Chapter Twenty-two
Conclusion It is concluded that tourism development in Northern Palawan can provide a good opportunity to promote sustainable development. However, for successful implementation, the following conditions should be met. An Environmental Management System should function effectively. ECAN Zoning (statutory land use planning) must be prepared and enforced. EIA procedures and environmental monitoring must be properly and strictly applied. The public sector needs to take the initiative on development of the basic infrastructure. Local manpower needs to be developed to capture the benefits of tourism development. Local government and communities need to be involved in the process of planning, investment, operation and management. And mobilisation of the private sector for investment and development is required.
Ecotourism in the Bohol Province: the Philippines Rene Lopez Relam pagos
Introduction Based on statistics of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism has become one of the world’s largest industries. As early as 1993, it was accounting for about 6% of the world’s gross national product. In 1998, the tourist receipts in the Philippines amounted to US$246.76 million. The country’s Senate Commission on tourism has predicted that the tourism industry will generate one of every ten new jobs that will be created in the country by the year 2004 and it is estimated that tourism will contribute 6% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Tourism is becoming a fast growing industry in Bohol, my province, the tenth largest island in the Philippines, right in the heart of Central Visayas. Bohol has a rich wellspring of ecology, history, culture and natural heritage sites that have earned worldwide interest. We Boholanos envision Bohol to be the prime eco-cultural destination and a strong agro-industrial province in the country. The existing tourism activities on the island and established tourism facilities go to show that Bohol is gaining prestige as a tourist destination in the region. The roles of business and industry, community and government are changing radically. One clear result of these global changes is that society has increasing expectations that industries, such as tourism, will deliver better and broader value services. This is, essentially, sustainability. Recognising the challenge of sustainability, the world community adopted AGENDA 21, a program of sustainable development, during the 1992 Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In the Philippines in 1995, the Philippine Agenda 21 (PA 21) was promulgated to define thematic and specific regional priorities for sustainable development. Based on the PA 21, the Department of Tourism (DOT) developed a National Framework on Sustainable Development.
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Current Status of Ecotourism The Province of Bohol, in its development agenda, has identified three priority growth areas to be accorded focus in terms of development and promotion. They are agri-industrialisation, light manufacturing and ecotourism. Aware of the ecotourism potential of the province, both public and private investments are taking an approach that seeks to attain simultaneous economic, ecological and cultural objectives. For countries like the Philippines, and the Province of Bohol in particular with considerable biodiversity, this has posed a difficult policy question because we do not know yet, in quantitative terms, the conservation and development value of ecotourism. Neither do we know to what extent its benefits can be maximised. What we certainly know, however, is that without an appropriate policy planning and management framework it will not succeed.
The Bohol Agenda 21 During the past years, the province has achieved vital goals: (i) in governance, whereby the provincial leadership has been consistent in its pursuit of participatory and democratic processes, and this is a mark of the present administration; (ii) terms of legislation, with the adoption of the Bohol Environment Code of 1998, the Provincial Administrative Code and the upcoming Bohol Investment Code and other proactive legislation, which reveals a legislative body that is responsive to the needs of the times; (iii) in promoting a critical awareness on environment conservation and protection which has slowly permeated the consciousness of the Boholanos; (iv) in developing increasing interest in the propensity for cultural work and artistic activities in Bohol; a phenomenon which has contributed greatly to the protection of Bohol’s remaining frontiers of ecological and cultural heritage; and (v) in promoting the attractiveness of eco-cultural sites to foreign and domestic tourists which has placed the province in the limelight of the industry. The Province of Bohol is cognisant of its potential for ecotourism as well as the fact that as a logical component of sustainable development, ecotourism necessitates careful planning (both physical and managerial), a multidisciplinary approach, strict guidelines, high standards and regulation that will ensure sustainable operations. The Bohol Agenda 21, the Philippine Agenda 21 in the Province of Bohol, and the Centrepiece Program for the New Millennium together provide a unified sustainable development agenda for the province. To facilitate its implementation and formulation, the Sustainable Integrated Area-based Development (SIAD) program will be utilised to implement PA 21. Inter-sectoral involvement and broad-based participation of business, government and civil society (which balances state intervention and market forces with public participation) are essential to make sustainable development a reality. 192
The projected output of the SIAD will be the Bohol Sustainable Integrated Area Development Master Plan, composed of interrelated plans, namely: the Eco-cultural Tourism Plan the Agro-industrial Plan, the Social Development (Poverty Alleviation) Plan; and SIAD feasibility studies for identified projects.
