Community-based coastal resource management (CBCRM) is a major conservation and fisheries management strategy in the tropics. In this study, the performance of 16 CBCRM programs in the Philippines was assessed using a meta-analysis of eight indicators that represented the perceptions of local resource users. In the Philippines, a major component of the CBCRM program is the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). All studies included in the meta-analyses used the fisheries co- management research framework developed by the Worldwide Collaborative Research Project on Fisheries Co-management (WCRPFC). Overall, the CBCRM programs in the Philippines were perceived to have a significant positive impact. However, the performance of each of the indicators was mixed. Although the CBCRM programs were perceived to be effective in empowering the local fishing communities, their perceived impact on improving the state of the local fisheries resources remained limited. This highlights the importance of incorporating ecological and socio-economic considerations in setting fisheries management regimes. The study also concludes that the limited fisheries impact of CBCRM, through its MPA component, should not be taken as evidence against the implementation of MPAs in the Philippines and elsewhere.