The towering bulk of tropical rainforest of Sierra Madre mountain isolates the coastal towns of Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan and Dinapigue from the mainland of Isabela. This longest mountain range in the country cradles hundreds of wildlife species and represents 40% of the country's forest cover with 1.4 million hectares of forest. Its watersheds provide irrigation to thousands of farmlands in Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.
Within the mighty Sierra Madre rests the largest and most diverse protected area in the country - the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park (NSMNP) which blankets a total of 359,486 of terrestrial and coastal areas of Isabela. It is home to the unique Philippines Eagle, and the endemic and rare Isabela oriole.
Nestled along the Pacific coastline are the Municipalities of Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan and Dinapigue. They are set in a backdrop of immensely healthy greens and blues giving the caveat that any development initiative must take into account a fragile ecosystem. .
The lack of access to the "mainland", as the coastal residents would refer to the provincial center, have been transtalated to importation of even staple food items from neighboring provinces, limited income opportunities, inferior social services among others. With thier issues and concerns so real, the need to safeguard the environment vis-a-vis the fact that most of the coastal towns are under the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, the inherent geological hazards becoming more alarming due to climate change impacts and the implications of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) awarding to the Agtas, have to be harmonized with the thrust to provide for sufficient food, incomes, healthcare, education and the whole range of services to promote more decent living to all.
Coastal Isabela
Towards the desired state of Coastal Isabela, an economic growth driven by agricultural and tourism development, and an improved delivery of social services undertaken with the least disturbance to the natural environment is proposed to be taken. Recognizing that this development goal would hardly happen without the necessary infrastructure support such as road networks, airports, and seaports, power facilities, irrigation, at the least necessary. Importantly though, all projects must have environmental safeguards in place even before actual implementation. Mobilizing civil society to become active environmental stewards during project implementation would be very crucial.
Commercial light aircrafts from the Cauayan (Isabela) and Tuguegarao City (Cagayan) airports land the airstrips of Maconacon, Palanan and Dinapigue, albeit not on a regualr basis. An exisitng all weather road connects Maconacon and Divilacan,
Likewise, pumpboats coming from San Vicente, Santa Ana (Cagayan) and Baler (Aurora) are also use to transport both passengers and cargoes to these coastal municipalities.
In consideration of the natural endowments of each municipality, equity and economies of scale, the proposed development is advancing a functional complementation of the four coastal towns. Maconacon would be the Gateway and Air Transportation Hub of the North, Divilacan would be the Ecotourism Center and Center for Mangrove-Friendly Aquaculture, Palanan to be the Crops Production Center, Agro-processing Center and Sea and Air Transportation Hub and Dinapigue to be the Livestock Production Center, Social Services Center and Gateway of the South.
Coastal Towns at a Glance
Geophysical Environment
There are four coastal municipalities in Isabela Maconacon, Divilcan, Palanan and Dinapigue. These towns are located at the eastern side of the Province facing the Pacific Ocean, with the total coastline of about 113 kilometers. The terrain is generally flat to rolling along the shore that spans from north to south. The western side of the province is characterized by rugged terrain and thick forest cover.
The General terrain in the coastal towns
Table 3. Political Jurisdiction and Income Class
Source: Provincial Profile of Isabela
The Coastal area of Isabela area is bounded on the north by the municipality of Peñablanca, Cagayan, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south the Province of Aurora, and on the west by the municipalities of San Pablo, Ilagan,Tumauini, San Mariano, Echague, and San Guillermo.
The towns of Maconacon, Divilacan, and Palanan, are within the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park (NSMNP). Dinapigue, the southernmost coastal town, is only particularly covered by NSMNP). The Northern Sierra Madre mountain range system is among the most unique and richest on a per area basis among the park systems in the Philippines.
It covers 359,486 hectares 80% of which consists of terrestrial and 20% of coastal water areas. (Map 2. Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park Delineation). The NSMNP is characterized by undistributed lowland dipterocrap rainforest as well as montane forest, limestone forest, mangroves, beach forest, and marine eco-systems.
