Outline of the Project

Title

Sustainable Environment Protection Project for Panglao

Country

Philippines

Project Site

Bohol Province

Terms of Cooperation

From May 2013 until November 2015

Implementing Organization

Provincial Government of Bohol

Background

Tourists visiting Bohol Province, located at the heart of Central Visayas, have quadrupled over nine years from 81,040 in 2001 to 334,212 in 2010 due to the variety of natural environments from mountainous areas to surrounding sea areas. Accordingly, the number of passengers at Bohol Airport is rapidly rising and appropriate measures to resolve the increasing airport demand of the are necessary. However, extension of the airport is made difficult because its runway is located in the capital city of Tagbilaran, which is surrounded by residential areas.

Under these circumstances, the Government of the Philippines requested a Special Term for Economic Partnership (STEP) yen loan from the Government of Japan in October 2012 for the construction of the new Bohol airport. The implementation of the project by the yen loan was scheduled and The "New Bohol Airport Construction and Sustainable Environment Protection Project" is planned to be completed by 2016. The project is to be constructed at Panglao Island in Bohol Province and shall satisfy international safety standards. The project shall improve regional safety and convenience and shall also contribute to the economic growth of Bohol Province. However, as the number of tourists is anticipated to increase after the construction of the new Bohol airport, adverse impacts may occur in and around Panglao Island such as damage to coral reefs by divers and snorkelers, overflow of wastewater from sewage treatment systems, dumping of solid waste due to the lack of environmental load control system, impacts caused by degradation of the ecosystem, and deterioration of landscape and amenities, and ultimately, degradation of tourism resources. Such problems could result in the deterioration of regional economy and poverty. In order to prevent such environmental degradation, it is crucial that a system to control environmental load be introduced, taking into consideration the increase in the number tourists by the construction of the new Bohol airport.

The Government of the Philippines has requested technical cooperation with Japan for the project called "Sustainable Environmental Protection Project for Panglao" (hereinafter referred to as the Project) in order to have environment sustainability even after the increase in the number of tourists caused by the construction of the new Bohol airport. The Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a memorandum of understandings (MOU) for the implementation of the Project in November 2012.

Bohol Project Team and JICA Expert Team (JET) had implemented the Project in order to achieve the project purpose, but the Project found several issues to achieve the project purpose, such as influx of tourists and residents that were already overloaded and the absence of treatment plant of septage generated from increasing septic tanks. Accordingly, as additional outputs are necessary to achieve the project purpose, Bohol Project Team and JET discussed with the Province of Bohol (the Governor) and JICA in February and the Province of Bohol and JICA decided to add two outputs namely "Consideration of sustainable tourism development in Bohol Province to continue Adaptive management for surrounding areas of Panglao Island" and "Preliminary design of septage treatment plant and preparation of sustainable management system including alterative financial arrangements".

Purpose

Overall goal
The sustainable tourism development is achieved after completion of the new airport construction.

Project Purpose
To protect Environment of Panglao Island from increasing tourists estimated after completion of the new airport construction and to improve effluent quality discharged from the on-site sewage treatment facilities (STFs).

Outputs

Output 1: Possible basic framework for implementing "Adaptive Management" under which usage control on carrying capacity is established.

Output 2: Basic system of "Adaptive Management" under which usage control on carrying capacity is applied in Panglao.

Output 3: Consideration of Sustainable Tourism Development in Bohol Province to Continue "Adaptive Management" for Surrounding Areas of Panglao Island.

Output 4: Effective and realistic laws and regulations for the construction and the management of the on-site STFs are proposed.

Output 5: Effective and realistic management systems to control on-site STFs covering Panglao Island are established.

Output 6: Possible design of the septic tanks with improved capacity (satisfying design capacity of on-site STFs with the improvement of effluent quality) is proposed.

Output 7: Preliminary design of septage treatment plant and assistance for preparation of sustainable management system including alternative financial arrangements

Project Activities

1-1	Collect information on the current situation of stakeholders for environment conservation
1-2	Analyze issues and develop the operation structure of the Panglao Region Executive Committee and Scientific Committee
1-3	Hold sector-wise workshops to hotels, diving shops, tourism agencies, fishery cooperatives, etc.
1-4	Establish the Panglao Region Executive Committee
1-5	Establish the Scientific Committee

2-1	Collect data of the existing monitoring surveys of environmental conditions in Panglao.
2-2	Conduct the baseline survey of tourism resources
2-3	Prepare implementation plan of "Adaptive Management" based on the information related to "Carrying Capacity"
2-4	Establish target areas to be protected
2-5	Prepare the periodical monitoring manual and commence the monitoring
2-6	Set the initial figures of carrying capacity of the target areas and develop the usage control plan
2-7	Implement pilot trials to control the maximum number of tourists, tourist facilities and so on in the target area
2-8	Revise and modify the figures of carrying capacity and usage control plan based on the result of pilot trials
2-9	Hold a workshop for nature guides
2-10	Revise the existing guide system on the "Adaptive Management" and usage control on carrying capacity
2-11	Formulate and carry out training programs for guides and relevant people based on the revised guide system
2-12	Prepare administrative guidelines for the use by officials
2-13	Inspection of tourism usage control activities in Philippines

