Land for All: What the Philippines Can Learn from Costa Rica’s Shoreline Lease Model

In the Philippines, access to nature is quietly being lost. Pristine beaches are fenced off by private resorts. Riverbanks are lined with exclusive clubs. Lakeshores that once welcomed families and fisherfolk are now dotted with private homes. While the country is rich in natural beauty, it often feels like only a few truly get to enjoy it.

This is not how it has to be.

Costa Rica, a small Central American country known for its breathtaking coastline and thriving ecotourism industry, offers a model that the Philippines should consider. In Costa Rica, no one, not even Costa Rican citizens, can own beachfront land. The first 200 meters from the high tide line is public property. The first 50 meters are untouchable, protected by law. The next 150 meters can only be leased, and only under strict conditions.

This system ensures that the beach belongs to everyone. It preserves access to nature. And it makes sure that those who profit from using these lands, whether for tourism, recreation, or business, do so under clear rules and shared responsibility.

Imagine if this approach were applied in the Philippines. No more private ownership of shorelines. No more resorts walling off the sea. Instead, long-term leases could be granted for responsible use, with terms that protect public access, environmental integrity, and local livelihoods. This would open up the possibility for community-based tourism, family-run eco-hostels, public parks, and spaces where ordinary Filipinos can fish, swim, picnic, and enjoy the land they call home.

The current system in the Philippines tends to concentrate access in the hands of a few. Land titling, often opaque and poorly enforced, makes it easy for powerful interests to claim what was once public space. This pushes out the poor, displaces indigenous communities, and deepens inequality. What should be a shared inheritance becomes a private playground.

But public leasing, like in Costa Rica, offers a better path. It recognizes that land, especially the kind shaped by nature rather than human effort, should be treated differently. It should be available for use, but not for sale. It should benefit many, not just a few.

Such a model would not just apply to beaches. It could extend to lakeshores, riverbanks, and other valuable natural spaces that are currently being privatized. The state could retain ownership of these lands and grant leases with conditions. Protect the environment. Ensure public access. Pay fair rent to the people. If the terms are violated, the lease ends. Simple, fair, and enforceable.

This kind of system would also generate revenue through land rent, which could be used to fund environmental conservation, public facilities, and local development projects. More importantly, it would help restore the idea that nature is a shared gift, not a private asset.

Costa Rica has proven that such a system can work. Its beaches remain open, its environment is respected, and its tourism industry continues to grow without shutting people out. It is not a perfect system, but it is one built on a clear principle: land near the sea belongs to the people.

The Philippines, with its thousands of islands and miles of shoreline, deserves no less. Let us not give away what all should enjoy. Let us lease, not sell. Let us build a system where access to nature is a right, not a privilege.