Multi-level Governance Administrative Support and Integration of Sustainable Development in Community-based Tourism in Basilan

Abstract

This study examined how multi-level governance (MLG) administrative support systems influenced the integration of sustainable development in community-based tourism (CBT) in Basilan Province, Philippines. Grounded in the multi-level governance framework, the research analyzed coordination across barangay, municipal, provincial, regional, and national institutions in four CBT destinations: Marang-Marang Floating Cottage, Kud Pasangen School of Living Tradition, Lampinigan Island, and the Bajau Cultural Heritage Center of Tampalan. Using a descriptive qualitative design with methodological triangulation, data were collected through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and structured surveys involving government officials, community leaders, tourism operators, and regional agency representatives. Comparative findings revealed differentiated governance capacities across sites. Marang-Marang and Kud Pasangen demonstrated stronger vertical integration, reflected in documented monitoring systems, broader provincial technical coverage, sustained NGO funding support, and expanding association membership. In contrast, Lampinigan and Tampalan operated primarily through localized coordination mechanisms, with limited provincial engagement, less formalized reporting structures, and reduced access to external capacity-building resources. Structural asymmetries were evident in variations in administrative oversight, monitoring sophistication, funding access, and institutional continuity. Sites with stronger intergovernmental linkages exhibited more institutionalized environmental stewardship, cultural preservation programming, and financial accountability practices. The findings suggested that the effectiveness of sustainable CBT in decentralized contexts depended on the depth and consistency of administrative engagement across governance tiers. By providing comparative empirical evidence from Basilan, the study refined the operational application of multi-level governance theory in tourism and offered policy-relevant insights for strengthening CBT governance in similarly resource-variable and institutionally complex settings.