PANGLAO. - Where are the stakeholders of the tourism industry?

 Thus blurted Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala when he noticed the low turn out of participants during the first day of Panglao’s preparatory forum for a tourism summit next month. Asked for any reason why the poor attendance on the first day of the forum, Mayor Alcala blamed the breakdown of communication in the sending of invitations to its target audience. Invited to grace during the opening day of the summit were stakeholders of the transport sector of the tourism industry. Invited were owners and drivers of vans, tourist cars, pump boats, habal-habals and other mode of transport used by tourists. It turned out that organizers only invited the presidents of the transport groups explaining the low attendance on the first day. The mayor who gave the welcome and inspirational message to the land and sea based transportation sector as an important stakeholders of the industry, was visibly irked when he expected no less than 60 participants from this sector alone but only about one-half showed.

The mayor blamed the letter-invitation which was written in English. It should have been expressed in the vernacular, he said. But still the mayor expressed gratitude to those who came and actively participate in the forum groupings. He, however, said that there should be a “win-win” formula in resolving a lot of issues affecting the industry. In a separate interview, the mayor did not hide his disappointment over the efforts he exerted in the law implementation, such as the 20-meter salvage zone and the no docking of motorized boats along the shoreline of Alona beach in barangay Tawala and other coastal barangays of this town. He lamented over the continued defiance of the order for the boat operators to avoid dropping their anchors near the shoreline and the delay of resolving the cases in connection with the strict ban of concrete structures along the 20-m public access in the shorelines. But he was elated in learning that the LGU through its legal counsel may invoke the principle of the law concerning the “writ of kalikasan” (nature) He did not elaborate.

It may be recalled that then Supreme court chief justice Reynato Puno has issued guidelines in the implementation of the writ of kalikasan as a follow-up to the “green courts” initiative of the SC. The SC said the basis of the issuance of the writ of kalikasan and establishment of “green courts” are pursuant to Article II, Section 16 of the Constitution, which provides that “the State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.” Since 2008, the highest tribunal has designated a total of 117 trial courts as “green courts” to speed up the resolution of about 3,000 environmental cases all over the country. The green courts shall speed up and dispose cases concerning violations of laws on mining, forestry, marine, fisheries, wildlife, waste management, toxic substances, and hazardous waste. On the same year, “the SC handed down a landmark ruling that directed practically all government agencies and law enforcement units to implement without delay the restoration and preservation of Manila Bay.”

Meanwhile, the preparatory step thru a series of consultation is dubbed “Panglao Tourism Stakeholders Consultation,” with the theme, “ Stakeholders Collaboration Toward Responsible Tourism in Panglao.” The consultation took place at the municipal hall’s session hall and office of the mayor on October 10-13, 2011. The town’s quest for the tourism summit slated sometime in November 2011 is being assisted by the provincial government through the pooling of facilitators. The activity aims to identify the industry’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threat; to use the TOWS analysis, to classify the strategies in achieving the targets, and to identify priority programs and projects, policies and plans. Sectors affected and participated in the activity include: transportation (sea and land-based), accommodatin (restaurants, resorts establishments, producers/suppliers, natural resources/culture/arts, activities/dive shops/sports, health/wellness, academe/women/youth and LGU. (RVO)