In 2014, PTFCF provided grants and technical support to Sentro Para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya (SIKAT) towards integrated mangrove management in the municipalities of Del Carmen and San Benito. The three-year project stemmed from the prior project development grant (PDG) of PTFCF for the conduct of mangrove biological assessment and socioeconomic survey. From the findings of the study, a project proposal was devised, which aimed to protect the 5,304.8 ha of mangrove forest in Del Carmen and San Benito, part of the Siargao Island Protected Landscape and Seascape (SIPLAS) where endangered species of saltwater crocodile and tarsier (Tarsus syrichta) are located. Towards this goal, the multi-sectoral group will seek to institutionalize co-management approaches with communities, empower POs to enter into stewardship instruments such as Protected Areas Community-based Resource Management Agreement (PACBRMA), and provide market incentives for non-mangrove enterprises such as seaweed farming, mudcrab fattening and ecotourism.
