報 告 Promoting Sustainable Tourism in Coron Island, Palawan Province, Philippines - Policy Gap and Impact Analysis フィリピン・パラワン州・コロン島における持続可能な観光推進に向けて － 政策ギャップ分析
Masanori KOBAYASHI 小林 正典*
Abstract： Tourism is an important source of revenue for the Philippines particularly remote and rural coastal and island areas such as those islands in Palawan Province. However, drastic increase of inbound tourists that surpasses the development of required infrastructure degrade the environment and undermine sustainability. While the national government, the local authority and tourism business associations strive to promote sustainable tourism through the compliance with the code of conducts in tour operations to safeguard the safety of the tourists and the environment, the risks associated with sustainable tourism are at the multifaceted and multiple-levels that can go beyond what the local stakeholders are able to squarely address to hedge such risks. The Coron’s Charter for Sustainable Tourism provides a useful policy and institutional framework. Yet, the challenges lie with its compliance and enforcement by the tour agents and business entities. The continuous monitoring, compliance and enforcement mechanisms need to evolve in a participatory manner and be operationalized with the more proactive involvement of local business associations and stakeholder groups. Key Words： sustainable tourism, coastal and island, monitoring, compliance, risk management, public awareness, information 要旨：フィリピン , 特に遠方の地方沿岸・島嶼地域において ,観光は重要な収入源である。しかし , 必要 なインフラ整備を超えて観光客が劇的に増大すれば , 環境を劣化させ持続性を損なう。中央政府 ,自治体,業 界は持続可能な観光の推進に向け , 行動規範を定め ,観光客の安全のみならず , 環境保全を目指しているが , 持続可能な観光に付随するリスクは多面的かつ多様なレベルに及ぶもので , そのリスクの回避には地域のス テークホルダーの対処能力を超えるものもある。コロン・持続可能な観光憲章は有用な政策・制度的枠組み を提供する 。観光業界による遵守を監視 , 履行確保, 強制措置などについて , 業界の積極的な関与を得て参 加型アプローチで発展させ , 実施を図っていくことが求められている。 キーワード：越境型環境管理, 環境情報アクセス , 市民参加, 事前通知手続き , 個人通報
INTRODUCTION and institutional frameworks (Boley 2017). Policy and institional gap analysis is an important part of the processes to forge policy and institutional capacity for Tourism is a key revenue source for the Philippines achieving sustainable development by examining the particulalry remote coastal and island communities. Tourism needs to be based on sustainability principles discrepancy between the required policy and and contribute sustainable development by protecting institutional set-ups and those that are currently in the enviornment and ecosystems and improving local place (Deen 2015, Bigard et al 2017, Hoberg et al 2016, economies and people’s well-being (UN 2012). Pentz and Lkenk 2017, Snilstveit et al 2016, Janowski Sustainable tourism is geared towards balancing 2016). An analysis needs to be carried out over the policy environemntal protection and economic development and instittuional framworks for not just balancing (Dedeke 2017). As coatal and island communities and economic development and environmental protection, ecosystems are vulnerable, it is vital to prudently but also for incoporating social aspects and intangible manage and balance economic development and values through an integrated approach (Alexiadis 2017). enviornmental protection (Dvarskas 2017). The tourism In gap analysis, it is indispensable to identify key sector has enbedded the policies of promoting stakeholders and examine their respective distincitive sustaianble tourism by adopting relevant strategies and and common intersts withiin and between stakeholder action plans (Budeanu 2016). groups in order to understand the barries and Like other sustainable development discourses, opportunities attributable to respective stakeholder there is a gap in promoting sustainable tourism in the groups (Hardy and Pearson in press). context of the locas stakeholders’ aspiration and policy This paper is intended to analize the current state of
* Ocean Policy Research Institute of The Sasakawa Peace Foundation
環境情報科学 学術研究論文集 31（2017） 263 tourism in Coron Island, Parawan Province, the 7 1.4
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1 0.2 The Philippines is an archipelagic country of more 0 0 than 7,100 islands in the north of the tropical equator and its abundant natural resources qualifies the country World Bank http://data.worldbank.org/indicator to be one of the mega-biodiversity countries (RoP 2008 and 2014). Rich and diverse biological resources are a Fig.1 In-bound tourists of the Philippines important basis for providing ecosystem services including nutrient cycles, climate regulation, water north to south, and 9 km from east to west with 600 m supply, flood control, coastal protection and other elevation. The population is 32,243 according to the education and aesthetic values. Tourism is one of the census of 2000 (PSA 2002). Coron Island is dominated sectors that are supported by abundant natural by steep cliffs and has 11 lakes. Wreck diving is popular resources, biodiversity