The Philippines, as a tropical archipelagic country, is particularly vulnerable to environmental changes affecting coastal and marine settings. However, there are limited studies investigating how these changes are perceived by the local populations who depend directly on the marine environment for their livelihoods, health, and well-being, and who are the most vulnerable to such changes. To explore these issues, we conducted an in-home face-to-face structured survey in 10 coastal communities in Palawan, Philippines (n = 431). As part of the survey, respondents were asked to comment on how important they believed a list of 22 drivers/pressures (e.g., “land-use change”) were in affecting their local marine environment. Statistical analysis of this list using Exploratory Factor Analysis suggested the 22 drivers/pressures could be categorized into 7 discrete groups (or in statistical terms “factors”) of drivers/pressures (e.g., “urbanization,” “unsustainable fishing practices” etc.). We then used ordinary least squared regression to identify similarities and differences between the perspectives within and across communities, using various socio-demographic variables. Results suggested that among the seven identified factors, four were perceived by the local communities as making the marine environment worse, two were perceived as having no impact, and one was perceived to be making the marine environment better. Perceptions differed by gender, education, ethnicity, and study site. A subsequent survey with 16 local coastal resource management experts, suggested that public perceptions of the most critical drivers/pressures were broadly consistent with those of this expert group. Our findings highlight how aware local coastal communities are of the drivers/pressures underpinning the threats facing their livelihoods, health, and well-being. Ultimately, this information can support and inform decisions for the management of local marine resources.

菲律宾作为一个热带群岛国家，特别容易受到影响沿海和海洋环境的环境变化的影响。然而，关于直接依赖海洋环境维持生计、健康和福祉以及最容易受到此类变化影响的当地居民如何看待这些变化的研究非常有限。为了探讨这些问题，我们在菲律宾巴拉望岛的 10 个沿海社区进行了一项在家中面对面的结构化调查（n= 431）。作为调查的一部分，受访者被要求评论他们认为 22 种驱动因素/压力（例如，“土地利用变化”）对影响当地海洋环境的重要性。使用探索性因素分析对该列表进行的统计分析表明，可以将 22 个驱动因素/压力分为 7 个独立的驱动因素/压力组（或在统计术语中为“因素”）（例如，“城市化”、“不可持续的捕捞做法”等）。 . 然后，我们使用普通最小二乘回归来识别社区内部和社区之间观点之间的异同，使用各种社会人口变量。结果表明，在七个确定的因素中，四个被当地社区认为使海洋环境恶化，两个被认为没有影响，一种被认为正在改善海洋环境。认知因性别、教育、种族和研究地点而异。随后对 16 位当地沿海资源管理专家进行的调查表明，公众对最关键驱动因素/压力的看法与该专家组的看法大体一致。我们的研究结果强调了当地沿海社区对支撑其生计、健康和福祉面临的威胁的驱动因素/压力的认识程度。最终，这些信息可以支持和告知当地海洋资源管理的决策。建议公众对最关键的驱动因素/压力的看法与该专家组的看法大体一致。我们的研究结果强调了当地沿海社区对支撑其生计、健康和福祉面临的威胁的驱动因素/压力的认识程度。最终，这些信息可以支持和告知当地海洋资源管理的决策。建议公众对最关键的驱动因素/压力的看法与该专家组的看法大体一致。我们的研究结果强调了当地沿海社区对支撑其生计、健康和福祉面临的威胁的驱动因素/压力的认识程度。最终，这些信息可以支持和告知当地海洋资源管理的决策。