To keep canyoneering sites free of plastic litter
Sustainable tourism gets a boost with the Care for Cebu’s Canyons initiative of the Department of Tourism- Central Visayas (DOT7) together with the Municipalities of Badian and Alegria – offering reusable water bottles to adventurers and visitors on the popular canyoneering circuits.
Care for Cebu’s Canyons banners the Sustainable Tourism Program of the DOT7. The Program is gaining the determined support of municipal and component city governments and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region VII (DENR-VII).
Through the Care for Cebu’s Canyons platform, DOT7 recently turned-over 1,500 reusable water bottles to the local governments and tourism stakeholders of Badian and Alegria to jumpstart a campaign against single-use water bottles on the canyoneering routes. The campaign integrates the installation within the canyoneering areas of related value-adding mechanisms such as water refilling stations.
The ubique-shaped bottles are made of sturdy plastic with rubber locking mechanisms, woven tags and heavy-duty carabiners which allow for attachment to clothing, bags or life vests. Use of the bottles will be incorporated in the canyoneering activity as part of standard equipment. Guests can then bring them home as souvenir items.
DOT7 Regional Director Shahlimar Hofer Tamano led the turn-over event which was attended by DENR-VII Assistant Regional Director Charlie Fabre, Cebu Provincial Tourism Officer Maria Lester Ybañez, Badian Mayor Carmencita Lumain and Councilor Kim Marie Leguiz, Chair of the Alegria Municipal Council Committee on Tourism.
Together with promoting more environment-friendly tourist behavior, the program runs parallel capacity-building activities for canyoneering operators to broaden their knowledge of biodiversity, particularly on the riverine ecosystem, guidelines for sustainable development, community-based tour guiding, and the Filipino Brand of Service.
The DOT7 and local governments are also assessing activity flow on the canyoneering sites to ensure an excellent guest experience.
Constant coordination and reviews are being done to further improve the activity as a tourism product of Central Visayas.
“Our tourism sites have regenerated after those two years that we were forced to stay home. As we come back to enjoy them, we are adopting best practices that will somehow guarantee that we preserve these valuable sites,” DOT7 Regional Director Shahlimar Hofer Tamano says.
Tamano adds that the cooperation between local governments and agencies like the DOT7 and DENR-VII will be sustained to broaden the knowledge base, increase awareness and appreciation of the natural environment and encourage ecologically-sound action.
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