The Viray watershed in Pangasinan, Philippines, is a pristine water source that directly supplies clean, potable water to households through a community‑managed network, but faces growing pressure from tourism and waste. This study integrated focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and a single bounded contingent valuation survey (n = 347) with a five‑level certainty scale to characterize community perceptions, attempt to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) for a conservation program, and assess the acceptability of a conservation surcharge on tourism establishment entrance fees. Respondents showed high familiarity with the watershed and broad recognition of its ecological functions, yet limited awareness of ongoing programs; attitudinal and perception indicators from the survey aligned with FGD/KII narratives of stewardship, fairness, and demand for visible results. Econometric results showed scope consistent declines in acceptance as posted amounts increased in both binary and ordinal models, but the bid effect was statistically imprecise. Because of this, WTP is not inferred. The parametric mean of PHP 56.19, approximately USD 1.00, and the Turnbull mean of PHP 51.83, approximately USD 0.92, are presented for transparency only as non-inferential summaries of the stated choices. Acceptance of the proposed payment vehicle was high at 85%, indicating strong support for a tourism‑linked surcharge that externalizes a portion of conservation costs to visitors. Policy implications rest on the observed acceptance structure, qualitative evidence on incidence and governance, and diagnostic calibration rather than on point estimates. Most importantly, sustained watershed protection depends on social input, including community norms of fairness, trust in transparent governance, and ongoing participation through FGDs and KIIs. • Community perceptions and cultural–ecological ties to the clean-water–supplying Viray watershed were assessed using surveys, FGDs, and KIIs. • Although pristine, the watershed faces increasing pressures from tourism, waste, and illegal fishing. • A field-intercept CV survey of 347 residents showed high awareness of ecosystem services and 85% acceptance of a tourism-linked conservation surcharge. • Acceptance declined with higher bids, but the bid effect was statistically imprecise; therefore, parametric (PHP 56.19) and Turnbull (PHP 51.83) means are reported for transparency only and are not used for inference. • Policy relevance rests on acceptance structure and community participation, indicating that a visitor-funded surcharge paired with transparent oversight and visible conservation outputs is socially feasible.
Alejo et al. (Sun,) studied this question.