Stakeholders' Perception of Lake Governance

During the FGDs, the stakeholders were asked to rank the power and influence of government agencies, NGOs, and private groups/individuals as perceived by fisherfolks, business owners, property owners, and residents of the seven lakes of San Pablo. The y-axis measures the level of power the agencies have over the stakeholders of the lakes, while the x-axis measures the level of influence these agencies have over the stakeholders. The graph is divided into four quadrants: the first quadrant (Q1), with a high level of power and easy to influence (or can easily influence the stakeholders); the second quadrant (Q2), with a high level of power and cannot influence; the third quadrant (Q3), with a low level of power and cannot influence; and the fourth quadrant with a low level of power and easy to influence. The size of the circles is dictated by the number of responses (response per lake is collective, meaning one response per lake).

Agencies in Q1 were perceived to have a high level of power and could easily influence their stakeholders, such as the LLDA, BFAR, and FARMC. As shown in the figure above, they are represented with the biggest circles (6 out of 7 responses). These are followed by San Pablo LGU and Rizal and Nagcarlan LGUs, which were considered 100% since Rizal only manages two of the seven lakes and Nagcarlan manages only one. Samahan ng mga Mangingisda, Bantay Lawa, and OPAG (Office of the Provincial Agriculturist) were also placed in the first quadrant but had fewer responses than the previously mentioned agencies/organizations.

On the other hand, Q2 contains BFAR (Bunot) and LLDA (Palakpakin) with one response each. Stakeholders of one lake (Bunot) placed San Pablo LGU in the middle of the graph, having a mid-level of power and influence. Meanwhile, Q3, with a low level of power and cannot influence its stakeholders, contains OPAG, DPWH, residents, NGOs (Pundasyon Santiago, FSLF, Lion’s Club, UNEP Tunza, and Living Lakes Network), and private groups (hospital and private individuals).

Lastly, Q4 has one response each for FARMC, San Pablo LGU, and Bantay Lawa. DEPED and the rest of the NGOs (Rotary San Pablo City Central, Kapwa sa UPLB, FSLF, and Red Cross) are perceived as having a low level of power and can easily influence stakeholders of the lakes.