too should undergo the training.

Tour guiding requires goodcommunication skills. Tour guide alwaystalk to the visitors with utmost courtesy.

Tours guides should develop communication skills inEnglish, Cebuano and Tagalog. Constant practice ofTaklobo Tours Script is necessary. Additional trainingfor Tour Guiding is necessary.

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Photography is one of interestingaspects of tourism as tourists wanttake home good pictures as proof of theirvisit.

Identify a scenic spot in Adecor or Samal Island ingeneral where photography could be an element ofinterest among tourists. Enhance tour guide capacityin photography.

Mascots are used as Ambassadors ofMPA and CRM and their appearanceadded color to the CRM street play.

Taklobo Tour should explore developing a concept forgiant clam mascot.

Tourism is networking and there is aneed to connect one site to othertourism sites if the aim is to fullyentertain the guests.

Connect Taklobo Tours with other tourism sites inSamal Island through a Tour Package. The CityTourism Office should facilitate this.

Interpretive center aids in makingintellectual and emotional link to tourismand conservation sites as it givessufficient information prior to the tour.Good presentation (powerpoint, videoand brochures) is an aid to increaseenthusiasm of tourists.

The mini-museum of the tourism growth areasproject should be designed to complement thetaklobo tour operations. It should be planned to aidin information dissemination to highten the curiosity oftourists. Well-crafted information materials and goodpresentation should be available all the times.

Accessible roads is necessary to easilytransport visitors from one to other sites

Roads going to Adecor and other tourism sites inSamal Island should be concreted .

Strong MPA Enforcement is a requisiteto functional Sanctuaries and MarineParks and LGU and community supportto MPAs is evident

Adecor Community and Adufor should take part inguarding the Marine Reserve Park, site of theTaklobo tour and home of more than 3,000 giantclams.

Other tourism sites are not supported byLGUs but they continued to exist

AdUFOr should take advantage of the support ofLGU-IGACOS, BLGU-Adecor, Davao del Norte StateCollege and CHED to truly improve the tour.

Tourism and Enterprise development aremostly conservation-based. Thisincreased community support to CRM.

Need to emphasize biodiversity andConservation as important requisites in tourismand livelihood.

LIST OF ACRONYMSAdUFOr - Adecor United Fisherfolk OrganizationBLGU – Barangay Local Government UnitNZAP - New Zealand Aid ProgrammeCCEF - Conservation and Education FoundationCHED – Commission on Higher EducationCCRMP – Camiguin Coastal Resource Management ProjectCCMC - Cantaan Centennial Multi-purpose CooperativeCRM – Coastal Resource ManagementDENR – Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesDNSC – Davao del Norte State CollegeIEC – Information, Education CampaignIGACOS – Island Garden City of SamalLGU – Local Government UnitMPA – Marine Protected AreaSUAKCREM – Silliman University Angelo King Center for Resource and EnvironmentalManagement

LIST OF LAKBAY ARAL PARTICIPANTSName Gender Designation Agency

1. Girley S. Gumanao Female Project Leader, TakloboTours

Davao del Norte StateCollege

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2. Rosie Lyn P. Tejada Female Member, Taklobo Tours Davao del Norte StateCollege

3. Edna A. Valiente Female Member, TourismGrowth Areas Project

Davao del Norte StateCollege

4. Lemuel T. Cardona Male Member, Taklobo Tours Davao del Norte StateCollege

5. Jerry O. Salinas Male Member, Taklobo Tours Davao del Norte StateCollege

6. Xavier N. Lopez Male Member, Taklobo Tours Davao del Norte StateCollege

7. Edly Garbosa Male Driver Davao del Norte StateCollege

8. Julius Guirjen Male CRM Specialist/SpecialTour Guide

CCRMP and Conservationand Education Foundation

9. Rey Camacho Male Tourism Officer City Tourism Office –LGUIGACOS

10. Hazel Rose Loberos Female Tourism Officer City Tourism Office –LGUIGACOS

11. Hon. SaturninoBacalares

Male Barangay Captain BLGU-Adecor, IGACOS

12. Danilo C. Cepe Male Member/Fisherfolk AdUFOr13. Edgardo J. Claros Male Vice President/Fisherfolk AdUFOr14. Ruben R. Martin Male President/Fisherfolk AdUFOr15. Alfredo J. Clarod Male Member/Fisherfolk AdUFOr16. Joel C. Gonzaga Male Member/Fisherfolk AdUFOr17. Lito Olediana Male Member/Fisherfolk AdUFOr18. Lester S. Ostria Male Member/Fisherfolk AdUFOr19. Emilio E. Salazar Male Member/Fisherfolk AdUFOr20. Jay-R Salazar Male Member/Fisherfolk AdUFOr21. Eduard Cuizon Male Member/Fisherfolk AdUFOr22. Rebecca D. Gutirrez Female Member AdUFOr23. May C. Gutierrez Female Member AdUFOr24. Welma Jean E. Diso Female Member AdUFOr25. Elsa R. Naol Female Member AdUFOr26. Lucila Manulat Female Treasurer AdUFOr27. Gloria Eriebuagas Female Member AdUFOr