3-1	Review of tourism resources and tourism development in Bohol province
3-2	Clarification of concept related to tourism of Bohol province
3-3	Preparation of guideline of tourism development for Bohol province
3-4	Enhancement on dissemination and understanding towards the implementation of tourism development guideline for the whole Bohol province
3-5	Plan of eco-tour development based on the tourism development guideline
3-6	Implementation of pilot project
3-7	Development of web portal site for tourism information of Bohol province
3-8	Preparation of tourism information materials for Bohol province

4-1	Conduct seminar for C/P (Confirmation of component approach, data base survey, etc)
4-2	Collect and summarize information on the existing laws & regulations on the onsite STFs
4-3	Conduct interview survey with concerned parties
4-4	Study of an effective management system in regulation, inspection and provision of possible penalties
4-5	Conduct Seminar for C/P (Confirmation of component approach, data base survey, etc)
4-6	C/P will study required change of laws and regulations together with guidelines/manuals
4-7	Collaboration by concerned parties to come up with a proposal on the required SW and change of laws and regulations/guidelines
4-8	Conduct Seminar on proposed Laws and Regulations
4-9	Discuss with concerned governmental offices on the findings and draft proposal on laws and regulations
4-10	Get initial concurrence from top management of concerned offices (province and municipality)
4-11	Assist C/P and Sanggunian members for additions/revisions to existing laws and regulations
4-12	Review proposed draft municipal ordinances based on inspection results on existing septage treatment systems in the Philippines
4-13	Get concurrence from the Panglao Island Executive Committee on the modified/revised laws and regulations through explanations and discussions
4-14	Prepare manuals/reference materials for the field activities by relevant officials and conduct training for them
4-15	Complete the process for revisions/modifications of existing laws and regulations and follow up in the field
4-16	Provide Supplemental countermeasures for the implementation of an effective system
4-17	Propose revisions/modifications of existing laws and regulations based on the experience up to the end of 2014

5-1	Collect information on the existing structures for the management of on-site STFs including a financial study
5-2	Study an appropriate structure for management of on-site STFs
5-3	Study to establish laboratory for sewage examination and discussions with concerned provincial offices
5-4	Study on the arrangement of the office with staff members with reference to the establishment of sewage laboratory and discussions with concerned provincial offices
5-5	Identify present issues and problems on existing offices and staff concerned to manage on-site STFs in compliance with existing laws. Training will also be done during the work considering proposed municipal ordinances.
5-6	Recommend required organizational arrangements with staff members based on the experience for the management of on-site STFs
5-7	Explain to and get concurrence from Panglao Island Executive Committee on the new organizational arrangements
5-8	Study for financial arrangements to ensure newly created office for the management of on-site STFs
5-9	Arrange required staff for the management of on-site STFs including employment of staff,as required
5-10	Hold workshop for the staff to manage on-site STFs
5-11	Implement the work for about 1 month according to new arrangements
5-12	Evaluate the results of field work by the new organizational set-up and study on the countermeasures, as required
5-13	Exchange of information and cooperation with selected owners of on-site STFs and septage collection companies
5-14	Summarize issues and problems on the organizational arrangements for further improvement
5-15	Recommend future organizational improvement needs
5-16	Procurement of sewage quality examination equipment
5-17	Establish laboratory for sewage quality examination
5-18	Conduct training on basic knowledge for water quality examination
5-19	Conduct training on the manner of examination
5-20	Prepare a manual for sewage quality examination
5-21	Conduct training on the analysis and evaluation of sewage samples

6-1	Conduct investigations on existing on-site STFs
6-2	Prepare database for on-site STFs
6-3	Study of effective on-site STFs
6-4	Conduct bidding for pilot plant construction
6-5	Construct pilot plants
6-6	Collect data and study on pilot plants to establish standard design of ST

7-1	Investigate existing septage treatment systems in the Philippines
7-2	Project sludge volume to be generated in Panglao Island
7-3	Investigate quality and quantity of solid waste being generated in Panglao Island
7-4	Investigate on the present usage of fertilizer and project its future demand in Panglao Island
7-5	Prepare preliminary design of septage treatment plant
7-6	Estimate capital and O&M cost of septage treatment plant
7-7	Study on project implementing body/s
7-8	Study and prepare preliminary design of a septage treatment plant

Input Summary

Input Summary by Japanese Side

• Experts (Leader, Deputy leader, Sustainable Tourism Development, Ecosystem Conservation, Coral reef Monitoring, Organizational Management, On-site System, Tourism Base Development, Tourism Informaiton maintenance, Water Quality Analysis, Solid Waste and Compost)
• Equipment (Mobile water quality analyzer, water analysis instrument, equipment and regent, pilot septic tanks)
• Trainings (Training in Japan, study tour in Philippines)

Input Summary by Philippines Side

• Counterparts (Project Director, Project Manager, staff from Province and Municipalities)
• Facilities (Office space)
• Equipment (Office equipment)
• Existing documents and data