CURRENT POLITICS OF FORESHORE RECLAMATION IN TAGBILARAN CITY: THE EMERGING PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the current status of foreshore reclamation in the City of Tagbilaran. The City of Tagbilaran sets the demands of the increasing urbanization, facing the challenge of economic expansion in foreshore areas. Using the quantitative and qualitative method, the researchers were able to assess the current politics of foreshore reclamation based on the analysis of its emerging challenges and prospects. The data revealed that the respondents have seen the challenge of having an increase of transportation and population explosion that would result to high level of noise and disturbance of the ecosystem and nature. The possibility of a highly competitive and more urbanized city, expanding infrastructure, more workers creating economic stability and new attractions does not compensate the challenges. The researchers found out that businessmen who are in the government are holding back the people in deciding about the existence of foreshore reclamation. In fact, there are still more public land areas available to utilize and develop that would not lead them to resort for foreshore reclamation. Hence, people in Tagbilaran City were not yet ready to become a highly urbanized city.

Keywords

• Environment, Foreshore Reclamation, Current Politics, Prospects, Challenges