MANILA, March 23 (PNA) — Environment chief Ramon Paje is seeking more biodiversity conservation nationwide to help boost Philippine ecotourism which government estimated as potentially generating up to PHP157 billion in revenues by 2016.
“The Philippines will be reaping economic benefits of biodiversity through ecotourism,” he said as Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) stepped up its campaign for biodiversity conservation financing and ecotourism in the country.
He noted the Philippines has the potential to be an ecotourism star, having some 240 protected areas (PAs) and being one of the world’s mega-diverse sites with thousands of endemic and exotic flora and fauna species.
World Tourism Organization expects Southeast Asia, where the Philippines is, to become one of the three top recipients of international tourist arrivals that’s expected to grow five percent — higher than the global average of 4.1 percent, he continued.
ASEAN Center for Biodiversity estimates that about 700 million people annually travel to more than 33,000 PAs worldwide, he also said.
Climate change, environmental degradation and other challenges are raising urgency for biodiversity conservation in the country, however, he warned.
Government developed its 2013-2022 National Ecotourism Strategy (NES) and Action Plan to provide the road map for the Philippines’ bid to capture a significant part of the ecotourism market.
Paje noted NES provides guidance on conserving Philippine biodiversity and helping local communities undertake income-generating activities without having to go into unsustainable extraction of natural resources.
“When we rebuild or protect habitats, we’re doing so not for a single specie even if priority is for that one — a habitat represents an entire ecosystem with a big number of flora and fauna species some of which could have great economic, social and environmental value as sources of livelihood, food, medicinal preparations or geneticresources or as agents of remediation,” he noted highlighting need to protect natural resources nationwide.
Citing the 1999 Bohol Ecotourism Congress, NES defines ecotourism as “a form of sustainable tourism within a natural and cultural heritage area where community participation, protection and management of natural resources, culture and indigenous knowledge and practices,environmental education and ethics as well as economic benefits are fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and satisfaction of visitors.”
NES projects the Philippines’ potential ecotourism market to range between 1.3 million ecotourists to nearly 14.2 million ecotourists.
The country’s potential 2013-2016 gross earnings from foreign ecotourists is from USD 81.2 million to USD 1.4 billion while revenues from domestic ecotourists can range between PHP9.5 billion to PHP102 billion, notes NES.
This month, DENR helped spearhead in Metro Manila an international conference on conservation financing in Southeast Asia.
Paje noted the conference was a venue for exploring possible partnerships for financing Philippine biodiversity conservation.
Such financing is essential as biodiversity conservation is already an “urgent necessity” for helping ensure a sustainable future, he said.
“This acknowledgment must be matched by adequate financing,” he continued.
He urged investors to increasingly consider pumping capital into biodiversity conservation initiatives nationwide.
“Financing biodiversity conservation pays and therefore deserves more investments as well as purpose-driven partnerships,” he said.
Earlier, DENR set further prioritizing in 2015 implementation of its major undertaking on eco-tourism, enterprise development and management of PAs in the country.
Targeted for conservation and management this year are 80 PAs, DENR noted.
Paje said DENR’s 2015 target work also covers 22 eco-tourism sites nationwide.
The proposed eco-tourism sites and respective locations are Paoay Lake (Ilocos Norte), Bessang Pass (Ilocos Sur), Penablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape (Cagayan), Biak-na-Bato National Park (Bulacan), Minalungao National Park (Nueva Ecija), Marikina Protected Landscape (Rizal), Quezon Protected Landscape (Quezon), MarinduqueWatereshed (Marinduque), Mt. Makiling Heritage Park (Laguna and Batangas) and Mayon Volcano (Albay).
In the Visayas, the priority sites are Sagay Marine Reserve (Negros Occidental), Northern Negros National Park (Negros Occidental), Balinsasayao Twin Lakes National Park (Negros Oriental), Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape (Bohol), Guiuan Protected Landscape and Seascape (Eastern Samar) and Lake Danao National Park (Leyte).
Priority sites in Mindanao are Great and Little Sta. Cruz Islands Protected Landscape (Zamboanga City), Murcielagos Island Protected Landscape (Zamboanga City), Mt. Malindang National Park (Misamis Occidental), Aliwagwag Protected Landscape (Compostela Valley), Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (Saranggani) as well as Surigao IslandProtected Landscape and Seascape (Surigao).
NES notes monitoring shows number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting PAs nationwide averaged 778,008 people annually during the 2000-2012 period.
Government initially came out with NES in 2002 in line with EO Order 111 series of 1999, viewing ecotourism as a direct response to real needs and situations nationwide.
Among NES’ anchors are sustainable management of the country’s natural and cultural resources, environmental education and conservation awareness as well as empowerment of local communities. (PNA)