When the Sea Takes Too Much: How a Global Movement is Turning the Tide for Coastal Communities

 

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The sea is a source of life, but for the coastal communities of the Philippines, it can also be a site of profound tragedy. Leo Jasper Candido, the municipal mayor of Quinapondan, Eastern Samar, remembers a day when the ocean demanded the ultimate price. Two brothers set out to fish during a storm—a desperate gamble to put food on the table—but only one returned home. 

"The sea was steady at first, but the weather continued to worsen," Candido recalls. "One brother came back. The other was taken by the sea".

This harrowing incident is a stark reflection of a systemic crisis: across the Philippines, a third of all fishers live below the poverty line, often forced to risk their lives in dangerous waters to survive. It is a cruel irony that those who feed the nation are themselves often hungry. 

A New Wave of Leadership

Determined to break this cycle, Mayor Candido has taken decisive action, prioritizing the safety and empowerment of his people. By providing support to families and insurance policies to registered fishers, he is building safety nets where none existed before. 

Candido is not working in isolation. He is part of Coastal 500, a global network of mayors and local leaders dedicated to creating resilient, prosperous coastal communities. Founded in June 2021 by the conservation organization Rare, this network—supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Swedish Postcode Lottery, the Rumah Group, and the Djinda Foundation—has reached a landmark milestone: five years of operation and over 500 members. 

Flipping the Script on Conservation

Coastal 500 operates on a radical premise: the people who live and die by their marine resources are best equipped to manage them. 

"Coastal 500 flips the script," explains Rocky Sanchez-Tirona, managing director for regional programs at Rare. "It shifts the heavy lifting of coastal management away from distant national offices and places it squarely in the hands of the communities who literally live and die by how their marine resources are managed".  

Today, this network anchors over 2,000 coastal communities across eight nations—Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Micronesia, Mozambique, Palau, and the Philippines—securing food for nearly four million people.  

Power in Numbers: Learning, Sharing, and Leading

What sets the network apart is its focus on humanity, not just ecosystems. By utilizing behavioral science and social marketing, members are empowered to manage their home waters effectively. For leaders like Mary Jean Te, former mayor and current vice-mayor of Libertad, Antique, the network is an invaluable forum for global collaboration. 

"The solution to challenges we’re facing in our coastal communities might already have been perfected by a mayor across the sea," Te says. "At Coastal 500, we’re all influencers on a global stage". 

This collaborative spirit led to the network being named one of 15 global finalists for the prestigious Earthshot Prize in 2023, a testament to the power of community-championed, scalable solutions. 

The Horizon Ahead: Toward Coastal 5000?

As Coastal 500 marks its fifth anniversary this June 2026, the movement is poised for even greater impact. The goal is to expand into new geographies and engage more local champions who are committed to the future of their coasts. 

Alfredo Coro II, the municipal mayor of Del Carmen in Siargao and a pioneering member of the network, is already looking forward. "We already hit 500 leaders, so what’s next? Perhaps we can start dreaming bigger," he says. "Let’s push past Coastal 500 and work our way up to Coastal 5000".  

For those ready to join the fight, the invitation is clear. As Guelina Verduz, who manages the network in the Philippines, notes: "Great leaders can certainly make waves, but a network moving as one body can turn the tide in favor of vibrant and productive seas".  

To learn more or join the movement, you can contact the team at info@coastal500.org.  

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