Economic Value of the Threatened Tarsiers: Community Willingness to Pay Assessment in Gabunan and Libandayan, Rogongon

This study looks at how much people in Barangay Gabunan and Libandayan, Rogongon, Iligan City, are willing to pay for the protection of the Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta). This study used the contingent valuation method (CVM) with open-ended questions and repeated offers. Tarsiers are more at risk because their homes are being destroyed, people are affecting their environment, and there is not enough local money for protection. Finding out how much the community is willing to pay and what affects their choices is very important for planning future conservation work. We asked 230 households from Barangay Gabunan (107 people) and Libandayan (123 people) to take part in the survey. The survey looked at how people feel, what they know, and their opinions about tarsiers using a five-point scale. We also asked how much people would pay each year, with choices from ₱50 to ₱1,000 and five different ways to pay. The study then looked at how people's values and backgrounds are connected to how much they are willing to pay, using different ways to find patterns among individuals, families, and the whole community. The results showed that most people support tarsier conservation, with 92.2% willing to pay. On average, respondents were willing to pay ₱494.35 per year. Among those willing to pay, the mean amount was ₱536.32, with a median of ₱550.00. People had generally positive attitudes (average score 3.63), moderate emotional involvement (3.09), and a fair amount of knowledge about tarsiers (3.61). Paying through household taxes and adding the fee to utility bills were the most popular ways to pay, chosen by 53.5% and 51.7% of people. These results show strong local support for organizing tarsier conservation funding in Rogongon. An annual payment of about ₱500 to ₱550 per household is both acceptable to the community and affordable. This gives local governments and conservation planners a clear guide for future funding plans to protect nature.