Local Governance of Gunao Lake, Tikub Lake and Dagatan Lake : The Small Lakes of Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal-Malepunyo Corridor, Philippines

Many lakes in the Philippines are threatened, yet their governance has not received enough attention. This predicament is most severe on small lakes, as their localised governance have least been given consideration over the years. Predicated on this, the study explores the local governance of three small lakes — Gunao Lake, Tikub Lake and Dagatan Lake — situated between the Mount Banahaw-San Cristobal and Mount Malepunyo. Specifically, it looks into the role of the local governments in managing and developing the small lakes. Using data from interviews, observations, and few existing documents on the small lakes, the article contends that the main feature of governance in the three lakes is the Municipal Governments' commitment and determination which is consequential in their development, past to present. In Gunao Lake, the Municipal Government of Dolores's failure to link up the small lake's development with the tourism agenda in Mount Banahaw area resulting in its lack of development. In Tikub Lake, the Municipal Government of Tiaong's consistent push for its tourism agenda is key in the small lakes incremental improvement and preservation. In Dagatan Lake, the Municipal Government of San Antonio's persistence in pursuing the restoration project and searching for a patron to finance the endeavour is crucial in the revival of the small lake. Overall, the study delineates the distinct praxis of local governance on each small lake, extends scholarship in lake governance, and offers a broad template for managing the many existing small lakes in the country