Proceedings 9th International Coral Reef Symposium, Bali, Indonesia 23-27 October 2000, Vol.

Analysis of revenues from ecotourism in Apo Island, Negros Oriental,

Philippines
P. L. Cadiz and H. P. Calumpong1
ABSTRACT
Apo Island Marine Sanctuary in Central Philippines was established in 1986 as a fisheries intervention using a
community-based approach. Its continued protection resulted not only in increased fish standing biomass and harvest
but also in the preservation of its coral reefs. However, the unregulated number of tourists diving and snorkeling in
the sanctuary has raised concerns among members of the community and the Protected Area Management Board
(PAMB) of the damage it has caused to the corals. Hence, this study was conducted to monitor tourism in Apo
Island with the objective of aiding the PAMB in regulating it. April was the peak month for tourism (2,301 visitors)
and September the lowest month (737 visitors). Number of visitors daily ranged from 26 to 54. The majority of
visitors were foreigners (62%). Filipinos comprised only 38%. Total donations and user fees collected amounted to
PhP 539,489 (US$ 13,487 @ US$1: PhP 40); 5.48% were donations, the rest were user fees prescribed by PAMB. Of
the amount, 75% went back to Apo Island for maintenance of the marine sanctuary. Income in support of tourism
activities, e.g. diving, boats, accommodation, souvenir was estimated to be 7,234,366 (US$ 180,859), 20% of which
went directly to Apo residents.

Keywords Ecotourism, Revenues, Philippines Protected Landscape and Seascape in 1994. Management
was transferred to the Protected Area Management Board
Introduction (PAMB) where half of the membership comes from the
community. The PAMB is tasked with regulating all
Ecotourism, like any business venture, has costs and activities within the protected area.
benefits associated with it, which may be economic,
cultural, social or environmental. The overall cost and Methodology
benefits of tourism development options should be looked
Monitoring of tourists and visitors to Apo was carried
at, particularly of who is incurring the cost and who is
out from April 1999 through March 2000. A trained local
benefiting (White and Dobias 1990). In the Philippines,
cooperator was hired to collect the information using a
the beautiful beaches and coral reefs are haven to
questionnaire. Among the information gathered were:
tourists. The development of beach resorts and marine
number of visitors, purpose of visit, duration of stay,
parks have contributed to a rise of coastal tourism (White
number of boat trips to Apo and place of origin, number
and Dobias 1990). In Apo Island however, tourism came
of divers and snorkelers and their diving sites.
as a result of excellent live coral cover and abundant fish
Information on revenues was obtained from receipts of
stock as a result of long term protection by the
entrance fees, log of donations from the MMC, interviews
community. This study was conducted to monitor impacts
with resort managers and households accommodating
of ecotourism in Apo Island, Dauin, Negros Oriental with
visitors, dive and boat operators and souvenir vendors.
the objective of aiding the Protected Area Management
Boat income was computed by multiplying boat rental by
Board (PAMB) in regulating tourism activities. Its
the number of boat trips. Computations were based on
specific objectives were 1) determining the number of
the market value during the conduct of the study which
visitors that come to Apo every month, 2) monitoring the
was US$1 to PhP 40.
number of visitors diving and snorkeling outside and
inside the marine sanctuary, 3) monitoring the number of Results
boat trips to Apo and 4) determining the amount of
Number, nationalities and characteristics of visitors
tourism revenue and the extent to which it benefits the
community. A total of 14, 361 visitors were recorded from April
1999 through March 2000 (Fig. 2). The visitors were
The Study Site dominated by Filipinos (38%) and Japanese (30%).
Germans comprised 12%, Americans 4% while the
Apo Island is a 74-hectare volcanic island located at
remaining foreign visitors of various nationalities, 16%.
9o 04' N lattitude, 123 o 16’ E longitude in the middle of
Highest number of visitors were recorded in April
Mindanao sea, 25 km south of Dumaguete City, Negros
(2,301), coinciding with the Philippine "summer" and the
Oriental, Philippines (Fig. 1). Fishing is the main source
end of the northeast monsoon to which the island is
of livelihood. The entire island coral reef was declared a
exposed. This is also the Philippine summer break from
marine reserve and a small portion a fish sanctuary in
school. The lowest number of visitors was recorded in
1986 (White 1996). The marine reserve and as fish
September (737). Range of visitors daily was 26
sanctuary was managed by the community through a
(September) to 54 (April) (Fig. 3). Forty-five per cent of
Marine Management Committee (MMC) that collected
the visitors were divers/snorkelers (Fig. 4).
donations from visitors. The whole island was declared

