Safety policies for eco tours sought

The Cebu provincial government sought recommendations from tour operators and other stakeholders on how to improve and ensure the safety of eco-adventure enthusiasts in last Tuesday’s meeting at the Capitol.

Baltazar Tribunalo, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief, said Cebu’s reputation as a prime tourism destination is negated by reports of accidents or deaths of guides or participants.

Last July 26, canyoneering guide Aldrin Carba died after he jumped into the Kanlaob River in Alegria town during a downpour.

The recommendations will be reviewed for consideration as policies guiding the proposed Provincial Eco-Adventure Management Board.

“We saw that tourists are discouraged when someone gets hurt, goes missing or dies during a visit. That is the reason why DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) should be mainstreamed into tourism outdoor activities,” Tribunalo said.

Proper gear

Present during the meeting were tour operators, representatives from local government units, the regional offices of the Departments of Tourism (DOT-7), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7), mountaineering groups and eco park consultants.

Tribunalo said some tour service providers either lack equipment or technical skills.

“Some tour guides jump without helmets or dive without vests. Proper gear is needed and at the same time, skill,” he said.

Tribunalo said an average tour guide handles 15 tourists in Cebu but the ideal ratio should be one guide to three tour participants.

Other identified risks include lack of signs at tourist sites and underused hazard maps.

Guidelines

Tribunalo said stakeholders suggested localized training for tour guides and similar service providers.

He said this means that trainings will be geared towards the specific needs of an area so they will be better equipped to serve tourists.

Tribunalo said LGUs should allocate a budget for trainings of tour guides.

“We currently have no standardized trainings on mountaineering, canyoneering, river trail, mountain climbing, rockwall climbing. Ang uban, pataka-taka lang ,” Tribunalo said.

The stakeholders also suggested the integration of outdoor sports education in school curricula and the drafting and enforcement of strict guidelines on outdoor activities.

A portion of R.A. 10121, or the Philippine DRRM Act of 2010, mandates the integration of DRR and climate change education in areas like tourism.

Once created, the Provincial Eco Adventure Management Board will serve as the central policy-making body with jurisdiction over mountain and diving resorts, eco adventure parks, and those that offer mountaineering courses.