An Environment Management System The Provincial Government of Bohol is embarking, together with the Industrial Initiatives for Sustainable Environment (IISE), on a joint project developing an Environment Management System (EMS). The basis of an EMS is to manage the environment by integrating it into the overall management of businesses and, hence, promote and sustain businesses. In this joint endeavour, the parties undertake the following activities: (i) perform an Environment Review of selected environment-related activities; (ii) develop an Action Plan to carry out the agreement on the promotion of the Environment Management System (EMS) and Pollution Prevention and Cleaner Production (CP) practices; (iii) formulate a practicable mechanism for sustainability of the program; (iv) encourage municipal local government units to participate in the project’s site-level activities, particularly in integrating pollution planning with municipal land use and zoning initiatives, as well as integrating the issuing of environment protection permits to business; (v) promote widespread adoption of EMS and CP in the province; and (vi) disseminate information on the various aspects of EMS to citizens and relevant sectors.
The Bohol Enviroment Code of 1998 The stakeholders of Bohol, representing various sectors of the province, drafted the Bohol Environment Code which agrees to adopt adequate measures to safeguard and conserve land, minerals, forests and other resources, and to protect the environment by imposing appropriate penalties for criminal acts which endanger it and such other activities which result in pollution, acceleration of euthropication of rivers and lakes, or impact on the ecological balance. The Bohol Provincial Government declared to secure, for the use and employment of the present and future generations of Boholanos, the perpetual existence of adequate environment and natural resources in order to support indefinitely the sustainable development requirements of the province. The Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) was created to ensure effective implementation of the Bohol Environment Code of 1998 and to assist the various local government units of the province on matters of environmental management, in coordination with non-government organisations that are developing and implementing environmental projects in the province.
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Bohol Tourism Development and Promotion The Provincial Government created the Tourism Development and Promotions Unit at the Bohol Investment and Promotion Centre, under the Office of the Governor, to make certain that tourism project development (both public and private) be in accordance with the principles of ecotourism. The agency undertakes the promotion of Bohol as the “Heritage Province”, and the “Eco-cultural Destination” of the country, as well as promoting private ecotourism projects in the province. The Provincial Tourism Sketch Plan is a document that shows how the tourist assets of the province can be developed into thematic and non-thematic tourism circuits and how they could be promot ed cost-effectively to developers and to tourists, and most importantly with the least negative impact on the environment and the host community. The Centre for Culture and Arts Development (CCAD), under the Office of the Governor, was created to preserve and revitalise the intangible forms of our province’s cultural heritage. It undertakes the development, promotion and preservation of Boholanos’ art and culture which are deemed vital to the establishment of a Boholano identity. The Provincial Government organised a multi-sectorally, representative Tourism Council which is a policy-making, advisory and recommendatory body to the provincial leadership on matters relating to the development, regulation and promotion of tourism in the province. Municipal counterparts of this body are also being encouraged in order to oversee proper tourism development initiatives at local government level. Aside from the Provincial Government through its various offices, there are key institutions which are assisting in the promotion of ecotourism in the province. They include the DOT, which through the conduct of various technical workshops aims at maintaining sustainable development in tourism policies and programs in the local government units. The responsibilities of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) include the development of the Rajah Sikatuna National Park in Bilar as an ecotourism destination; implementation of environment laws, regulations and policies and the monitoring of the implementation of the laws for the preservation and conservation of natural resources; and together with DOT, is instrumental in formulating a framework that will serve as a guide in the development of national policy and strategic guidelines on ecotourism. The Coastal Resource Management Program assists communities, private groups and local governments in planning for sustainable coastal ecotourism management, to ensure balanced use of coastal resources, provide environmentally friendly livelihood and business opportunities to communities, mitigate environmental impacts and promote greater environmental awareness and best practices. Then there is the World Wide Fund for Nature-Kabong Kalikasan Ng Pilipmas (WWF-KKP) effort which assisted in the establishment of the Pamilacan Island Dolphin and Whale Watching enterprise, a community-based sustainable tourism project. And, finally, the First Consolidated Bank, Inc. provides the
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livelihood and promotions assistance to community organisations involved in tourism ventures.
