Protection value of Maasin Watershed in Iloilo, Philippines

Abstract

This study ascertained the dependency of people’s Willingness To Pay (WTP) for the protection of Maasin Watershed. The people’ WTP aims to ensure the provision of a reliable water supply for the households and implement measures protecting the Maasin Watershed. A total of 400 respondents who were the direct beneficiaries and stakeholders were interviewed using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). Majority of the respondents showed a WTP for the protection of the Maasin Watershed, with the computed mean annual WTP of Php 221 per household. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. Findings further showed that parameters of income, household perceived groundwater as main source of water, and alternative water source were found to be statistically significant. In the same way, predictors of religion, water availability and water safety were found to be statistically significant. Household income, alternative source of water, and religion have a positive relationship with WTP. Its positive coefficients indicate that as the independent variable increases, the dependent variable also increases. Conversely, significant negative coefficients indicate that as the independent variable increases, the dependent variable decreases. However, there was an inverse relationship between WTP and household perceived groundwater as main source, water availability and water safety, due to the lack of awareness of the respondents about the source of raw water supply that comes from the Maasin Watershed that reduces the WTP for Maasin Watershed reservation.