To foster economic development in Basilan province, a lawmaker from Mindanao has filed a so-called livelihood bill, declaring Malamawi Island in the City of Isabela, Province of Basilan, an ecotourism zone.
Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman filed House Bill 6293 that seeks to declare the island in the volatile south an ecotourism zone and mandates the Department of Tourism (DOT) to develop the island as a tourism destination.
“First and foremost, this is a livelihood measure,” said Hataman.
According to the measure, Malamawi is a small island in Basilan with a long stretch of white sandy beach on its northern coast. Because of its crystal blue water, refined white sand, and breathtaking scenery, Malamawi Island has become a popular tourist attraction.
Tourist arrivals in Isabela City— both accommodation-based and day tours—have jumped from 60,549 in 2019, to a whopping 112,275 as of October in 2022. Arrivals dropped in 2020 and 2021 understandably due to Covid-19 restrictions.
“The Malamawi Island, in the City of Isabela, Province of Basilan is hereby declared an ecotourism zone. Its development shall be prioritized by the DOT, subject to the rules and regulations governing the development of ecotourism zones,” HB 6293 mandates.
“Within one year after the approval of this Act, the DOT shall, in coordination with the local government units of the City of Isabela…and agencies of the government, prepare a tourism development plan involving the construction, installation, and maintenance of appropriate infrastructure and facilities that shall encourage tourism in the area,” it added.
Any tourism development plan of the DOT should be consulted with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) so that any activities and development to be carried out in the area should conform to the concept of ecotourism.
“The Secretary of Tourism shall include in the DOT’s program the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act and from internally generated funds of the DOT,” the bill added.
Hataman is confident that with the national government’s help, Malamawi could rival the country’s great beaches such as Boracay and Siargao.
“Cognizant of its importance to the overall development of Isabela City and Basilan province as a whole, the local government unit has poured programs and projects to the island and its communities to bolster its capacity to accommodate visitors and improve the lives of its people, and enrich visitor and tourist experience,” he said.