In the heart of the Philippine Sea, on the teardrop-shaped island of Siargao, sits the municipality of Del Carmen.
Siargao is best known for its waves, first attracting Western surfers in the 1980s when word spread about Cloud 9—a now-legendary break near the municipality of General Luna. The arrival of surfing in Siargao brought a profound shift to the island’s communities, which had long relied on traditional fishing and agriculture for their livelihood. Once a quiet fishing island, Siargao quickly transformed to accommodate a growing influx of international tourists, particularly along its eastern coast, drawn by the island’s world-class waves.
Cloud 9 Surf Break, Siargao Island, General Luna.
But along the sheltered shores of the western coast, Del Carmen is something different.
Del Carmen Mangroves. Photo courtesy of RARE’s Fish Forever Philippines.
But Del Carmen wasn’t always this way. Once struggling with illegal fishing, deforestation, and poverty, it has undergone a transformation across all aspects of life—thanks in large part to the bold vision of Mayor Alfredo Matugas Coro II, whose leadership reshaped both Del Carmen’s ecosystems and future.
Defining Success: A Visionary Leader
Coro’s journey is central to the story—once a young man who left his home in search of opportunities elsewhere, he returned as a driving force behind Del Carmen’s evolution, working to uplift his community and restore the ecosystems he explored as a child.
Coro hadn’t always planned on entering politics—his career had taken him into the global corporate sector. But every time he returned home and saw his community struggling, he found himself asking, “What can I do to help my neighbors, my relatives?”
Mayor Coro near Del Carmen’s Mangrove Forest, Philippines. Photo courtesy of Bren Ang Photography.
In 2010, an opportunity arose to step into local leadership. After winning the election, young Coro decided to take a different approach. His ideas, however, were not immediately welcomed.
“Everyone told me that to have an environmental agenda is really political suicide…I was even told, ‘Your visions are impossible,’” Coro recalls. “I said, ‘Yeah, I know—but at least try me out for a few years.’”
Determined to turn things around, Coro spearheaded a movement that placed Del Carmen’s rich nature at the heart of the municipality’s development.
“We were dirt poor,” Coro explains. “We had to start to think about what we can do to help save our people and our community. We started to see that our natural assets were underutilized.”
Coro’s approach centered on listening to the community, understanding their struggles, and addressing the economic pressures driving harmful practices like deforestation and illegal fishing.
“Success is really defined by how your people see success themselves,” Coro shares. “We started to talk to the people about why they do these things that are supposed to be against the law and against nature…We started to understand the reasons and they became very simple: they needed money because they needed to feed their family…They are just asking for a good life that they define themselves.”
Success is really defined by how your people see success themselves.
Mayor Alfredo Matugas Coro II
Unexpected Benefits: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
At the start of this journey, Mayor Coro had no way of knowing that one of the most powerful tools for advancing prosperity in education, health, and the economy would be the combination of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and ecotourism.
In the beginning, as with many other stories of developing coastal MPAs, it was challenging to convey the science-backed benefits of marine protection while presenting a new path for economic opportunity.
Coro communicated to his constituency the long-term benefits of restricting fishing. He reassured them, saying, “In the meantime, allow us to share with you that there’s an alternative livelihood we can develop—ecotourism…We had to explain the science to them again—that if we start doing this, you will see something better, but it will take some time.”
Tourist boats in Sugba Lagoon in Del Carmen, Philippines.
And that’s exactly what happened. Over time, the science proved true—fish stocks rebounded and people saw firsthand the return of marine life. But what Coro didn’t anticipate was that the impact of MPAs and a growing local ecotourism industry extended far beyond ecosystem recovery, bringing broader benefits to the community.
“There’s a lot of impact simply by them accepting that MPAs is really a method not only to protect their livelihood—ensure that they have access to food—but at the same time, it’s now really changing the dynamic of how they look at their families,” Coro explains. “Because you can come home now, see your children, and ask them, ‘How was school?’ Prior to that, parents – mostly the fathers – would fish at night, which means [during the] daytime, they would be sleeping. You cannot become an active member of your family [like this] , especially in the lives of your children.”
