LGUs' tourism projects:Ignoring sanitation?

Recently, the country’s tourism czar, Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, officially launched the first extreme adventure park in the Municipality of Danao (Province of Bohol). Situated in the interior part of the island, it is more than just a testament of the LGU’s enthusiasm to rise above economic adversities. Operated by a 4th class municipality, this 60-hectare adventure park is a very strong statement that other LGUs must heed. If it can do it, despite its size, why are other LGUs can’t.

Agreeing wholeheartedly with Secretary Durano, the LGUs should make tourism as the economic driver in their respective localities. This call is unequivocally appropriate since tourism brings about huge intake of money from other directly influenced businesses. More importantly, it offers a lot of employment opportunities in the service industries. 

Nowadays, it may not be difficult to initiate tourism-oriented projects. As the secretary has declared, state-owned financial institutions like the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Development Bank of the Philippines are opening their windows to LGUs that are considering these types of projects. Considering that the financial aspects of the projects are taken cared of and the marketing aspects are well secured with the pro-active Department of Tourism, these could be surefire undertakings.

Indeed, as we are all aware of, through the Department of Tourism, there is too much hype nowadays of the country’s tourism investment potentials and places of interest for opportunity-seeking business travelers and leisure lovers, respectively. Promotions and campaigns are appropriately made both here and abroad. Informative tarps are hanged and plastered in domestic and international airport terminals and seaports. Substantial amounts are also spent on TV, radio and print advertisements.

Knowledgeable personalities on tourism are even sent in several forums abroad to entice big-named players to invest in this sunrise industry. Not to be outdone, though not well-coordinated with the Department of Tourism (DOT), other moneyed local government units (LGUs) have also joined the race by spending huge amounts in holding festivals just to be distinguished. Typical examples are the City’s world-renowned Sinulog which has been in the record books for nearly three decades now and the Province’s “Suroy-suroy sa Sugbo” which is now slowly gaining ground. 

Likewise, Bohol has improved by leaps and bounds. With Danao’s adventure park and the equally world renowned Loboc River’s floating restaurants, Bohol will soon certainly take a larger slice of the pie.

With the magnitude of the promotions done here and abroad, tourist arrivals will certainly shoot up. Accommodation shouldn’t be a problem for Cebu and Bohol. Resorts, five-star and budget hotels are sprouting and amenities are improving. 

However, as we start to vigorously promote tourism in our rural areas, tourists shall soon travel a lot in the countryside. Therefore, they will be frequent users of our public transportation facilities, terminals included. As they frolic, they will soon find out that apart from our Mactan International Airport and Port terminals of some established shipping companies, comfort rooms are so filthy. That our bus terminals’ facilities are so messy and poorly maintained. 

As they visit historical sites like Parian’s monument, Plaza Independencia or Fort San Pedro, they walk and drink a lot under humid conditions and can’t find places for comfort (toilets) when nature calls. Some might even throw up at the sight of human wastes as they stroll along boulevards and skywalks.

Sometimes, they tour around the Island of Cebu, hopping from one town to another to take first-hand experiences of those must publicized festivals only to find out that these LGUs do not even have decent toilets.

As an island province, ours are all coastal cities and municipalities. Each LGU has its own stretches of shorelines or beaches. They are all bragging about the serenity of their beaches and relentlessly inviting tourists to take a dip, as if, it is the only prerequisite.   Known to all of us, our public markets are situated just several meters from the shorelines, some are even so near the beaches. Unknown however, to most of us, these beaches are made receptacles of these public markets’ leftovers and wastes.

Ironically, despite these basic but unattended concerns, we brag about the potentials of our tourism capabilities. Is sanitation not an issue for tourists? Aren’t they coming here to enjoy and stay healthy? What assurance can we give them when a basic health issue like sanitation can’t be even appropriately addressed?

Therefore, in heeding the call of Secretary Durano, LGUs must seriously consider sanitation concerns in their tourism projects. In fact, it will be more prudent if the state-owned financial institutions (like the Land of the Philippines and the Development of the Philippines) shall make it a requisite for LGUs that may avail of their funds to include in the technical aspects of their project feasibility studies appropriate and detailed plans on sanitation.

We truly understand the necessity of promoting our tourism potentials both here and abroad. The need to inform potential market of our rich cultural heritage, historical sites and serene beaches is unquestionable. In doing so however, we must not forget that like any business, the key to any success is continued patronage. This can only be achieved once we can develop a strong customer base that will not only give us repeat businesses but shall tell the world, how clean and enjoyable our island is. 

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