15 protected areas in Region 1 eyed for ecotourism

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LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte –The 15 protected areas declared by the Philippine Area Management Board (PAMB) in the Ilocos provinces are being eyed for ecotourism development.

Gwendolyn Bambalan, the assistant regional director for technical services of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 1, disclosed during the recent PAMB convention in Ilocos Norte that these protected areas have great potentials for sustainable enterprise to benefit the local stakeholders.

“PAMB members from the four provinces in Region 1 such as Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan are currently undertaking capability building seminar to ensure they are ready to implement new innovations in protected area management,” said Bambalan.

The 15 protected areas that are being promoted for ecotourism are the KalbarioPatapat Natural Park in Pagudpud; Tanap watershed forest reserve at Barangay Tanap in Burgos, Metropolitan Ilocos Norte watershed forest reserve in Sulbec, Pasuquin; and the Paoay Lake Natural Park in Ilocos Norte.

In Ilocos Sur, the protected areas are: the Libunao protected landscape in Sinait; Bigbiga protected landscape in Marozo, Narvacan; Northern Luzon Heroes Hill in Magsaysay, Santa; Bessang Pass natural monument in Malaya, Cervantes; Lidlidda protected landscape located in between Lidlidda and Banayoyo; Santa Lucia protected landscape in Salcedo; and the Tirad Pass National Park in Gregorio del Pilar Quirino, Sigay, Cervantes, and Suyo.

Other protected areas in Region I are the Manleluag Spring in Malabobo, Catarataraan, Pacalat, Lawaklangka and Calomboyan Sur in Mangatarem, Pangasinan; Hundred Islands in Alaminos City; Agoo Damortis protected landscape and seascape in Agoo, Sto. Tomas and Rosario, La Union; and the Naguilian Watershed at Brgy.Casilagan, also in La Union.

With the passage of Republic Act 10629 in 2013, at least 75 percent of the income generated by protected areas by PAMB, can now be used by stakeholders to develop and sustain its ecotourism potential.

The remaining 25 percent will go to the National Treasury for the utilization of other national parks in the country.

Income generated by protected areas comes from entrance fees paid by tourists, payment for the lease of areas used by tourism concessionaires, contributions from industries and facilities directly benefitting from the protected area.