DoT seeks seat in PAMB

THE Department of Tourism (DoT) will push for its inclusion to the national government’s Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) so that it can provide options on how to improve the protection and preservation of the country’s legally protected areas, particularly in tourist hotspots.

DoT Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco emphasized this point in a meeting on Thursday with members of the provincial government of Bohol, led by Gov. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, regarding the controversial construction of Captain’s Peak Resort at the foot of Chocolate Hills in Sagbayan, Bohol.

While the Department previously expressed its position on the matter, Frasco stated during the meeting that the incident will provide an opportunity for Bohol to prioritize sustainable development, given that Bohol Island is the Philippines’ first Unesco-recognized Global Geopark.

“We want to be able to ensure that development is sustainable and the opportunities coming to your province are distributed equitably,” Frasco told the Bohol provincial executives.

“On the national level, since PAMB is a creation of law and DoT is not a part of PAMB, we are lobbying for legislation to amend its composition to include the DoT so it may give its insights and guidance on sustainable tourism development for protected areas,” she added.

Governor Aumentado, for his part, said that the local government unit (LGU) would establish a new committee to supervise and examine criteria for investments and projects without compromising the environment or protected areas in which the DoT will operate.

”We, here in the province of Bohol, will create, through an ordinance, for clear policy and guidelines, our own committee. We’ll call it RevDCom, or Review and Development Committee,” Aumentado said.

“The DoT will be part of this committee. Every time they ask for PAMB clearance, they will pass through this committee,” he added.

Secretary Frasco also expressed the DoT’s support for Bohol LGU in encouraging eligible enterprises to seek DoT certification in order to raise the standard of tourist operations and ensure visitors’ safety.

The DoT will also provide assistance with the LGU’s other measures to promote local tourism in Bohol.