and ecosystem services. in Coron Island as a number of Japanese battle ships of Tourism sector has been prospering and its growth the Word War II are sunk and the aquatic views off rate surpass the world average (Fig.1). Over the past 15 Coron Island are listed as the top-10 best scuba diving years from 2000 – 2016, the in-bound tourists for the sites in the world (NBC 2007). It is also important to Philippines have been tripled (339 per cent) while the note that there is an indigenous ethnic group called global figure was doubled (229 per cent). “Tagalaba” or “Cirilo Daguison” one of the oldest ethnic Coron Island located in Palawan Province, 130 km groups in the Philippines. Tagalaba has its own southwest of Manila is one of the islands (Fig.2). The language while they are also proficient in Palawan tourists destined to Palawan has boosted since the language. They have their own indigenous religion, inscription of the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River rituals and perform dance and music. National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage site in Coron Island was affected by Super-typhoon Yolanda 1999 (UNESCO). The Puerto-Princesa Subterranean (Haiyan) in November 2013 and the tourists plumbed as River National Park is located 76 km northwest of low as 200. However, it was restored to 400 arrival per Puerto-Princesa, a capital city of Palawan Province. The day by 2015, almost a year after the disaster. It is Subterranean River was named as one of the new seven reported that the disaster didn’t change the pattern of wonders of nature by a global poll in 2012. The poll was tourist visits to Coron (Palawan News 2015). conducted by the New7Wonders Foundation (Agence While there were spin-off economic benefits from the France-Presse and New7 Wonders of Nature). The boosting tourism in Palawan, and more specifically number of tourists to Palawan has boosted from 160,000 Coron Island, there is also a mounting concern over the in 2010 to 1.4 million in 2015. It has grown over 8 times degradation of environment (Manalo 2017). With the for the five years (Exclusive Hot Properties. n.d.). It is basic and limited infrastructure, concerns were raised projected to reach 2 million by 2020 with the 43 per cent over the waste and sewage from local guest houses and growth rate, 2.5 million by 2025 with the growth rate of hoteliers that could damage the environment. 79 per cent. The Department of Environment and Natural Coron Island is not an exception from the booming Resources (DENR) and the Department of Tourism tourism in Palawan. Coron Island is located in (DOT) has adopted in February 2014 the “National northeast of Palawan Province. It is 20 km long from Ecotourism Strategy & Action Plan 2013-2022”. The aid
264 環境情報科学 学術研究論文集 31（2017） comprehending the stakeholders’ perception on the impacts of tourism and gaps by examining the outcome of the questionnaire surveys and the focused group discussions. Manila In the focused group discussions, it was mainly intended to exchange views among the participants on the impacts of tourism on the local environment and livelihood, policy gaps and suggested actions. The questionnaire surveys were developed and conducted to Puerto Coron Princesa illustrate the perception of local stakeholders in Island quantitative manners and draw its tendency and
World Atlas
Fig.2 Map of the Philippines and Coron Island 3. RESULTS agencies are also fueling technical assistance in the 3.1 Focused group discussions and sustainable tourism sector of the Philippines such as the Asian tourism charter development Development Bank (ADB). ADB supported a project for In the stakeholders focused discussions in March improving tourism and transport in Palawan (ADB 2013, 35 participants (10 hotel operators, 4 travel 2012). agencies, 5 local tour agencies, 3 tour guides, 7 local Nonetheless, the central government is unable to governments, 6 local communities and NGOs). They intervene in each of the numerous tourist destination have first reviewed the impacts of tourism and raised a islands and districts. In Coron Island, local people used concern over its negative impacts without proper to be engaged in subsistent farming and fishing. It is regulatory frameworks and voluntary actions. At the also a home of Tagalaba, an indigenous ethnic group. In same time, the participants broke into two sub-groups the light of socio-economic and cultural sensitivity and and reviewed the selected four major tourism sites susceptibility to external pressures including the rapid namely Siete Pecados, Kayangalan Lake, Dimanglet increase of tourists, Coron Island was chosen as a study Island and Lajala Island. They have discussed the area for examining the local people’s perception about characteristics and conditions of respective sites for the impacts of tourism and analyzing the policy and tourism. As a part