“Tourism
is a pillar of the country’s economic development.
Bohol has taken the opportunity to position itself as a
competitive ecotourism destination.” – Erico
B. Aumentado, Provincial Governor, Province of Bohol
Bohol
is a top biodiversity area. It is home to the tarsier, the
world’s smallest monkey, and to Chocolate Hills, an
enigmatic geological formation. Wetlands, caves and forests
dot its terrain. Mangroves and palms grow abundantly in
the coasts and swamps. Its corals are home to enchanting
varieties of marine life.
In
the municipality of Banacon, there is a mangrove reforestation
project, the biggest in Asia. In the waters of Pamilacan
Island, a migratory route for cetaceans, whales and dolphins
frolic.
There
is great opportunity for economic development, but the provincial
government is not taking any chances to risk Bohol’s
environment in the name of progress.
Thus,
Bohol has chosen ecotourism as a major development thrust.
To integrate tourism and environmental management, the province
developed the Bohol Ecotourism Development Program. Its
vision is to make Bohol “a prime eco-cultural tourist
destination and a strong agro-industrial province.”
Groundwork
started in 1997 with the holding of the Bohol environment
summit, where participants from local government units,
government agencies, and civil society groups formulated
plans for the program. In 1998, the province adopted the
Bohol Environment Code, which provided for the creation
of the Bohol Environmental Management Office (BEMO) and
the Bohol Tourism Office (BTO).
The
ecotourism program has clear aims: (i) put in place mechanisms
that are environmentally sustainable, economically viable,
and socially equitable; (ii) accelerate development for
the benefit of local communities; and (iii) spread tourism
benefits to rural areas in terms of employment generation
and poverty alleviation.
Through
efforts of the BTO, local communities were encouraged to
take an active role. The program put up community-managed
tour groups, such as the Coral See and Seascape Tour, operated
by Basdio Farmers and Fishermen’s Association (BFFA);
the Banacon Mangrove and Seascape Tour, operated by Banacon
Fishermen and Mangrove Planters Association (BAFMAPA); the
Candijay Mangrove Adventure Tour, operated by Panadtaran
Mangrove Association ( PAMAS ); the Cambuhat River and Village
Tour, Operated by Cambuhat Enterprises Development and Fisheries
Association (CEDFA); and Marine Life Tour, operated by Pamilacan
Island Dolphin and Whale Watching Organization (PIDWWO).
These
ecotourism enterprises provide alternative or additional
livelihood for poor families, especially those belonging
to people’s organizations. The program invested capital.
In Pamilacan Island, for instance, the tour operator was
provided life vests, snorkeling equipment, a tent, and information
materials. A rain catchment was built for water supply.
In Banacon Island, the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) also built a rain catchment and a staff
house, which the tour operator uses as reception area for
guests. In Basdio, the barangay local government built a
kitchen, a guardhouse, and washrooms for visitors’
use.
Cooperating in the program are the DENR, the Department
of Tourism (DOT), and the New Zealand Aid for International
Development (NZAID), which maintains the National Ecotourism
Project Office (NEPO) to enhance the province’s dolphin
and whale watching activity.
As
a result, people are now more deeply aware of the importance
of preserving endangered species. They have increased their
produce from the sea, and they have cleaned up the rivers
and waterways of solid wastes, resulting in healthier and
more abundant marine harvests. Tourism bodies, such as municipal
and barangay tourism councils, have increased, widening
the opportunities to inculcate ecotourism values among the
people. With better and mutually beneficial linkages among
NGOs, LGUs, government agencies, and people’s organizations,
communities that were once sleepy have become productive.
