On March 1, 2023, the Senate Subcommittee on Tourism held hearings on separate Senate bills on ecotourism and a proposed Senate resolution on nature tourism to discuss various measures and ultimately find solutions and initiatives to revitalize the local tourism industry. raising environmental awareness ahead of the country's summer months and anticipating an influx of tourists this year due to "revenge trips".
The following measures were discussed: Senate Bill 238, creating the Northern Antiquities and Seascapes and Landscapes Protection Act of 2022, introduced by Pro Tempore Senate President Lauren Legarda; I have introduced several bills, namely the Senate Bill 1166, which declares the island of Pag Asa an ecotourism group and a protected area; and proposed Senate Resolution 472 on policy reforms and budget spending to develop the Philippines' potential to become a world leader in sustainable ecotourism (NBT).
The debate around Senate Bill 238 focused on the important role of northern antiquity in regional and environmental development. Crisma Rodríguez, Regional Director of the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region VI, stressed that Antica North has made a positive contribution to the growth of tourism in Antica, whose five municipalities registered 14,311 tourist arrivals, almost half of the tourist arrivals. provinces, with receipts. in the amount of 103 million pesos for a wide range of recreational activities in the area such as rafting, river tubing, diving and more. In addition, local leaders have confirmed that North Antique is both a tourist destination and home to dugongs, which are classified as vulnerable by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). All stakeholders agreed that the proposed measure would protect the seascape, flora and fauna of the ancient northern landscape for the benefit of local communities and future antiquities.
Rep. Regarding Senate Bill 1166, Johnny Pimentel (Surigao del Sur 2D), the sponsor of the measure in the House of Representatives, opened the debate by explaining the noble purpose of the bill, which is to protect our sovereign rights by protecting the economy. . initiative or soft diplomacy and pave the way for the development of the island of Pag Asa. Rep. Edgardo Egay Salvame (Palawan 1D) also expressed his support for the measure, saying that designating the Pag Asa island group as a protected area would help ensure that its coastal and marine resources are protected from overfishing, poaching, sea or land overpopulation. treatment. Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Augusto dela Peña, announcing the agency's support for the bill, noted the need to support infrastructure and resources to guarantee peace and order to ensure the safety and protection of civilians. Pag Asa is the only Philippine-occupied Spratly island inhabited by civilians. We are talking about pristine waters rich in biodiversity, which makes it an ideal destination for tourists.
Senate Resolution 472 is the result of our meeting with scholars from the University of the Philippines, who pointed out that we are not fully advancing the NBT, despite our country's competitive advantage due to its rich resources. Masungi Georeserve trustee Billy Dumalang agreed that nature tourism in the country is still underdeveloped and is being sold. In fact, the United Nations Development Program found that the Philippines has an 80 percent biodiversity funding gap. The Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Society has advocated the need for consultations to identify the country's protected areas and other natural resources that could be prime areas for the NBT.
As Philippine tourism has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a need to diversify the industry's products and services while keeping sustainability in mind. We sincerely hope that these discussions will form part of the country's call to promote and further develop our competitive advantages to stimulate tourism growth and recovery.
Senator Sonny Angara has been in public service for 18 years, including 9 years as the sole representative of Aurora and 9 years as a senator. He is the author, co-author and author of more than 330 laws. He is currently serving his second term in the Senate.
mailing address: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com |: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @sonnyangara
.png "Admin")
Post a Comment
Post a Comment