Community responses As an immediate response to the auction of the clan caves, barangays Banwang Daan and Cabugao organized themselves into the Tagbanwa Foundation of Coron Island (TFCI). In 1985 the TFCI began to apply for a Community Forest Stewardship Agreement (CFSA) with the DENR covering the islands of Coron and Delian. After years of persistence, the application was granted in 1990 and following the conditions set forth in the agreement, the DENR returned the clan caves to the TFCI and rescinded all the tax declarations issued on both islands. The success of TFCI’s CFSA reached many Calamian Tagbanwa clans in the outlying islands. Elders and community leaders from the Coron barangays of Bulalacao, Turda, Buenavista, Malawig and Tara began to exchange information with TFCI board members and barangay leaders. Each barangay began the process of building community organizations focused on securing tenure over their ancestral domain. From meetings and exchanges held to discuss the limits of the claim, it was clear from the outset that the Tagbanwa’s home ranges included not only the ancestral islands but also the traditional fishing grounds, fish sanctuaries, diving areas for balat and samung and other submerged areas that were threatened with destruction. It was realized that the CFSA was not equipped to protect these vital areas since the tenure instrument was limited to lands in the public domain. After studying the land tenure options open to them, discussion groups formed among the sitios, barangays, the elders or mepet, and leaders of the different foundations. A consensus was reached to take advantage of PCSD’s founding charter, Republic Act 7611 passed on 19 June 1992, that expanded the definition of ancestral domains in Palawan to include coastal zones and other submerged areas. On 19 February 1993, seven Coron barangays filed an application for a CADC with the CENRO, seeking support from the PCSD, the mayor and other municipal executives. After four years of working together and advocating for their CADC application in different government agencies and fora, the seven Tagbanwa foundations federated into the Saragpunta, a name that was hewn from the word saragpun, which means “let us gather.” Beyond close kinship ties among its leaders, the strength of Saragpunta’s unity is rooted in its member organizations’ common interests, common identity, a shared past and a shared future. Presently, the Tagbanwa Foundation in Biong, Culion has joined the federation, and the Balik Calauit Movement (BCM) has signified their intention to affiliate with Saragpunta. Today, Saragpunta consists of several community organizations based in the following areas: Coron Island, Delian Island, Bulalacao Island, Camanga Islands, Napaskud Island, Tara Islands, Turda, Buenavista, and Malawig in the municipality of Coron; Biong in the municipality of Culion; and Calauit in the municipality of Busuanga. 10