XII tourism

Mount Apo Natural Park

The Mount Apo Natural Park (MANP), with a total land area of about 64,000 hectares, is located in south-central Mindanao spanning the provinces of North Cotabato in Region 12, and Davao Sur and Davao City in Region 11. With an altitude of 2,954 meters above sea level, it is the highest mountain and one of the most popular nature-based tourism sites in the country. MANP was declared a Protected Area and a component of the National Protected Areas System under Republic Act No. 9237 in 2003.

MANP has great economic significance in the two regions, providing various ecosystem services (e.g., water for domestic use and irrigation, source for energy generation) to 3 cities and 4 municipalities with over 390,000 households. It is inhabited by several indigenous tribes, mainly by Manobos, Bagobos, and Klata. They consider Mt. Apo a sacred mountain and the burial ground of Apo Sandawa, their great forefather.

MANP is included in the UN List of National Parks and Equivalent Reserves and acknowledged as an ASEAN Heritage Site. A Key Biodiversity Area it is home to over 272 bird species, 111 of which are endemic. MANP also houses one of the world’s largest eagles, the critically endangered Philippine Eagle.

In 2010, total forest cover in MANP was at 14,900 hectares or 30% of total land area. However, continued forest and habitat degradation is prevalent as forest land is being converted for agricultural use and human settlements expand. Additional threats to forest health, such as illegal tree cutting primarily for household use and charcoal making, result in a serious net forest loss of about 1,400 hectares per year.

How Siargao Manages Waste

When the tides change, the sea creates a thunderous woosh. Perhaps it's a call of nature, hinting that it's overflowing from mountains of waste beneath it. Tourists are swarming to Siargao like seagulls in migration, with a music festival, an international surfing competition, and direct flights to the island, and garbage is a tailing shadow for every passenger. Local hostels, resorts, and surf shops are booming, so they're pitching in to help clean up their beloved island.However, according to the Siargao Tourism Operators Association (STOA), solid waste management is the island's greatest conservation problem. Only 14% of their members claim their trash is collected, while 38% say their garbage is not collected at all. Others report that they pay the garbage collectors to have their waste picked up. The Siargao Environmental Awareness (SEA) Movement was founded as a long-term initiative to improve the island's quality of life. The STOA and native enterprises are partners in the community-powered movement. Plastic-free Siargao, a local ordinance that, if passed, will ban single-use plastics like straws, cups, and bags, is one of its projects. Previously, the tourist-favored region lacked a recycling facility, but the Siargao Green, a Filipino-owned and run facility that recycles plastic, rubber, and glass, revolutionized eco-living. The factory recycles waste by turning it into garments for Siargao inhabitants and export items. WSL Online and Kudo Surf give a part of their purchases to the SEA Movement's projects. The people of Siargao, like the seas, are a tidal wave of efforts that will sweep away the trash. Locals become more responsible as a result of the SEA Movement's courses on segregation and recycling, as well as community leadership training.

source:https://lalocalph.com/blogs/news/how-siargao-manages-waste

Eco-tourism offers a more sustainable alternative to travelling

Eco-tourism can be defined as:

"Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well being of local people."

source:

Positive Environmental Impacts Of Tourism Eco-tourism offers a more sustainable alternative to travellingEcotourism can be defined as:“Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the enviro...

Creating local sustainability indicators towards evidence-based policymaking for tourism in developing economies: Evidence from the Philippines

Eylla Laire M Gutierrez, John Paolo R Rivera, Alejandro Christian D Soler
Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism 22 (5), 561-590, 2021

Sustainable development of tourism destinations is deemed a critical component of the global development agenda. Among developing economies whose tourism industries have remained a significant pillar of their economic growth, translating sustainability concepts and principles into policy remains a challenge. The incorporation of sustainability in public policies requires tourism development to generate positive impacts on the environment, economy, and society through the active involvement of stakeholders. At the core of this approach is the identification and use of indicators to evaluate the sustainability of destinations. This study primarily addresses concerns on the compatibility of existing indicators with local objectives and perceptions, with an aim of identifying local indicators that evaluate the sustainability of destinations in the Philippines. This study contributes to the existing development research through the identification of local sustainability indicators that are hinged on local understanding and perceptions of sustainability. A qualitative approach was employed to capture a holistic understanding of the multiple perspectives of stakeholders regarding sustainable tourism development. Results were determined through a focus group discussion with tourists and key informant interviews involving government authorities, tourism businesses, tourism industry practitioners, and academe.