Tourist boats in Sugba Lagoon in Del Carmen, Philippines.
Through key partnerships with environmental organizations like Rare’s Fish Forever in the Philippines, Del Carmen began effectively establishing and managing its new MPAs and enacting improved local governance that has become a beacon for the Philippines and beyond.
“These national government agencies that used to be non-believers in our process started to tell everybody else that if you have doubts in your ability to change the community…they point to us. We’re a very small town, but we always tell them that even if you’re small, it doesn’t give you an excuse not to do good governance. And that’s what we’re showing them.”
The Power of Being Small
As a mayor, Coro sees the intrinsic power of local action and local governance.
“If you’re a small community, you could easily adapt. You’re agile and you could easily communicate to the people around you. And I think that’s the beauty of being small because you could easily change the things that need to be changed.”
Fisher catching lobster in Del Carmen, Philippines. Photo courtesy of Bren Ang Photography.
He explains that his community entrusted him with his unprecedented approach because they all shared a common vision: the improvement of their own lives.
“I think that’s how we should be approaching a lot of things, especially for local governments and other mayors…not to be scared to try new things…you should be agile because you’re small. Why are you too afraid to do big changes, when you can easily revert back if something goes wrong because you’re small? And that’s the power of being small.”
What began as gradual, collective changes in Del Carmen has grown into a movement with tangible, traceable impact—paving the way for other small communities to follow.
What was once considered “political suicide” in 2010 has set a precedent throughout the country. Today in the Philippines, many political campaigns include an environmental agenda, reflecting its growing importance in society.
One of Del Carmen’s greatest achievements is its engagement with Coastal 500, a global network of local government leaders dedicated to ocean protection and thriving coastal communities. Since its launch in 2021, Coastal 500 has become a model for municipalities not only in the Philippines but worldwide. Coastal 500 members represent biodiversity-rich coastal communities facing threats from climate change, overfishing, pollution, and unchecked development. Each member has pledged to restore and protect nearshore waters while improving the well-being of their communities. Today, it is the largest international platform for coastal leaders to exchange knowledge and solutions, growing to include 160 mayors and 150 fisheries leaders.
Coastal 500 members making the pledge. (From left to right) Vice Mayor Dodong Dolar of Santa Monica, Mayor Alfredo Coro Jr of Del Carmen, Mayor Gina Menil of San Benito, Mayor Angie Arcena of Burgos, Mayor Liza Ressurreccion of Pilar, Vice Mayor Gerry Abejo of Dapa, Municipal Legislator Rolando S. Bagaipo of San Isidro, Councilor Bingle Silvosa of General Luna.
Through Coastal 500, Del Carmen and Mayor Coro have sparked action across the Philippines and beyond, proving that protecting local ecosystems delivers tangible benefits, like shielding communities from the effects of climate change. When a Category 5 Super Typhoon struck in December 2021, Del Carmen’s decade-long mangrove rehabilitation efforts saved countless lives and properties.
“It’s a risk that you have to take: to do things now for the impact that you might feel ten years later,” Coro says. “I think that’s a message many of us are looking for—leaders who have the courage to face the consequences of telling people that we need to do this today, but the benefit will be in 20 years…We protect the island. We protect the environment because it is what protects us back.”
Planting Trees: a Political Legacy
Today, Mayor Coro is now running for his fifth term.
The facts speak for themselves. Del Carmen is stewarding the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the Philippines, providing vital protection against storm surges. The municipality has built a thriving ecotourism industry that not only strengthens the local economy but also allows families to transition to more stable daytime jobs. Once widespread, illegal fishing has been replaced by sustainable practices.
Mayor Coro looks to the future with a hope grounded in the measurable progress he has helped achieve.
“The things we do today really matter for the future. So, if you plant a tree today, just be patient. It will grow. It will grow eventually if you take care of it.”
Fish Forever mural in Del Carmen, Siargao Islands, Philippines. December 2021.
