SEVEN towns and one city in Midwest Cebu have mapped out destinations that will be developed under the provincial government’s community-based ecotourism program.
Last Sept. 7 to 10, local tourism officers, community leaders, members of the academe and planning officers participated in a workshop on ecotourism sponsored by the provincial government.
“Most activities happen to be in the Tañon Strait and there is an urgent need to protect it.
“At the same time, there is also a need to give alternative livelihood to residents there,” provincial ecotourism consultant Joselito “Boboi” Costas said.
Midwest Cebu is composed of Aloguinsan, Pinamungajan, Toledo City, Balamban, Asturias, Tuburan and Tabuelan.
These LGUs are all located along the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, the body of water between Cebu and Negros Island.
Balamban also belongs to the Central Cebu Protected Landscape. Aloguinsan proposed a dolphin-watching program in the strait while Tabuelan wants to develop its famous Batawang River.
Balamban is proposing to turn the crash site of former president Ramon Magsaysay’s plane at Mt. Manunggal into a heritage site while Toledo City plans to develop the Cantabaco Rock for climbing and bird watching.
Asturias intends to promote Lake Buswang, Alegria aims to convert its canyoneering activities into a community-based endeavor.
Lastly, Pinamungajan wants to develop the Campalabo sandbar for snorkeling.
Costas said the most important theme in ecotourism is biodiversity conservation.
“If you develop ecotourism in the locality, you have to first preserve the biodiversity of the place, the uniqueness of the locality, so that whatever you see in it, you will conserve it so as not to make tourism negative,” he said.
Costas said stakeholders need to know the collective history and cultural resources of their localities and the areas to be developed.
“Culture is a tourism resource you can develop as well,” he said.