The Coron Initiative was conceived by Society for Sustainable Tourism & Development Inc.- SSTDI, CEO & President Susan Santos de Cárdenas, The Coron Initiative (TCI) Author & Adviser, during her first visit to Coron in June 2010. During that visit, she was introduced to Al Linsangan, Executive Director of the Calamianes Conservation & Cultural Networks Inc. (CCCNI) and together, they forged a Memorandum of Agreement to adopt and implement TCI under the supervision of the CCCNI and co-organized by SSTDI.

In 2010, Ms. Cardenas first requested authorization from Rainforest Alliance, the UN-WTO partner which formulated the first Sustainable Tourism Best Practices Guideline. Rainforest Alliance Ronald Sanabria gave the approval to adopt the Guideline, however with advice to take into consideration the local tourism situation, issues and concerns of the area. In other words, the ST Guide has to be customized in the context of Coron environmental, social and economic conditions. Thus, the TCI Guide is based following the framework of UN-WTO.

Sustainable Tourism is “satisfying current tourist and host community needs, while protecting and improving future opportunities.” Put simply, Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time with due consideration for carrying capacity.

source:https://thecoroninitiative.wordpress.com/

Environmental Tourism

Environmental tourism typically defined as travel to destinations where the flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people.

Environmental tips for Children

Environmental awareness is the need of the day. Everybody knows that protecting the environment today will prepare for a better tomorrow. Nowadays, children also need to be trained to avoid wasting natural resources and many a times kids too are eager to do their bit. Here we are giving some environmental tips by which children can also contribute to protect the environment.
Save Water: Many people just let the water run when they are brushing their teeth or having a bath. Children should be taught to turn off the tap when soaping or brushing. Parents of children should also practice this as it will show that you too are trying your best to make a difference. Do not let water run while showering and brushing teeth.


Try to Carpool, Walk or take Public Transport: Try to avoid going to school individually in their cars. The more the number of cars running the more there will be carbon emissions and smog in the air leading to pollution. Arrange for a group of children living close by to go to school together in one car only. Walking as much as possible to nearby places rather than using a car or bike will help to keep the air in your neighbourhood clean and unpolluted.

Go easy on Video Games: Video games consume a lot of energy. Try to go out to play in the fresh air or complete their home work rather than playing these video games. Playing video games consumes a whole lot of energy and much more than regular TV or computer usage. Try to keep this activity to a minimum. In this way, you can save energy!
Also, turn off the computer monitor or switch off the screen when not in use, rather than leaving it switched on for long hours or all through the night.Switch off Lights and Fans when not in use. Tell your parents to buy fluorescent bulbs instead of normal light bulbs because they save three times more energy than the regular light bulbs.

Plant Trees in your Community: Children, you can participate in planting trees is a great way to help the environment. If you have a garden, participate in the gardening, by growing plants and watering them everyday. If you do not have a garden, you can have small pot plants in the balcony of your home.

Try to Save Paper: Try to avoid using paper cups and plates whenever possible. Always use cloth towels and rags instead of paper towels and napkins. Print on both sides of the paper whenever possible. Cutting down on use of paper wherever possible will help to save more trees. Choose to receive printed statements rather than print outs on paper. Use recycled paper.


If childrens can play a role in helping to save the earth, it will be great and we can together strive towards a cleaner and greener Earth.

Ten Simple Things You Can Do to Help Protect the Earth

* Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Cut down on what you throw away. Follow the three "R's" to conserve natural resources and landfill space.
* Volunteer. Volunteer for cleanups in your community. You can get involved in protecting your watershed, too.
* Educate. When you further your own education, you can help others understand the importance and value of our natural resources.
* Conserve water. The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that eventually end up in the ocean.
* Choose sustainable. Learn how to make smart seafood choices at www.fishwatch.gov.
* Shop wisely. Buy less plastic and bring a reusable shopping bag.
* Use long-lasting light bulbs. Energy efficient light bulbs reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also flip the light switch off when you leave the room!
* Plant a tree. Trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the air, and help combat climate change.
* Don't send chemicals into our waterways. Choose non-toxic chemicals in the home and office.
* Bike more. Drive less.

FishWatch Get the most up-to-date info on popular seafood harvested or farmed in the U.S. to help you make educated seafood choices.

Good Morning! We hope that each and everyone of you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year with your loved ones. It's important not to forget about taking care of our surroundings, as well as our environment. Celebrating any event, the Environmental-friendly way can make a greater change.

Here we share a way on how you can celebrate in a "Environmental-friendly" way.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Final-Environment-Friendly-Christmas-edited-elenalbertcuna.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjh9vuGoZT1AhX-TmwGHfNVBOQQFnoECAMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1xOlpqmAIqZCqRpDoRmgq5

ctto

emb.gov.ph

Ecotourism in the Philippines Take a step closer in preserving the beauty of the Philippines by supporting Ecotourism. Philippine Ecotourism Advocacy encourages Filipinos to take part in ...