How tourists and local communities contribute to a sustainable economy

Through Patricia Mirasol, Producer

Community involvement matters when it comes to promoting a sustainable economy, according to Riza Joy A. Abat, municipal environmental and natural resources officer of San Juan, La Union, a province frequented by surfers and beachgoers alike.

Local government does its part to raise community awareness — but the community plays a bigger role, she said in an April 22 interview.

“When you’re a tourist, you become part of that local community for a while, and [thus] contribute to the sustainable development and conservation of the environment,” she said on the sidelines of the launch of the Pawi-CAN Sustainability Project of Athena, an executive assistant company.

San Juan has beach marshals and beach cleaners, but “it may not be enough if tourists don’t care about their impact on the environment,” Ms. Abat told BusinessWorld.

“Without embedded awareness, it is difficult to manage tourist areas,” she added.

“Pawi-KAN”

Athena worked with the local government of La Union to deploy turtle-shaped bins in the areas of Urbiztondo, San Juan, frequented by tourists and home workers.

The turtle tanks were designed by visual artist John Parmisano and are part of the Pawi-CAN Sustainability Project, which aims to promote responsible waste disposal and environmental protection.

The April 22 launch also included a coral reef planting workshop facilitated by EcoSurf.

“This is a sustained effort that will last six months,” Athena marketing director Glenn Anthony Chua said in a separate interview. “After that, it will break up into smaller Pawi-CANS… this is not a one-off activity.”

Updates will be posted on the coral propagation progress, as well as how many bottles have been collected by the tanks, Mr Chua said.

Other partners of the project include the San Juan Resort and Hotel Association Inc (SJRRHASS), Urbiz Garden, Dragon 8 Junkshop, ECOSURF Program Fostering Education and Environmental Development Inc (FEED, INC), Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions (CURMA) and La Unie Soul.

Care for the ‘local population’

San Juan may be the surfing capital of northern Luzon, Ms. Abat said, but it is also home to pawikans — sea turtles that promote ocean health and biodiversity — that residents call “locals.”

All sea turtles are protected under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (Republic Act No. 9417) of 2001, also known as the Philippine Wildlife Act.

“There may be cases where pawikans go to… nest and trap tourists. Nase-stress ang mga pawikans, at bumabalik na lang sila sa dagat (When tourists wander around the pawikans when they go to nest, the turtles become so stressed that they end up going back to the ocean),” Ms Abat said.

The Pawi-CAN kills two birds with one stone, she said.

“It is about solid waste management and educating them about the pawikan,” she added. “People will ask… and locals can [spread awareness] about these endangered species.”