of the conclusions, it was proposed to institutional gaps towards promoting sustainable develop a draft charter of sustainable tourism for Coron. tourism. The local government also had an intention to develop a sub-regional plan for promoting sustainable tourism in 2. METHODS northern Palawan. In September 2013, 66 participants attended the In order to conduct gap analysis on policy and stakeholders’ focused group discussions. The institution for promoting sustainable tourism in Coron, participants included 25 tour operators, 13 hotel focused group discussions were conducted three times in operators, 7 local government officials and NGOs and March 2013, September 2013 and March 2014. The experts. Four persons attended the workshop in March questionnaire survey was also conducted in March 2013 2013. The participants have discussed the measures to and March 2014. protect the environment in different tourist destination A stakeholder theory (Hardy 2017) is applied in the sites such as beaches, lakes and snorkeling sites. The analysis by identifying key stakeholders such as measures included not just those aimed at reducing analyzing hotel operators, travel agencies, tour guides, pollution and waste, but also raising the safety and local governments and local communities and NGOs. comfort of tourists. The Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) is applied The participants also addressed policy and
環境情報科学 学術研究論文集 31（2017） 265 institutional gaps such as the shortage of qualified staff members for promoting sustainable tourism. Reference Very much degrade was also made to the absence of user fees, insufficient docking areas. Lack of first medical aid kits and Degraded lifeguards were also raised. Danger in the trailing, fire Difficult to say hazard from cigarette smoking, and lack of toilet facilities were also raised. It was also interesting to note Improving that the participants underlined the importance of informing the tourists of the socio-cultural features of Improving very much Coron Island. 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Stakeholders particularly those from the Society for Mar 2013 Mar 2014 Sustainable Tourism and Development Inc (SSTDI), the Municipal Government of Coron, the Calamianes Fig.3 Stakeholders’ perception on environmental Cultural Conservation Inc, the Department of Tourism changes in 2013 and 2014 and any other stakeholder groups have collaborated in devising a draft charter for sustainable tourism in Coron. the level of concerns held by the local stakeholders in Inputs were also provided by the United Nations relation with tourism. By applying weighted scoring Environment Programme, the Thailand Environment (very concerned = 2, concerned =1, neutral =0, not so Institute and the Yokohama National University. much = -1, not at all = -2) to the identified phenomena, The draft charter laid out the objectives of (i) the most concerned phenomenon was the increase of conservation of local ecology and biodiversity, (ii) public tourists (34) followed by deforestation (32), coral reef and private partnership, (iii) social responsibility and damage (32), marine water pollution (32), mangrove environmental equity, and (iv) guideline development depletion (29), waste increase (24) and fish stock Fig.4 for sustainable tourism. The charter stipulates 31 Stakeholders' perception on tourism and its impacts depletion (21) environmental, social and economic action points. The as shown in Fig.4. The tourist increase wasn’t a direct text provided useful elements for uniting stakeholders environment impact, but included in the questionnaire as it has towards promoting sustainable tourism. The charter collateral environmental impacts. The same question was asked in was reviewed at the focused group discussions with the March 2014 a year later, and its comparison result was shown participants over 30. Fig.5. The rate of increase in the stakeholders’ concern was the 3.2 Perception on environmental changes highest for typhoon and flood risks (2.57) followed by rain The stakeholders were inquired about how they view scarcity (1.07), fish stock depletion (1.05), mining (0.88) and river the environmental changes. In March 2013 (n=13), 67 water pollution (0.82). per cent of the respondents stated that the environment has been degraded and 17 per cent stated that the n=19 Increasing tourists environment has been severely degraded. Thus, 84 per Deforestation Coral reefs damage cent stated that the environment has degraded Marine water pollution moderately or severely (Fig.3). A year later in March Mangrove depletion Waste increase 2014 (n=25), 43 per cent stated that the environment is Fish stock depletion improving and 35 per cent stated that the environment Underground water depletion Air pollution is degrading. By combining “moderate” and “severe or River water pollution Increased mining interests significant”, it can be said that 48 per cent regard the Rain scarecity environment improving and 43 per cent consider the Increased typhoons and flood risks environment degrading. A greater percentage of 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Weighted scores are given as follows: very concerned = 2, points stakeholders consider the environment improving. concerned =1, neutral =0, not so much = -1, not at all = -2 3.3 Perception on tourism and its impacts Fig.4 Stakeholders’ concern on the Coron’s environment The questionnaire survey of March 2013 revealed (2013)