1
Silliman University Marine Laboratory Dumaguete City 6200 Philippines e-mail: mlsucrm@mozcom.com
 Fig 1. Map of the study site (Modified from PAMB-DENR 1999)

2500 2301
2250 Others
Snorkelling
2000 1815 2%
1725 17%
Total no. of visitors

1750
1500 Ordinary
1214
Research
1250 Picnic
1073 1024 42%
920 949 948 3%
1000 819 836
737
750
500 Pleasure
Diving lesson
250 diving
4% Educational
0 30%
fieldtrip
Ap

Ma

Au

Se

Ma
Ju

Ju

Oc

No

De

Ja

Fe
nu
n

ly

br
pt

2%
ce
ril

gu

to

ve
y

rc
e

em

ua
be

h
ar
m
m
st

be

y
be

ry
r
be

Fig 4. Distribution of visitors based on purpose.

r
r
r

month

Fig 2. Total number of visitors observed in Apo Island, Revenues

Dauin, Negros Oriental monitored from April 1999 to
Vending
March 2000. PhP396,100
3.46% Boat operators
PhP4,106,600
Others (35.90%)
16%
Filipino
30%
Diving Regulated Fees
German PhP5,755,000 PhP509,573
12% 50.3% 4.45%

Donation
29,916
American Board and Lodging .26%
4% PhP642,750
5.62%
Japanese
38%
Fig 5. Summary of income from donations and fees in
Apo Island, Dauin, Negros Oriental. (April to December
Fig 3. Per cent distribution of leading nationalities 14, 1999 before PAMB regulation and December 15,
visiting Apo Island, Negros Oriental from April 1999 to 1999 to March 2000 after PAMB regulation).
March 2000.
Revenues
collector, 5% for the caretaker, 15% for the officers of
Revenues generated were categorized into donations
MMC and 70% for the operation and maintenance of the
(collections by the MMC April 1999 to November 1999),
marine sanctuary. A total of PhP 29,916 (US $ 748) was
user or regulated fees (collections by the Protected Area
generated from April 1999 to November 1999 (Fig. 2).
Supervisor (PaSu) from December 1999 to March 2000)
From December 1999 to March 2000 when PAMB
after PAMB implementation, income from boat
was fully implemented, income generated from user fees
operations, diving operations, accommodation and food of
was PhP 509, 573 (US $ 12,739). This revenue was
visitors and sales from souvenirs (Fig 5).
generated from the different fees set by PAMB Resolution
Collection of donations has been practiced by the
No. 1 under the provision of Republic Act 7586, Chapter
MMC since the establishment of the marine sanctuary in
X, Section 58 as detailed in Table 1.
1986. This was disbursed as follows: 10% for the

Table 1. Different fees set by the PAMB of Apo Island Protected Seascape and Landscape.
(Source: Protected Area Management Board Resolution No. 1 Series of 1999).

Category of Fees and Charges Amount (PhP)

