PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Around 14 different community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) projects are applying for funding from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in this city.
DOLE Regional Director Joel Gonzales said Tuesday the projects, worth PHP4 million, are being proposed under their Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) by CBST associations engage in various tourism-related activities.
He said one of the CBST sites are located in Barangay Babuyan, an outlying city barangay going north, which they have visited on June 15. A consultation was also done during the visit with beneficiaries.
“We are doing the consultation to potential beneficiaries of the livelihood projects that can be funded by the DOLE to provide the information that they have to know,” he said.
Babuyan is gaining popularity among domestic and foreign guests because of the twin shifting white sandbars that are surrounded by several coral gardens for snorkeling.
Specifically located at Sitio Anilawan, both sandbars can be reached by taking a 20-minute motor banca ride from the village wharf.
The CBST projects are the city government’s alternative response to the issues of deficiency in livelihood opportunities in economically-marginalized communities in Puerto Princesa, and overcrowding at the underground river since it was declared one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
Local DOLE Labor and Employment Officer III Elnie Iligan said the other proposals are now being evaluated to see if they can qualify to receive funding from the DILP.
The DILP can grant from PHP200,000 and more, depending on what facilities and materials the proponents need, she said.
Among the project proponents are the Park Warden Association for the Jungle Trail, Mangrove Paddle Boat Tour Association, Maoyon River Cruise CBST Association, Isla Felomina Snorkeling and Diving Site Association, and the Babuyan Twin Sandbar Association.
Among the proposed projects are T-Shirt printing and selling, hardware trading for motorized banca, souvenir photo and souvenir items, souvenir shops and restaurants, and provision of motorized banca for tourists.
Gina Taghac, president of the Babuyan Twin Sandbar CBST Association (BTSCA), said they are proposing for two-units of motorized banca which can carry 6-8 individuals.
Their group ferries tourists and offer other tourism-services to the Twin Sandbar, specifically in the Puntod Gitna.
“Kailangan namin ang bangka kasi pag marami kaming guests, maghahanap at mag-aarkila pa kami kung saan-saan (We need the motorized for our guests because sometimes when there are so many, we experience difficulty in looking for boats to hire),” she said.(Gerardo Reyes, Jr./PNA)
