Subic Bay Freeport – Tourism stakeholders from Central Luzon converged in this premier Freeport zone to attend the 2024 Central Luzon Sustainable Tourism Summit (CLSTS) on September 11 and 12, 2024 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).
SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said that the two-day event in collaboration with the Department of Tourism Region 3, and dubbed as “Towards a Carbon Neutral Future: Central Luzon’s Commitment to Sustainable Tourism,” is aimed at raising awareness of the current environment issues.
“This year’s event promises to share more insights on how tourists can help Mother Earth through first-hand sustainability efforts that have been conducted inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The activity is open to all tourism officers and stakeholders from Central Luzon, and is also geared towards the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the tourism sector, who are focused on the preservation of the environment and members of the academe,” he said.
Department of Tourism Regional Director for Central Luzon Richard G. Daenos said, “the Philippines is a country blessed with natural beauty, rich biodiversity and diverse cultural heritage. Tourism has been a powerful engine in driving economic growth, providing livelihoods to millions of Filipinos.”
“But as the great saying goes, great opportunities come with great responsibilities. Tourism is not without its impact over environmental degradation and unchecked development that left visible scars in many of our most cherished destinations,” he said.
For the first day of the Summit, messages were also delivered by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Director Ralph Pablo, and Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr., which hope to create awareness about sustainable tourism and love for the environment.
Highlighting the first day was the SBMA’s launching and signing of the Race to Carbon Neutrality.
SBMA Carbon Neutrality will play a critical role in incubating and accelerating policy reform that facilitates the mainstreaming of carbon-neutral development into the trade and investment policies of the country,” SBMA Ecology Center head Amethya Koval explained.
A discussion on the Strategies for Carbon Neutral Tourism Enterprises was conducted by Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior Research Fellow John Paolo Rivera.
For the afternoon session, a topic on Cultural Preservation as a Pillar of Sustainable Tourism was led by focal person National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Committee for Monuments and Sites former Vice Chairman Arch. Jayson Portem.
Meanwhile, the second day will focus on discussions on the Role of Technology in Achieving Net Zero Carbon in Tourism Destinations, with Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NZCA) Executive Director Allan Barcena as the focal person and on Traveling Sustainably: Tips and Tools for Eco-Friendly Tourism.
The succeeding talks revolve on Harnessing the Power of Sports for Environmental Stewardship in Coastal Communities with Alon and Araw Club owner Donn Lawrence Quintos as the focal person, followed by the Sustainable Transportation Solutions for Tourists presentation.
The two-day event will include eco-tours of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and its contingent localities namely, Birdwatching at Nabasan Area; tree planting at the SBMA Ecology Mangrove Nursery; trips to the El Kabayo Waterfalls; Pamulaklakin Aeta Forest Trail; the Green Building of Pacific Ace; Adventure Cove; Alon and Araw Club in Cabangan; Pinatubo Brewery in San Marcelino; and Dela Llana Farm in Castillejos.
The CLSTS is part of a series of activities that was organized in partnership with the Department of Tourism to celebrate National Tourism Month. (Malou Dungog)
