The Mt. Pinatubo “Kabuhayan sa Turismo” Program: The Road to Poverty Alleviation

1. The Mt. Pinatubo “Kabuhayan sa Turismo” Program: The Road to Poverty Alleviation • Background • Reports on visitor influx in 1999 • Brgy. Sta. Juliana, Capas, tarlac • Presence of a major tourist attraction (Mt. Pinatubo crater)

2. Lesson in community-based Ecotourism cum Nature Conservation • Ecotourism based on four basic principles: • Benefit to Community • Visitor Satisfaction • Nature Conservation • Livelihood/Job Opportunities for Local Host population

3. Project Information • Sta. Juliana in Capas, Tarlac as the site for the project: • The Gateway to the Crater • Mission: To build better quality of lives thru travel and tourism while setting up guidelines for conservation

4. The Community • Sta. Juliana: a poverty-stricken community of about 3,000 people • Absence of good roads; limited electricity and water system • Unfinished infra projects • Farming as source of limited income • Proximity to dangerous river channel (O’ Donnell)

5. The Indigenous Community • Some 200 Aeta families (1,000 individuals) with hardly any means of income • Gathering root crops and pumice rocks for sale to lowlanders • Under-educated (Grade 6) • Disease-stricken community (no medical help) • Nomads

6. Step 1: Product Identification and Inventory of Tourism Resources • Select a natural/cultural attraction found in the community • Evaluate quality of resource: “must-see and die-for” product/s • Must be a Guiness-like attraction such as Mt. Pinatubo (the “largest and the biggest eruption” this century)

7. Step 2: Value-Added Tourism Resources (Hub/Spokes) • After identifying the must-see attraction, consider the following: • Diverse tourism products such as: • Cave and/or trail systems • Biodersified wilderness • Hot springs • Wetlands and bird sanctuary • Unique fish culture

8. Step 3: Identify Support Tourism Services in the community • Does the community have the necessary support infrastructure facilities and services to sustain the project? • What can the community offer in form of convenience and comfort for guests? • Available manpower (guides, porters, Homestay participants, souvenir makers, etc.)

9. Identify Support Tourism Services in the community • Does the community have public toilets and bath, potable water system, electricity, public transport system, telecommunication • Facilities need not be world-class • If not available, is the community capable of building them for tourist comfort out of funds from tourism?

10. Step 4: Consensus Building • Project proponent needs to evaluate the social acceptability of the project • Seek support of the community (political leaders, community organizations, elders, indigenous community, social organizations, etc.) • IPRA Law (seek free and prior informed consent of IPs) • Give time for this process

11. Step 5: Tourism Awareness cum Training Programs • Hold formal and informal (focused group discussions) dialogues and consultations • Conduct of tourism awareness seminars and workshops • Guideship seminars, Homestay Program, Mabuhay Host Program, Tourist Reception, etc.

12. Step 6: Community Organization • Organize host community • Barangay Tourism Council (SEC-registered) • Guides and Porters Association • Homestay Association • EDRT (Souvenir makers, cooperatives, etc.) • Secure support of community leaders • Informal training on conducting meetings

13. Step 7: Systems and Procedures • Draw up set of guidelines and procedures for guests to follow when visiting the community • Log-in/log-out, fees to pay, set of conservation guidelines, safety and security procedures, • Briefing procedures • Accounting and budgeting • System of reporting

14. Step 8: Tourist Assistance Center • Build a TAC (Lifeline of the project) with volunteers from host community • Set up photo exhibit of tourism products available • Build a visitor counter • Train TAC staff on tourist reception, entertaining complaints and briefing procedures for guests

15. Step 9: Product Launching • Set date, venue and time for product launching • Send invitation to media, government officials and your prospective markets • Advertise in major dailies and local radio programs • Let your guests experience the tour itself (prepare an itinerary) • Schedule an annual event for your product

16. Step 10: How to Generate Income from the Project • Let the local tourism council prepare a set itinerary with costing • Invite groups of individuals to purchase the tour package • Collect conservation fees, entrance fees, sale of souvenir items, transport hire, certificates of conquest, postcards, homestay charges (overnight), user fees, etc.

17. Sustainability is the Key • Project proponent should monitor regularly the progress of the project • Conduct regular meetings with local council and other organizations • Decide on how to spend excess funds for community development projects (water system, street lights, uniforms for guides and porters, school support services, etc.)

18. A Self-managed Community When everything is in place and the project is off and running the sustainable way, project proponent shall slowly fade away to let the host community operate and manage the project

19. The Mission Build Better Quality of Lives thru Travel and Tourism

20. Awards Received • Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Award for Best Ecotourism Project, April 9, 2001, KL, Malaysia • Kalakbay Award, December 7, 2001, Malacanan Palace • ASEANTA Award, January 26, 2002, Indonesia

21. What has been done (over the last 6 years to the present) • Built a visitor assistance center (P60,000) • Renovated barangay hall (P3,000) • Provided some 20 deep well pumps in strategic places around the barangay (P43,000) • Provided street lights (P25,000) • Renovated Catholic/Methodist chapels (P15,000)

22. What has been done • Provided ten (10) computers to elementary school and two (2) for the air force group (P35,000) • Provided electrical connection in school and water supply (P5,000) • Cong Jesli Lapus built ecolodge (P1M), additional office building, welcome arch, toilets, viewing decks (crater) (P1M)

23. What has been done • Road construction (P25M) plus P10M this year (road to ecotourism sites project) • Others: uniforms, training, band sets, guitars, sports equipment, car tires (air force/barangay), CD players (air force/barangay), repainting of school rooms, trekking gears/equipment, water raft, etc.

24. What needs to be done • Need to secure viable investment to build the right infrastructure and services • Skills enhancement program (services, conservation and visitor assistance) • Livelihood program and job generation • Sustainable development • Interdependence and linkages

25. Facts and Figures • DOT to hit 2-M mark in 2004 • Korean arrivals rank 3rd (next only to USA and Japan) at more than 360,000 last year • Clark has 5x-a-week flights from Korea • Clark needs to enhance its tourist attractions (scarcity of resources) • Need to explore diverse activities for tourists (volcano treks, hot springs, cultural, health tourism, etc.)

26. The QuestHelping people live better quality of livesMaraming Salamat Po!