Bringing tourism benefits closer to the locals: the Puerto Princesa experience
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(Extract from the article) If the Province of Palawan has been considered the nature sanctuary of the world and continues to amaze tourists with its scenic wonders, Project Coordinator Meliez Zapanta of the Palawan Network of NGOs, Inc (PNNI) said it is “because there are people and communities that keep it that way.” Against the trend of commercial tourism, Zapanta said how communities are usually overlooked in the process of development is the reason her organization ventures into a tourism enterprise that “not only showcases the physical beauty of Puerto Princesa, but also empowers communities and recognizes their roles in the preservation the country’s last ecological frontier.” As PEF’s Partnerships and Access Center (PAC) for Palawan, PNNI has developed various programs aimed at sustaining poverty reduction and community empowerment for the poor communities of the province of Palawan, the most recent of which is the one-million peso Pasyar Developmental Tourism Project. Pasyar means “to travel leisurely” in the native language of Palawan. Aptly called for its focus on facilitating community development via ecotourism, the project seeks to provide market option for tourists looking for alternative forms of tourism while building capacities of local communities to become active players in Palawan’s tourism industry. It also aims to help promote and maintain cultural integrity of the province. You can download the entire formatted article in PDF format here. |