266 環境情報科学 学術研究論文集 31（2017） on the suggested measures for promoting sustainable n=19 for 2013, n=25 for 2014 tourism. Awareness raising, private sector involvement, Increased typhoons and flood risks regulations and penalties were almost unanimously Rain scarecity Fish stock depletion supported as shown in Table 1. On the other hand, the Increased mining interests idea of introducing tax on natural resource use was River water pollution Underground water depletion poorly supported. The questionnaire was not specific Waste increase Coral reefs damaged enough to distinguish the tax for the livelihood use and Mangrove depletion the tax for the commercial use, and this needs to be Air pollution Marine water pollution clarified in the future research. Fiscal support and Increasing tourists subsidies faced a certain level of disagreement. Deforestation
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 time Figures shows the rate of changes in the weight scores of ４．DISCUSSION 2014 compared with 2013 in the same calculation method. Through the series of focused group discussions, Fig.5 Changes of stakeholders' perception over 2013 – stakeholders have expanded their knowledge base and 2014 partnership. Multi-stakeholder partnership was forged to undertake measures for promoting sustainable 3.4 Evaluation of the draft Charter for Sustainable tourism. The Super-typhoon Haiyan was a major Tourism in Coron external shock to the Philippines including Coron Island. The draft Charter for Sustainable Tourism in Coron The reconstruction process might have made local was developed and presented at the focused group people perceive environmental improvement. Haiyan discussions. The draft Charter was the conceptual might have shifted their attention from the tourist framework document to promote sustainable tourism in increase to disaster and rain scarcity. The local Coron through the suggested measures such as those stakeholders can reinforce disaster preparedness and aimed at conserving ecosystem and nature, reducing resilience. However, holistic and multi-scale actions are wastes, conserving quality water, promoting required to overcome climate change impacts. environmentally sound energy and fostering sustainable local livelihood. The participants were inquired in the Table 1: Stakeholders’ views on Suggested Measures questionnaire survey in March 2014 about their for Promoting Sustainable Tourism in Coron evaluation of the components contained in the draft Propositions Agree disagree Do not know Charter, related documents and mechanisms. The We should teach the importance of protecting the environment more in the outcome is compiled with the weighed scores (well schools. 24 0 1 Private sector should support developed = 2, reasonably developed = 1, deficient = -1 environmental conservation 24 0 0 very deficient = -2). The participants viewed the draft Government must strengthen environmental regulations 23 1 0 Charter as a useful document (30). Participants also We should enforce the penalty against those who damage the environmental. 23 0 0 gave positive notes to the consultation mechanisms We should engage stakeholders in created in this process of stakeholder discourses on consultations and decision making. 21 2 0 We should disseminate information to sustainable tourism in Coron (26), and partnership the public about the environment, forged in this process as well (25). However, limited compliance and rule violations 20 3 0 We should strengthen the local evaluation was given to information dissemination government by giving them more budget and people to monitor the local mechanism (22), compliance and enforcement environment and train local people for mechanism (21), benchmarks and indicators (21) and sustainable natural resource use. 19 4 0 The government should subsidize the monitoring mechanism (18). environmental conservation. 17 7 0 3.5 Assessment of the suggested measures for We should recourse to judicial proceedings (bring a case to the court). 12 8 1 promoting sustainable tourism in Coron We should raise the tax on the users of natural resources. 11 11 0 The stakeholders were also inquired in the There is nothing we can do to improve questionnaire survey in March 2014 about their views the environment. 2 19 1
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