Development of spatial strategies for small island landscapes in the Philippines

Abstract

Small islands are among the most fragile and vulnerable yet diverse and unique ecosystems on Earth. This complexity is enhanced by human communities relying on its resources. Understanding small islands therefore, includes analyses of its innate character and the spatial interaction. These ideas form the two-pronged theme of this research including (1) comprehensive profile gap analysis of the small island and (2) its spatial interaction analysis through the natural resources, which provided bases for recommending island spatial strategies. Represented by the small island provinces of Batanes, Siquijor and Camiguin in the Philippines, the following results were highlighted: a) unique characters of the small island provinces from the socio-demographic and cultural (High Population density and low growth rate, Isola Effect, Sea-faring culture, migration patterns); environmental (coastline to physical size ratio, vulnerability to hydro-meteorological hazards and disasters, complex geographies and ecosystems, ecosystem continuum); economic (narrow and concentrated economic base, vulnerability to environmental shocks, import orientation, prominence of varied informal economy, subsistence and extractive economy); Infrastructure (Physical isolation and accessibility concerns, centralization for provision of support services); and institutions (satellite town effect, unclear hierarchical spatial roles) and b) the spatial interaction analyses confirming these characteristics and provide deeper context on the actual conditions of small island provinces not seen on the usual island analysis conducted for planning small islands (weak spatial interaction scores, direct association of natural island ecosystems to the livelihoods and the inequitable distribution of these resources through material flows skewed towards the regional environment). Insightful island policy strategies transcending from the protection, production settlements and infrastructure policy areas were done including: (a) creation of Small Island Province Ecosystem Continuum (SIPEC) addressing island vulnerability; (b) spatio-temporal measures for the production perspectives; (c) mainstreaming of the island communities concern including the indigenous rights and island living context to alleviate impoverish conditions; d) and green or nature-based solutions as supporting mechanisms for island development, to mention a few. All these options translate to spatial strategies for small island provinces in the Philippines.