Visitor Entrance Fees:
a. Adult (local) P 10.00
b. Students (local) 5.00
c. Foreign Nationals 20.00
Scuba Diving per/day:
a. Within Marine Sanctuary P 150.00
b. Outside Marine Sanctuary 75.00
c. With Camera (Still Picture) 50.00
Snorkeling per day or fraction thereof:
a. Within Marine Sanctuary P 25.00
b. Outside Marine Sanctuary 10.00
Camping per day
a. Adults P 20.00
b. Students 10.00
Filming for Movie Production, TV Commercials per or fraction
thereof:
a. Landscape area P 500.00
b. Seascape (within marine sanctuary 1,000.00
c. Seascape (outside marine sanctuary) 750.00
Lodging at DENR PAMB Cottages (per person/day) P 50.00
Per picnic shed per unit/day or fraction thereof 50.00
Mooring of Boats
a. Boats less that 1.5 tons P 50.00
b. Boats that are 1.5 tons or more but not to reach 5.0 tons 100.00
c. Boats which are 5.0 tons or more 500.00
Anchoring of Boats:
a. Boats which are less than 1.5 tons P 50.00
b. Boats which are 1.5 tons or more but not to reach 5.0 100.00
tons

Seventy-five per cent of the total revenue (PhP
382,179) was retained for the development and
maintenance of the Protected Landscape and Seascape
subject to disbursement guidelines set by PAMB. The
remaining 25% (PhP 127,393) was remitted to the
National Integrated Protected Area Fund.
Disbursement of this revenue followed certain
guidelines formulated by the PAMB. For example, in the
budget for 1999-2000, 41 % of the revenues went to
protection and maintenance of the Protected Area, 44 %
to administration and management and 15% to livelihood
projects.
Boat income from 2,238 boat trips for this period was
estimated to be PhP 4,106,600 (US$ 102,665 ). Twenty-
five per cent of the boats were from Apo which generated
income to Apo residents of PhP 368,550 (US$ 9,214),
equivalent to about 9% of the total boat income. The rest
of the boat operators were from the neighboring islands of
Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and northern Mindanao.
Income from diving operations (tanks and gear rentals)
totaled PhP 5,755,000 (US$ 143,871). This represents the
greatest revenue. About 76% of this went to the diving
operations operated on Apo. Forty-five per cent of the
visitors were divers (Fig. 4).
Revenue from accommodation and food of visitors
who stayed for more than a day totaled PhP 642,750
(US$ 16,069). The two resorts in Apo are owned by
foreigners but managed and maintained by local
employees. A community center operated by the MMC
(now PAMB) and several houses also cater to visitors.
The remaining revenue was computed from sales of
souvenir items peddled by the women in Apo. These
include T- shirts, malongs and sarongs, mats and others.
All in all, total gross revenues estimated to be PhP
11,565,021 (US $ 289,125); 4.66% were donations and
user fees, of which 79% went back to Apo for the
maintenance and support of the marine sanctuary.
Income in support of tourism activities amounted to
7,234,366 of which 20 % went to Apo residents in terms
of boat rentals, food, accommodation and sale of
souvenirs.
Discussion
Since the establishment of the marine sanctuary,
donations have trickled in. In 1994 participants to the
Regional Training Course on CRM jointly sponsored by
the University of Rhode Island and Silliman University
estimated the total donations to be about PhP7,000 based
in the logbook of the Management Committee. Voght
(1998) estimated economic benefits of tourism on Apo
reach US $ 126,795 a year including new jobs created by
the resorts. White et al. (2000) estimated the potential
annual revenue from tourism of a typical healthy coral
reef to be in the magnitude of US $ 3,000 to 30,000 per
km2. Tourism activities provided additional income to
Apo Island residents as well as to those operating outside
of Apo. Fishers in Apo get a range of 0.6 kg to 29.6
kg/trip or 0.4 to 4.4 kg/man.hr which yields an equivalent
of PhP 14.3 to PhP 694.7/trip or PhP 15.2 or PhP
139.5/man.hr (Calumpong et al. 1997).
Greatest revenues were from diving operations and
most of the operators were not from Apo. About 53% of
the total gross revenues went directly to Apo or to its
residents. Only about 3% went to the actual protection,
maintenance and development of the protected area.
Acknowledgments We are grateful for the financial
support of the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) through the Silliman University
Center of Excellence in Coastal Resource Management
(SU COE-CRM) under the terms and conditions of
contract No. AID 492-0444-A-00-5100. This is part of a
bigger project on Continuing Support for Apo Island and
Bais Bay. The opinions expressed herein are those of the
authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of
USAID.
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