ABSTRACT
This research study assessed the Ecotourism Program in Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMR), a Protected Area (PA) located in Brgy. La Paz and San Roque, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras in terms of the extent or level of the implementation and outcomes of the program. A coded, researcher-made questionnaire was used to gather data from 127 respondents who were purposively and conveniently selected from the stakeholders of the PA composed mostly of the residents and members of the People’s Organizations from the two barangays surrounding it. The results of the study showed a very good implementation and outcomes of the ecotourism program. The stakeholder’s level of satisfaction was also high. Further, the Program has indeed contributed to the conservation and protection of TINMR’s natural resources over the economic benefits to the surrounding communities. Despite a very good implementation, however, the Program could not fully take off due to major issues/challenges. Thus, valuable recommendations were enumerated to help further improve the ecotourism program implementation.
Keywords: ecotourism, program implementation, outcomes, Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMR)
INTRODUCTION
Ecotourism or ecological tourism is nature-based wherein tourists are mainly motivated to travel to places to appreciate, to observe, and to enjoy the beautiful landscapes, the people, and their traditional cultures (UNWTO, 2002). Being a form of sustainable tourism, it mostly deals with nature and the environment than with recreation and mass tourism (Essays UK, 2013).
The conservation and protection of the Philippines' natural resources is mandated under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992 or the Republic Act 7586 (amended by RA 11038 or the Expanded NIPAS Act of 2018). This law sets aside and manages Protected Areas (PAs) regardless of their nature and protects them from destructive human exploitation (RA 7586, 1992).
Ecotourism has been strongly linked to the management of PAs because it does not only support local communities but also environmental conservation (Dologlou & Katsoni, 2016).
In 2013, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) made ecotourism a major program for managing and developing protected areas in the country whose objectives include: (1) institutionalization of processes on ecotourism planning in protected area management; (2) promotion of the concept and principles of ecotourism through advocacy; and (3) introduction of ecotourism businesses in protected areas both as a conservation strategy and economic development option through partnerships with the local government units or the private sector (DENR, DAO 2013-19).
Through the program, the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve (TINMR), one of the established PAs in Region VI, was funded for ecotourism development (DENR, 2021). TINMR is located in the barangays of San Roque and La Paz in the Municipality of Nueva Valencia in the Province of Guimaras. It has a rich biodiversity that is confined to its 46 islands and islets and the surrounding coastal waters with a total area of 1,143.45 hectares.
Several studies on the natural resources of TINMR were already conducted which contributed to its promotion as an ecotourism site. However, a practical assessment of the status of its ecotourism program has never been undertaken. Thus, the result of this study can give valuable insights on the status of the program and the information obtained can be used in the updating of its Ecotourism Management Plan. The result could also help determine the necessary interventions for better implementation of the ecotourism program.
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