The Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently launched a quality certification system for ecotourism sites in the Philippines.
The certification system uses an eight-point parameter Ecotourism Tracking Tool (ETT) developed by the ERDB to help authorities monitor and evaluate activities of resorts, recreational and tourism sites in relation to their friendliness to the environment and adherence to the principles of ecotourism, ERDB Director Henry A. Adornado was quoted in a statement as saying.
Devised to also evaluate tourist sites’ impact on the economy and on their economic benefits to indigenous people (IP), the ETT’s release came amid the crackdown against erring tourism establishments in some of the country’s top tourism destinations.
The ERDB was tasked by Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu to lead a study that will determine the carrying capacity of ecotourism sites. The agency is finalizing its report on Boracay Island, which has been ordered closed for six months starting on April 26.
Adornado told the BusinessMirror in a text message his office is still finalizing the draft report.
The carrying capacity of tourism sites, especially beach resorts, is important in coming up with a sustainable development plan, as well as limit the number of visitors that may be allowed to visit an ecotourism site at any given time, to minimize adverse impact of tourism activities that may cause irreversible environmental damage and contribute to biodiversity loss.
IPs and host communities of ecotourism sites, which are often found in biodiversity-rich areas, are bound to have the most interest in protecting natural resources. Thus, the ETT evaluates if a site benefits IPs economically, according to Adornado.
This is also why the ERDB is partnering with both the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the DENR and the Department of Tourism in applying ETT in ecotourism sites.
“We are finalizing a list of ecotourism sites that will be evaluated based on the Ecotourism Tracking Tool through our partnership with BMB and Department of Tourism,” Ma. Lourdes DC Reyes said.
Reyes coauthored with Lope A. Calanog the “ETT in Monitoring and Evaluation of Ecotourism Sites in the Philippines.”
The ERDB-DENR ecotourism certification system will label sites under four classifications: Platinum Certification (91 percent to 100 percent adherence to the ETT standard); Gold Certification (81 percent to 90 percent); Silver Certification (71 percent to 80 percent); Bronze Certification (61 percent to 70 percent); and, (50 percent to 60 percent) Candidate Ecotourism Project.
The ETT has eight parameters in evaluating whether a site deserves to be qualified as an ecotourism site—meaning it has ecological value to tourists.
These are policies; operations; management; sociocultural ecotourism products and services; economic benefits; financing/enterprise building; bioecological features; and facilities.
Ecotourism, unlike ordinary tourism, is more of a sustainable kind of tourism with one’s experience within natural resources or a cultural heritage (of IP with traditional practices, environmental education and practices).
The ETT monitors if a site has value in preserving protected or biodiversity-rich areas.
It, likewise, becomes a way to monitor implementation of earlier government regulations, according to Adornado.
It will evaluate sites compliance with the Environmental Compliance Certificate, Environmental Impact Assessment and Initial Environment Examination.
The ETT will also help visitors choose tourism sites and activities that they want to see and try (whether nature tripping, water sports, hiking, surfing, rafting, canoeing, snorkeling, diving, experience with nature or flora and fauna)
The ETT also monitors if a site offers basic training for personnel including community, mountain, and river guiding; tourism awareness; crisis management and tourist safety and security; homestay program; bartending and waiting; and community-based Kulinarya.
It monitors facilities and activities offered by a site (such as surfing, diving).
Tour operators and guides, park authorities, resort owners and managers, and government officials tasked to promote tourist operations have earlier been asked to assess the kind of tourist services they offer based on the ETT under a pilot program.
Stakeholders in host communities—people’s organizations, non-governmental organizations, religious groups, people from academe—were also asked to evaluate ecotourism sites based on the tool.
Government regulations the ETT will monitor:
- Protected Areas Management;
- Republic Act (RA) 9147 (Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act);
- RA 7586 (National Integrated Protected Areas System or Nipas);
- DENR Administrative Order (DAO) 2008-26 (implementing rules of Nipas); Protected Area Management Board or PAMB; National Ecotourism Strategy;
- DAO 2013-19 (Guidelines on Ecotourism Planning;
- DAO 2009-09 (Management in Protected Areas); and
- DAO 2009-09 (Standard Design and Specification of Signs, Buildings, Facilities and Other Infrastructure that may be Installed and/ or Constructed within Protected Areas);
Pilot areas for the use of the ETT
- Cordillera Administrative Region—Mount Pulag National Park;
- Region 1—Kapurpurawan White Rock Formation, Ilocos Norte; Manleluag Spring Protected Landscape, Mangatarem, Pangasinan;
- Region 2—Calla Caves Tourist Zone, Penablanca, Cagayan; Palaui Island, Santa Ana, Cagayan; Ilagan Sanctuary, Isabela;
- Region 3—Pawikan Conservation Center, Morong, Bataan; Pilar Zipline, Bataan; Minalungao National Park General Tinio Nueva Ecija; Biak na Bato National Park, San Miguel Bulacan;
- Region 4B—Majayjay Falls, Laguna; Hidden Valley Springs, Alaminos, Laguna; Bangkong Kahoy Valley, Dolores, Quezon; Costales Nature Farms, Majayjay, Laguna; Villa Escudero Plantations, San Pablo City; Paguil River Eco Park, Panguil, Laguna;
- Region 4B – Irawan Eco Park, Puerto Princesa City; Puerto Princesa Underground River, Palawan;
- Region 5—Mayon Volcano; Cagsawa Ruins Park; Albay Parks and Wildlife; Donsol Eco Tour, Sorsogon; Bulusan Volcano National Park; Prieto Diaz Mangrove Tour;
- Region 6—Camp Alfredo, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras; Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, Guimaras; Buenas Aires Mountain Resort, Bago City, Negros Occidental; Mambukal Resort, Murcia, Negros Occidental
- Region 7—Danao Adventure Park, Bohol; Cambuhat River and Village Tour, Buenavista, Bohol; Abatan River Life Tour, Bohol; Olango Wildlife Sanctuary, Cordova, Cebu;
- Region 9—Guipos Cave Resort, Zamboanga del Sur; Cogon Eco Tourism Park, Dipolog City
- Region 10—Initao-Liberted Protected Landscape and Seascape, Misamis Oriental; 1st Rafting Adventure; Dahilayan Adventure Park, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon
- Region 11—Philippine Eagle Center, Davao City; Tibolo Cultural Village, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur;
- Region 12 – Lake Sebu, South Cotabato; Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape and Tarsier Sanctuary, Tupi, South Cotabato; and
- Region 13 – Tinuy-an falls, Bislig City, Surigao del Sur; Enchanted River, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur; Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary, Agusan del Sur; Sohoton Park Bukas Grande Island, Surigao del Norte; Delta Discovery Park, Butuan Cityww