Cebu river among Top 100 Sustainable Global Destinations
CEBU CITY – For the past two years, the southwestern Cebu town of Aloguinsan has been included in the Global Top 100 Sustainable Destinations for preserving the Bojo River.
The river, which is about 1.4 kilometers long, is among the three attractions in the Philippines that made this year’s list that was released by Green Destinations Organization (GDO), a non-profit outfit responsible for sustainable tourism.
The other two are Lake Sebu in South Cotabato and Lake Holon in Tboli Island in the southernmost tip of Mindanao.
The prestigious list includes Niagara Falls in Canada, Cape Town in South Africa and Yellowstone National Park in the United States.
GDO’s top 100 initiative aims “to recognize tourism destinations that have worked hard to make a difference and take sustainability seriously” and that it highlights success stories in destination management and the exchange of good practices between ecotourism spots.
The list was posted on GDO’s website, and the awarding ceremony was held in Portugal, Thursday.
“This prestigious selection keeps getting harder every year but the support of individuals and groups (you know who you are) is what makes the victory sweet!” Cebu Provincial Tourism Officer Joselito Costas posted on Facebook.
The protected areas are judged on the compliance of GDO’s 15 core criteria: having a sustainability coordinator, tourism policy nature protection program, observance of animal ethics, landscape and scenery, wastewater treatment. GDO noted,
Other criteria were solid waste reduction, reduction of fossil fuel dependency, cultural heritage conservation, intangible heritage, protection of people, inhabitants’ involvement, promotion of local products, health and safety prevention, and accessibility.
Despite the tougher eligibility requirements this year, Costas said the town and the provincial government strived to comply with the criteria.
The Bojo-Aloguinsan Ecotourism Association, a community-based group comprised mainly of fisherfolk and women, has been looking after the river since 2009.
A portion of the income from river cruises goes to a scholarship grant and cleanup projects along the river, Costas said.
In 2015, the fourth-class municipality also won the Best Community-Based Initiative Award.