The Sierra Madre also boasts of pristine fresh water bodies such as lakes, rivers, and streams
The Premier watershed area has a vast potential for establishing hydroelectric power plants, potable water supply systems, irrigation facilities and tourism projects. The geophysical characteristics of the Province should be a key consideration in defining the development strategy and in identifying specific programs and projects that will drive its social-economic development, while protecting its rich and vital natural resources
The four coastal towns, under the first and fourth congressional districts, are compose of 45 barangay (Table 3).
Land use
The land use classification at the coastal tows is predominantly forest land, with about 86% of the total land area allocated for protection and production forests (Table 4). Dinapigue has largest forest cover, with 98% of the town’s land area is classified as forest. The total area utilized for agricultural 14,307 hectares for all the coastal municipalities. Among the four towns, Palanan has largest agricultural land with 10,339 hectares, or 8% of its total are is allotted for agriculture. The build-up are at the coastal municipalities is minimal at 0.16%, with Divilacan having the highest built up are in terms of actual area and percentage.
Although the site visits confirmed the presence of mangrove areas in all coastal towns, only Divilacan holds vast tracts of mangroves forests, as reported in its land use categories of beach or tourism area. On other hand, Maconacon and Palanan included bodies of water and fishery existing land use. The total area of alienable and disposable land is about 7,000 hectares, and is mostly located in Maconacon and Divilacan.
Table 4. Existing Land Use Classification in the Four Coastal Municipalities of Isabela
Source: Municipal Comprehensive Land Use Plans
Social Environmental
Population
The total population of the coastal towns as of the 2007 census was 29,654. This is about 2% of the provincial population for the same year. The positive growth rate trend was shown over the three (3) census periods of 1995, 2000, and 2007.
From 2000 to 2007, the coastal towns registered positive AAGR of 2.11%, with Divilacan having the highest annual growth rate at 4.21%. Between 1995 and 2000, there is a registered massive out-migration recorded in Maconancon, which can be attributed to the closure of logging companies in the municipality. The decreasing population due to out-migration is further compounded by the decreasing birth trends in Maconacon
Although Divilacan and Palanan displayed an increase in population over the three periods, there is an evident decreasing trend in the AAGR of the two towns. Dinapigue has consistently displayed an increase in the number of population as well its AAGR, which can be accounted to in-migration due to the presence of logging and mining operations in the area.
As of 2000, there were about 1,800 Agtas within the Agtas within the NSMNP boundaries in mobile existence. The Agtas live in small groups of hunting and gathering communities as observed and gathered from interviews with some of the Agta men and women. Provision of a resettlement site in Maconacon is one of the many attempts of the local governments to change the nature of their existence to a more sedentary agricultural life.
Three (3) Certificates of Ancestral Domain Claims (CADC) were granted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to Agta groups within Northern Sierra Madre. With the enactment of the Indigenous People’s Rights Act (IPRA) in 1997,
the agta can apply for legal ownership of their Indigenous territories. According to the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), the agency tasked to convert the CADs issued by the DENR into ancestral domain titles, a resurvey order was issued to cover the domain to be included in the application for Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT).
Education
There are 33 educational institutions in the coastal towns of Isabela, of which 13 provide primary education, 15 are elementary schools, five secondary schools, one vocational school, and the Isabela State University in Palanan offers two collegiate courses. At secondary level, the student classroom ratio in Dinapigue is 68:1, while Divilacan has ration of 50:1, which are both above the national standard of 40:1.
According to their development plans, some of school buildings are either deteriorating or are already dilapidated, and this was confirmed during the site visits conducted. In some schools, students of different grade levels share a classroom, which makes the setting not conductive for learning.
Health
The health facilities in the coastal municipalities are still wanting. Although a Rural Health Unit is present in all four municipalities, there are no facilities that can address emergency cases.
Patients have to be transported to a nearest hospital which are hours away. Access to hospital facilities are time-consuming, costly, or may not even be possible due to the harsh weather conditions. In Maconacon,
a 10-bed capacity hospital formerly owned by ACME, needs renovations. Renovation and
upgrading of facilities are also needed at Palanan Health Station and the Municipal hospital of Dinapigue, and both facilities still need to secure a license to operate
Local Economy and Public Finance
The primary economic activities in the coastal towns are agriculture and fisheries. The four municipalities have rich marine resources that are still relatively untapped due to lack of market and post-harvest storage facilities.