Success Stories Bohol Province has initiated, along with the private sector, ecotourism projects as showcases in the province. Two community-based, ecotourism alternative livelihood enterprises are described here. The first is the Cambuhat River and Village Enterprise. This is a community-based ecotour venture operated by the Cambuhat Enterprise Development and Fisherman Association (CEDFA) in Cambuhat, Buenavista, Bohol. The tour features a paddle-boat river ride, whereby tourists learn about the values and local management of the estuarine and mangrove ecosystem, and includes a tour to oyster-culture farms and the village to see the traditional industries. The ecotour venture has helped in generating community cooperation, and government and private sector collaboration in local environment management. The enterprise is being assisted by the CRMP, Municipal Government of Buenavista, the Provincial Government of Bohol, the First Consolidated Bank Foundation, Inc. and the Bohol Federation of Travel and Tour Operators. The other example is the Pamilacan Dolphin and Whale Watching Village. This ecotour venture was initiated by the WWF-KKP with the community through the Pamilacan Island Dolphin and Whale Watching Organisation. The teamwork involved has allowed the people of the island to generate income through an alternative enterprise, the tour, while at the same time conserving the marine mammal population around the island. The project is supported by an inter-agency task force for marine mammal conservation.
Conclusion In the continually growing tourism industry and the emerging phenomenon of ecotourism, areas of vast potential are waiting to be explored. But there are pitfalls as well. It is therefore important that every country should set up national tourism plans in the context of a sustainable development strategy, from which all other tourism plans in the local government units must follow. The plan should include the social, environmental and cultural components as well as ecotourism guidelines. Ecotourism must lend itself to the preservation of the integrity and quality of the environment, while management of an ecotourism area must focus on environmentally-sound development activities. Effective nature conservation can only be achieved by rational, judicious and sustainable management of all the biological and geographical resources in the tourist areas. 195
Given the growing reality of a global village (or a planet constantly “shrinking” in size), the strategy for ecotourism development can start from a regional point of view. Several countries within a regional grouping or with common biographic features (e.g. ASEAN) could work in partnership so as to offer an attractive integrated package in the growing world market of ecotourism services. This would provide an excellent opportunity for a country like the Philippines, or a province like Bohol whose geographic location makes it ideal for regional initiatives. Importantly, the process for drawing up plans should be highly participatory as all concerned sectors have a vital role to play.
Chapter Twenty-three
Ecotourism and Green Productivity in Singapore Tan Kok Yeang
Introduction Singapore consists of the main island of Singapore and some 63 islets within its territorial waters. It is situated approximately 137 km north of the Equator. The main island is about 42 km in length and 23 km in breadth, and 585.4 km2 in area. It has a coastline of approximately 150.5 km. The total land area, including the islets, is 648.1 km 2. Singapore’s neighbours are Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. Singapore is linked to Peninsular Malaysia by a 1.1 km causeway over the Straits of Johore and a 1.9 km bridge at Tuas. The causeway linking Peninsular Malaysia carries a road, a railway and a water pipeline. Two other causeways link Singapore with her Offshore Islands — one with Sentosa and Pulau Brani, the other with Pulau Damar Laut. Physically, the island can be roughly divided into three regions: the central hilly region of igneous rock formation; the western region of sedimentary rocks, forming undulating hills and valleys; and the relatively flat eastern region of sand and gravel. As at the end of 1998, the land use statistics were as shown in Box 1. Box 1: Land Use Area in km 2
Total land area (main island and offshore islets)
648.1
Built-up areas (including industrial sites)
323.0
Farms
10.4
Forest
28.4
Marsh and tidal waste
15.5
Others (inland waters, open spaces, public gardens, cemeteries, non-built-up areas in military establishments and unused land)
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270.6
