Because it is less crowded than Boracay, Siargao, the Philippines' famed surfing hotspot, has long been a

favorite destination for both domestic and foreign tourists. In addition to being one of the destinations with
the most prestigious beaches in the Philippines, it supports eco-tourism too. A Siargao-based
non-governmental organization (NGO) called Lokal Lab has created and carried out several projects on
the island that are solely dedicated to providing locals and visitors with chances for sustainable lifestyles.
" Regenerative Farming" is one of their programs; it is a partnership between volunteer experts and local
farmers on the island that teaches natural farming methods to increase the harvest for the community.
Farmers that cultivate various crops and promote local produce will benefit the country as well as the host
community.

Moving on to Bathala Land Tours, a plastic-free cultural tour provider primarily focuses on touring visitors
around the island, emphasizing unique and unusual sights that differ from those they are accustomed to
seeing in online advertisements. According to a thorough blog post by Tara String, the tour begins with a
hand-painted jeepney crafted with regional materials like rattan. On this tour, there are workshops where
visitors can learn about and attempt crafting baskets. One of the nation's oldest cultures and a
long-standing feature of native culture is making baskets. Instead of the usual island activities like surfing,
cliff diving, wall climbing, and the like, the tour focuses more on learning about and delving deeply into the
local island's culture.

Last but not least, the Nature Kids of Siargao (NKOS), also an NGO, carried out a project entitled
"Recycling Art Studio." Soft plastic and Styrofoam were acquired from locals and enterprises by NKOS,
who then turned them into treasures. Together with the local women that A.T.E. Siargao hired and trained,
they shred and weave the collected rubbish into products like bean bag fillers. The production of bean
bags, pillows, and flower pots has been one of the successful products done by these extraordinary
ladies. This program attempts to reduce plastic consumption as much as possible because a lot of it ends
up in the ocean and harms Siargao's magnificent marine environment.

These are just some of the many more projects established by the Local Government and
Non-government Organizations in the island. Somehow, as I read upon the different kinds of projects
done, it sort of connects them in one movement– sustainable tourism. All of these socio-cultural,
environmental, and environmental impacts all want the same objective; which is to help preserve the
culture, beauty, and natural resources of the island while still helping the local community. These impacts
are interdependent with each other in a way that it creates a more positive approach rather than an
aggressive one which might later turn into a negative impact. A more elaborative example of this
interdependence is the way Regenerative Farming also helps not only the economy, but also the
environment and socio-culture present in the community since it reduces the carbon footprint in the
island, in which it also develops the socio-cultural experience of farmers because they get to interact with
experts in the field.