The consultation meetings with LGU officials identified the concerns in the agricultural sector, such as the lack of post-harvest facilities, lack of transportation facilities, lack of market, and expensive farm inputs, among others.
The 136 licensed fertilizer and pesticide dealers are scattered all over the different municipalities, except in the four coastal towns. Post – harvest facilities are limited to small-scale rice or corn mills and dryers.
Although the costal are of the Province is teeming with high-value fish catch, the fishery sector cannot develop due to lack of market, lack of post-harvest facilities like cold storage area and processing plant. The marine resources are also threatened by poaching of foreign vessels due to lack of coastal and fishery law enforcement to protect these resources. With its deep sea fishes and crustaceans the coastal towns can likewise replicate the tuna industry of General Santos City that supplies commodities at competitive prices to metropolitan centers of Manila, Cebu and Davao.
The four coastal towns are part of the One Town One Product (OTOP) Program. Maconacon is known for its coconut oil production and by-products, Divilacan and Dinapigue for their fish production and processing industries, and Palanan for its sabutan handicrafts.
To ensure food security and generate income for the coastal communities, there is a need to develop and implement sustainable agricultural and fishery programs. The coastal towns should be able to produce and supply its local food requirement, and be able to export the surplus to the other regions and provinces, at the same time.
The Coastal towns depict an almost closed economic system. Trading is basically limited among townsfolk, and commodities are essentially sold at farm gate prices. Despite the overall constant surplus of some agricultural products like copra and fish catch, highly competitive quality levels, the buying and selling activities are mostly constrained within and among the coastal towns. Commerce and trade with nearby province of Cagayan and Aurora are limited. Cargoes like farm inputs, construction materials, and goods such as sugar, oil, meat and fuel, are sourced from Baler, Dingalan, Aurora, Infanta and Mauban Quezon. Industries are limited in the coastal towns except for small-scale cottage industries like handicrafts, furniture-making, weaving and basket-making.
The geographic Characteristics of the coastal areas is typically cited as the major barrier to outside trading. The lack of regular power supply and post-harvest facilities constrain a longer period storage for perishable commodities. While households are generally self-sustaining in most parts of the year, shortages in goods that are not typically grown such as rice and grains as well as poultry products and meat are experienced. Aside from skewed market scenario, such imbalance in the supply and demand of basic food products has implications on the general health and wellness of the population and its workforce, a critical factor in any economy.
Because local economic growth had been generally hampered by the lack of access to external markets, money circulation is likewise constrained. Sari-sari stores and a few commercial shop that are scattered with the town proper are the only business
Enterprises existing. Savings are kept in purses, because there are no existing banks. Attempt to establish credit facilities and cooperatives were not successful so far. Technical knowledge in managing small financing facilities is lacking. In essence, people do not have available windows from where they can save and invest their money.
Meanwhile, over the last three years, the financial performance of the local government units (LGUs) had been homogenous and far from being impressive. From 2007 to 2009, LGU operations had been very dependent on shares form national tax collections or the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) by almost 100% (Table 5). With very robust farming and fishery production, and high ecotourism potential, the coastal towns have greatly relied on support from the national coffers..
Table 5. Source of Annual Regular Income per Municipality
*Palanan and Dinapigue figures were sourced from the BLGF
** Dinapigue figures are preliminary and were not included in the computation of average
As the LGUs enjoyed constantly increasing national government budgetary support through IRA, the own-source incomes (OSIs) have gone down by 50% from 2008 to 2009, promptly offsetting the upward jump between 2007 and 2008. Typical to municipalities that are heavily IRA-dependent, the OSIs of the coastal towns primarily come from real property taxes (RPT), business taxes from a handful of business establishments, and fees and charges on permits and rents. As to economic enterprises, Dinapigue and Palanan have modest business engagement such as public market operations and public cemeteries..
