DOT moves to preserve RP's tourist destinations
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is launching today a program to conserve and protect the various tourism destinations in the country.
Tourism Undersecretary Salvador Sarabia explains the
environmental Security on Tourism program during a briefing
with the iloilo media yesterday. With him are Ms. Annabelle
Plantilla, Exec. Director of Haribon Foundation and Comm.
Mariano Sontillanosa.
Dubbed as The Environmental Security on Tourism (TEST), the program, on the whole, aims to protect the nation's environment, said DOT Undersecretary for Security and Political Affairs Salvador Sarabia Jr.
Sarabia who met with the Iloilo media yesterday said there is an urgency to protect the nation's natural resources most of which already becoming endangered.
Sarabia said the country's tourism industry mainly depends on its natural resources—from beaches to inland tourist attractions. There is nothing else to protect when everything is already vanished, he said.
Sarabia said the government is concerned about all of the country's natural attractions especially the widely popular Boracay Island in Malay, Aklan.
TEST is a pet project of Sarabia. He opted to launch the project in Iloilo City being his hometown and because of the full support of DOT regional director Edwin Trompeta and the local government unit.
TEST is also in coordination with the National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP), Haribon Foundation Inc., Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). TEST evolved from the department's Security of Tourists Operation Program (STOP).
The group is currently in the city for a seminar workshop with a mission to turn the threat on tourism into opportunity by promoting responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of the community. The seminar-workshop will be attended by the local government units and non-government organizations.
Sarabia said security does not only deal with the police or military affairs but includes political, socio-economic and environment among others. Security for the environment means "protection" from destruction especially those caused by men. We want the next generation to see and enjoy all these natural resources.
The same workshop aims that all local government units in Western Visayas will come up with a position paper in protecting the environment for tourism related business opportunities.
Sarabia said all local government units must present alternatives to safeguard the environment with all the destructions such as the "kaingin" and illegal logging. They should introduce alternatives that will give economic opportunities to the people.
The same workshop aims to design programs to protect marine life such as coral reefs, sea grass and mangroves and same time a concrete forest security to protect flora and fauna that abounds in the tourist areas.