by Lovely A. Carillo
The local government of the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) is set to implement P164 million worth of environmental projects that will ensure the island city is able to maintain its relatively unspoiled environment despite the influx of tourists and establishments on the island.
“We expect to raise the funds for these projects from various sources and one of these is the Environmental User’s Fee (EUF) which will be collected from all visitors to the island,” Mayor Aniano Antalan said during the Kapihan sa Davao press conference held at the SM City Davao last week.
The EUF is based on City Ordinance number 156 series of 2009, a sustainable revenue-generating mechanism which allows the local government to manage, develop and protect the environment by charging fees to tourists and similar visitors in exchange for the privilege of enjoy their stay in the area.
The User’s Fee is appropriately called the “Blue-Green Ticket” which will be implemented starting this Holy Week. This means that tourists, scuba divers, mountaineers and mountain bikers who visit the island will have to pay P5 each. However, the residents of Samal will not be charged the EUF.
“We expect to collect at least P1 million from the EUF during that time,” said city environment and natural resources officer Edward Sisor.
Antalan said they need P91 million for the city’s sanitary landfill project, P11.5 million for the waste water treatment facility, P1.5 million for the slaughter house, P6.5 million for the coastal park, P3.5 million for the Penaplata Park and P50 million for the septage treatment facility.
He said protection of the local environmental is one of the goals of his administration, but they can only do this if they have enough resources with which to do it, considering the surge of tourists to the area. The Davao Gulf is one of the key biodiversity areas in the world and probably the last such frontier in this part of the globe.
Resort owners and operators in Igacos are fully support the environmental projects being implemented by the local government knowing that it would ultimately benefit the island’s tourism industry. The island’s business sector is aware of the ecological threats faced by the Gulf as a result of solid waste and waste water pollution, illegal fishing and pesticide residues.
The threats were confirmed by Dr. Victor S. Luis, Jr., a consultant of the USAID-funded Philippine Environmental Governance Project Phase 2 or EcoGov.
Is Davao Gulf in danger?
Davao City Councilor Leonardo Avila, who is also chairperson of the Davao Gulf Management Council, said they are aware of the risks being faced by the Davao Gulf because of the development in and surrounding the area. This is primarily the reason why they conducted an environmental sensibility index or ESI, to determine which areas and, in particular which coral reefs and sea grasses, are vulnerable to pollution brought about by marine pollutants, industrial effluents and agricultural wastes.
“The Davao Gulf is one of the most diverse marine ecosystems in the World and it hosts 17 species of mangroves, 44 species of seaweeds and at least five species of marine turtles,” Avila said. This alone should convince the local governments and the private sector along the area to be concerned about protecting the environs of the Davao Gulf.
One indication of the increasing pollution in the Davao Gulf area, Avila said, is the declining bangus catch which used to be a major livelihood in Panabo.
Avila said the ESI will help determine the type of soil around the Gulf and this information should be used by the banana plantations to know the soil’s vulnerability to pesticides. “We are not telling the banana plantations to pull out, but we want them to consider the sensitivity of the soil when planting their bananas,” he added.
“The important thing here is to know which areas are exposed to pesticides and marine pollution, assess the extent of their exposure and then come up with measures to minimize the effects and the risks,” he said.
The ESI maps will be an important tool for the local government of Samal when they finally implement the planned environmental projects on the island.
Summer Fun in the Sun in Samal
There is a greater need to implement the EUF and protect the Davao Gulf from pollution now that it is becoming a major destination for both locals and foreigners.
The island city is set to host several summer events after the Dive Davao Festival 2010 last February. The Dive Festival is an annual diving event that aims to promote snorkelling and scuba diving in the Davao Gulf.
Right after the Dive Festival is the Summer Fun in the Sun event launched by the Davao Region Tourism Council and the Department of Tourism at the Gaisano Mall of Davao last week. One of the highlights of the event is the Caracoles Festival which will be held during the last Saturday of April.
The Caracoles Festival was named after a shell called “Caracole” which is bountiful in Samal Island’s waters.
“This is already the 3rd Fun in the Sun for the region and this should send a positive signal to the public that all tourism destinations here are ready to provide them with all the fun they can get under the sun,” Regional Tourism Council secretary Araceli Ayuste said.
Ayuste said the Caracoles Festival is back to its original venue which is the Penaplata Elementary School in Samal Island, after being held at the Sta. Ana wharf in 2009. Visitors will get to experience endless fun from sundown to sunrise.
“We expect the Caracoles Festival as well as the overall Fun in the Sun program to bring in lots of income for establishments in Samal Island,” Ayuste said. She encouraged everyone who want a taste of island living to join them for the Caracoles Festival as it is guaranteed to be a non-stop party for the guests.
While they could not quantify the income earned by the various beach resorts and restaurants on Samal Island during the Caracoles Festival, Ayuste said, it is a guaranteed income-earner for them since all the drinks and food of these establishments run out as early as 8 o’clock in the evening based on their experience during the 2008 Caracoles Festival.
With Samal Island in the forefront of tourism development in the Davao region, there is more reason for the local government and the private sector to make sure that the island-city remains green and environment-friendly.