Maconacon operates the abandoned airstrip and the causeway that serves as the docking area for fishing vessels and motorized bancas that transport cargo and passengers to Sta. Ana, Northern Cagayan. Minimal Fees are collected by the LGU from these facilities. Divilcan, on the other hand, has a trading center that is supposed to operate as an economic enterprise but does not have its separate books yet in the LGU accounts. Moreover, after four (4) years of operations, the trading center has generated sufficient income to recover its capital and operational expenses. Management and operations of the trading center needs to be greatly improved. The LGUs have not implemented innovative solutions to overcome the lack of external market access to improve its local revenue generation. A graphical illustration in Figures 1..
Basic infrastructures are likewise wanting in the coastal town: rural health units have inadequate equipment, roads are yet to be paved, public markets, do not have proper toilets, wharves need rehabilitation, and bridges are either still to be improved. However, despite the many developmental projects that may be funded, the LGUs continue to make savings instead of exhausting its financial resources to support more projects. Such practice of prudence by LGUs in done where much work are yet to be done defeats the purpose of sound public financial management.
The next table shows the summary of income and expenses per coastal town from 2007 to 2009.
Table 6. Historical Summary of Income Expenses
*Palanan and Dinapigue figures were sourced from the BLGF
** Dinapigue figures are preliminary and were not included in the computation of average
Over the last three years, the LGUs did not spend more than 10% of its annual budget, or an average of over Php 9 million, which could have financed significant project that would have bolstered the local economic situation (Figure 2). Projects such as improving basic infrastructure or providing producers to inch their way to external markets and eventually eliminate the perennial barriers to trading would have been very wise means of using excess public funds.
Dubbed as the Lobster Capital of the Province and Philippine Eagle Nesting Site, Maconacon has high potential in ecotourism development with a number of sites ideal for surfing, snorkeling and other water activities.
BARANGAY - 10 Barangays
MAYOR - Lycelle Kate M. Domingo
DISTRICT - 1st District of Isabela
AREA TOTAL -538.66 km2 (207.98 sq mi)
POPULATION (2010) - 3,615
ZIPCODE - 3333
DIALING CODE - 78
INCOME CLASS - 3rd Class; Rural Unit
Palanan, the hidden paradise of the North, the center of Biollogical Diversity of the Philippines, the home of Nomadic Agta and or Dumagat tribes known as the indigenous people with the park. Palanan is home to a number of world-class beaches with fine white-sand and crstal blue waters.
BARANGAY - 17 Barangays
MAYOR - Angelo A. Bernardo
DISTRICT - 1st District of Isabela
AREA TOTAL - 880.24 km2 (339.86 sq mi)
POPULATION (2010) - 16,094
ZIPCODE - 3334
DIALING CODE - 78
INCOME CLASS - 1st Class; Rural Unit
Endowed wuth diverse culture, Divilacan is inhabited by many endangered species of flora like the jade vine, picher plant, mangrove forests, mossy forests and many more. its marine resources include diverse seafood like weeds, crabs, lobsters, prawns, varieties of fish, shells and other marine creatures like dolphines, sea turtiles, and humpback whales.
BARANGAY - 12 Barangays
MAYOR - Florita C. Bulan
DISTRICT - 1st District of Isabela
AREA TOTAL - 889.49 km2 (343.43 sq mi)
POPULATION (2010) - 5,034
ZIPCODE - 3335
DIALING CODE - 78
INCOME CLASS - 2nd Class; Rural Unit
Though the municipality is 98% covered by forestland, the primary livelihood of the residents is rice farming. Meanwhile, its coastal are is a vast source of various fish and fishery species that provide livelihood and additional income to its residents.
BARANGAY - 6 Barangays
MAYOR - Reynaldo Del Rosario Derije
DISTRICT - 4th District of Isabela
AREA TOTAL - 574.40 km2 (221.78 sq mi)
POPULATION (2010) - 5,484
ZIPCODE - 3336
DIALING CODE - 78
INCOME CLASS - 1st Class; Rural Unit