Abstract

Every country around the world faces various coastal-environmental issues that require scholarly investigation. This qualitative case study aimed to examine coastal environmental issues, local governance practices, challenges, and coping mechanisms in selected coastal barangays of Santiago, Ilocos Sur. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with selected barangay officials and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the key environmental issues include poor waste management, destructive fishing activities, and vulnerability to natural hazards. Coastal management practices include community coordination, implementation of environmental protection programs, and policy formulation and enforcement. The main challenges identified were limited community support and negative feedback from residents. To cope with these challenges, barangay officials and communities relied on information dissemination and collective participation. The study concludes that coastal barangays continue to face environmental challenges despite ongoing efforts and highlights the need to strengthen community-based programs, enhance stakeholder participation, and improve policy enforcement to support sustainable coastal management and resilience.

Full Article

DOI: 10.56901/KLPU8472

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