Community Participation in the Coral Reef Restoration Project of the Naval Forces Southern Luzon in the Pasig Reef of Legaspi City

Abstract

In line with Philippine Navy Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) No. 3 on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) Protocol and consistent with Republic Act No. 10121 on disaster risk reduction and management, the Naval Forces Southern Luzon (NFSL) initiated the Coral Reef Restoration Project in Pasig Reef, Rawis, Legazpi City, officially known as Project Anchor. This project responds to the urgent need to address coral reef degradation caused by destructive practices such as illegal fishing and cyanide use, particularly by armed groups exploiting the marine ecosystem. The study applies a descriptive-evaluative research design, anchored on the Ecosystem Services Approach and Reef Reconstruction Restoration Theory, utilizing key informant interviews (KII), focus group discussions (FGD), and document analysis. Findings confirm that coral reefs in Pasig Reef have suffered massive degradation, resulting in significant biodiversity loss and weakened coastal resilience.