MABULAY, Chenee Vincent M.

3TOM4

Sustainable Tourism: Ecotourism in the Philippines

The significance of Ecotourism expands to larger degrees and affects economic,

environmental, and sociocultural extremities in our world. The documentary, “Kwento ng
Bagong Turismo,” liberally shows us the real-life occurrences in the Philippines where
ecotourism is propagated and managed by the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources, also known as DENR, and the Integrated Coastal Resources Management
Project, also known as the ICRMP.

Different parts of the Philippines were examined and directed toward a better
lifestyle, and in terms of showcasing the Economic significance of Ecotourism, we can
investigate the case of Palaui Island. The instances observed in the Palaui Islands show
their reliance on fishing as their only livelihood, having 70% of the population residing in
the coastal area. The DENR saw the situation and decided to involve the ICRMP to
expand the supervision of protecting the marine environment and finding other means of
livelihood for the community besides fishing. Furthermore, seminars and training were
provided to locals that taught weaving, catering, and even massaging, while other locals
were trained to guide tourists alongside trekking and hiking trails in the area. The DENR
also formed the Palaui San Vicente Motorboat Association, also known as PASAMOBA,
where visitors and tourists can enjoy a boat ride around the islands with the correct
permits and qualifications emphasizing the passengers’ safety. So many opportunities
were created for the citizens of Palaui, bettering the employment generation of the island.
Thanks to ICRMP, people were earning income and ecotourism projects were integrated
within self-reliant groups towards a better livelihood.

Ecotourism is a branch of tourism that focuses on the environment's well-being

and efforts of conserving its natural resources and biodiversity. Accordingly, the
Environmental aspect is a massive distinguisher that makes up the principle of
ecotourism. The Philippines as a part of the coral triangle is also known to have one of
the richest marine biodiversity in the world, and we must note the importance of
preserving it correctly. The DENR Undersecretary, Atty. Analiza Teh discusses that the
uplands and the lowlands are connected and must be perceived as a whole ecosystem.
Therefore, it must be considered before creating a planning or management approach to
ensure maximum results. Another exemplar of ecotourism from the documentary is
Dahican Beach, located in Mati City, Davao Oriental. At this juncture, the endangered sea
turtles, or ‘pawikan,’ are featured, and we discover that they lay their eggs on this beach,
hence the importance of the Pawikan Conservation efforts on this very coast. Youths,
also known as ‘Amihan sa Dahican’ is a volunteer group that greatly value and love the
beach. Their objective is to ensure that the beach is clean from bonfires, trash, or cigarette
butts. Additionally, tourist arrivals immensely contribute to the Pawikan Conservation
efforts. The income they receive from visitors directly funds the conservation group, which
helps in their development for the future of these marine creatures. Overall, everyone has
to ensure that they educate themselves about the protected area's preservation, making
sure that any tourism activity will not trample over natural resources that cause adverse
effects on the environment.

The Sociocultural aspect of ecotourism is one of the lesser noticed among the
three facets, but it still poses the same significance level. It was mentioned in the
documentary how the DENR changed the locals’ points of view in various ways. In San
Salvador Island, Masinloc, common fisherfolk used to partake in illegal fishing to get by.
They would catch seahorses, dry them up, and sell them for only 10.00 pesos each. This
small amount of money is nothing compared to the disruption in the marine ecosystem.
Subsequently, the ICRMP became involved to convince fisherfolk of other options that
could be better for the environment and their livelihoods. The then illegal fishermen are
now declared “stewards of nature,” as they became educated about the value of their
environment, changing their culture as fishermen forever. In general, the different
organizations' involvement in the local municipalities truly enhanced their way of life. The
local communities became engaged. According to the organizations, as tourism grows,
the ICRMP will ensure that natural resources and ecosystems are fostered and
preserved. Furthermore, there are hopes that an appropriately trained new generation of
tourists will arrive for a more sustainable tourism lifestyle.
 Overall, Ecotourism can be considered as a form of sustainable tourism due to the
efforts that aim to preserve, protect, and maintain the destinations’ state and natural
resources. Likewise, another target that juxtaposes the meaning of ecotourism next to
sustainable tourism is the representation and augmentation of local communities in
supporting their livelihoods. Hopefully, this benefits the families and the entirety of the
destination and its economic assets.