Content by Voices of Leadersto shut down top tourism landmark
Boracay Island, once hailed “The Best
Island in the World” by Conde Nast
Traveler, to undertake a massive envi-
ronmental cleanup. Strict regulations
were implemented to rejuvenate the
island from several years’ worth of
tourism decadence. Accommodation
establishments were mandated to com-
ply with strict ordinances to be allowed
to operate, while littering, illegal drugs,
beachside smoking and drinking alco-
hol have been prohibited.
ĻĸĴl·ĵļŇļłňņĸծłŅŇņŊĸŅĸĹŅňļŇĹňL·
Ѵ
łŅĴĶĴŌŅĸłŃĸŁĸķĴչĸŅņļŋl·łŁŇĻņ
with an evident change in seawater
quality. Hatchling turtles, eagles, and
even whale sharks returned to the
island. The Boracay initiative has be-
come the sustainable tourism blueprint
for the country’s other renowned desti-
nations, including El Nido in Palawan,
ĴŁĺL·ĴłņL·ĴŁķļŁ
łĻłL·пĴŁķņňŅձŁĺ
haven Siargao Island.Advancing the three pillars
of sustainable tourism
Sustainable tourism has long been
ŅĸĶłĺŁļōĸķĵŌŇĻĸ ĴņĴņļĺŁļձĶĴŁŇ
contributor to the environmental, so-
cial and economic pillars of sustainable
development. Along this line, the DOT
will help create and imple-
ment ordinances protect-
ing the precious natural
resources of tourist desti-
nations, while also commu-
nicate rules and regulations
to tourists to encourage
responsible actions while
traveling. Through national
policy and the synergy ofI
t is impossible to step foot in the
Philippines without hearing its
catchy slogan: It ́s more fun in
the Philippines! The viral catchphrase
ĻĴņĵĸĸŁĴʼnĸŅĵĴL·ŊļŁľŇłĸŋŃL·łŅĸŇĻļņ
Southeast Asian archipelago of 7,641
ļņL·ĴŁķņļŁŇĻĸĴĶļձĶпĵL·ĸņņĸķŊļŇĻ
powdery sand beaches, World Her-
itage-listed coral reefs and vestiges
of its Spanish colonial past, topped
up with the infectious warmth of the
Filipino people.
ĸĶĸŁŇL·Ōп ŇĻĸ ĻļL·ļŃŃļŁĸņ ņĻļչĸķ
gears to not only showcase its world-
class destinations but also champion
sustainable tourism. “Our natural
resources are our capital, we must
protect and preserve them so future
ĺĸŁĸŅĴŇļłŁņ l·ĴŌ ĵĸŁĸձŇ ĹŅłl· ŇĻĸl·
and carry the practice of sustain-
ability,” says Bernadette Romulo-
Puyat, Secretary of the Department
of Tourism of the Philippines. Such
commitment is spotlighted in the up-
dated “More Fun in the Philippines”
tourism campaign underpinned by a
l·łķļձĸķ l·ĸņņĴĺĸс ҘłŅĸňŁłŅĸʼnĸŅт
Boracay blueprint
Beyond viral slogans, the Philippines
has proven to walk the talk. In April
2018, the country took a valiant step
the Boracay Interagency Task Force
(BIATF), composed of the DOT, the De-
partment of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) and the Department
of Interior Local Government (DILG),
the “No Accreditation, No Operations”
rule was strictly enforced on Boracay’s
White Beach. Implementing the “25+5
meter” easement rule, prohibiting es-
tablishments from building within 30
meters from the shoreline, has not only
ļl·ŃŅłʼnĸķ ŇĻĸ ŇłňŅļņŇ ĸŋŃĸŅļĸŁĶĸ ļl·-
mensely, it has also created goodwill
for Boracay. Moreover, the DOT aims
ŇłŅĴķļĴŇĸŇłňŅļņl·яņĸĶłŁłl·ļĶĵĸŁĸձŇņ
past the big tourism enterprises to in-
clude Boracay’s locals. The BIATF is
encouraging businesses in Boracay to
prioritize hiring locals, who are also be-
ļŁĺłծĸŅĸķĹŅĸĸĶĴŃĴĶļŇŌĵňļL·ķļŁĺŊłŅľ-Making Destinations “More Fun Forever”— The
Philippines commits to championing sustainability
http://www.philippines.travelIt's more fun in the Philippines!
shops by the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA)
to equip them with needed skills. Local
sourcing of products, supplies and ma-
terials by tourism businesses also help
spread the economic wealth.
The Philippines’ sustainability
actions have positioned the country
as a model of sustainable tourism
in Southeast Asia. Looking ahead,
a bigger challenge remains in terms
of legacy building. Says Secretary
Romulo-Puyat, “instilling a culture
of sustainable tourism entails a para-
ķļĺl·ņĻļչļŁŇĻĸŃňĵL·ļĶĴŁķŃŅļʼnĴŇĸ
sectors to change how we think
about tourism, to care more about
our natural resources and tourism
destinations.” For more information
check out http://www.philippines.travel