The past year, especially this summer has been one of the most surreal moments of my adult life, living my dream of traveling to some remote areas so pristine you feel like you must be in a post card.
I heard the chorus of birds singing to a backdrop of leaves swaying in the breeze. I heard them because there was no electricity on the island and the place we were in was powered by solar energy: silent, mostly clean, and sustainable.
I saw seahorses and striped angelfish swimming in front of my eyes. I swam with blue starfish, red corals, and once while I was safely on a boat, I saw a smack (group) of jellyfish passing by. And no, I was not in Ocean Park.
It’s so tempting to post everything online, to the admiring “oohs” and “ahhs” of your colleagues as they browse your photos, digital fingerprints that say “I was there” that no one can dispute.
But then I remember other things: a horde of noisy, gay tourists flicking their cigarette butts on the clear blue water as the tide was receding. Teenage boys setting up a campfire directly on top of golden sand, effectively ruining it and then later seeing how far they can throw the sooty embers of their fire in the swimming area of the beach.
I woke up one morning hearing not the birds but the wail of a spoiled little boy screaming for his mother to come and then screaming again for her to go and then just screaming at her for no reason at all until the sleepy campers and the quiet little village came to life.
I saw plastics swept in by the tide, eventually receding and leaving the colourful, synthetic garbage hanging on gnarly mangrove branches like decorations on some eerie tropical Christmas trees. I saw discarded snack wrappers and plastic bottles near a scenic waterfall, a plastic bag swirling in one of the little eddies.
It’s awesome, the power we wield at our fingertips, how with a touch of an upload button we can entice one or two to come visit, who will invite another 5 or 6 to join each of them, who will post their own pictures and convince more and more people to go and see what the hype was all about.
This is ecotourism at its best… and worst.
On one hand ecotourism is a viable option versus extracting our dwindling resources. Get people to visit and save our mountains from being leveled to the ground by the mining industry. Promote trekking to save our forests from being converted into agricultural fields and residential subdivisions. Encourage snorkeling and island hopping to save our coral reefs from being destroyed by unregulated fishing.
On the other hand, ecotourism brings with it a ton of waste that the unspoiled paradise does not need. It puts a drain on scarce resources such as water and food, which would again add pressure to open up more forest areas for agriculture and food production. It brings an influx of people from places that have vastly different morals and attitudes that could influence the next generation.
Is the Philippines truly ready for ecotourism?
It would take a LOT of effort on the part of our local government to mobilize and motivate their constituents to safeguard the environment against pollution, and even the pollution of our values.
I fear the day, for example, when the Bayanihan spirit becomes replaced with an expectation of monetary rewards, when more and more rural youngsters adopt the “cool” and “astig” posturing of their spoiled urban counterparts and shed the quiet persevering charm of their roots.
But I digress. That is worry enough for another day, so let me get back to the point. To post or not to post? That is the question.
Posting is unavoidable. People want to share feel-good experiences and “spread the love” so to speak. So for the nouveau travel blogger, DO add reminders on how to behave in the area you are writing about. Strangers will read your blog and you do not know the kind of people you are influencing to come see the paradise you were in.
Will you be part of its destruction or its success as an ecotourism site?
Some reminders include posting appropriate behaviour on how to manage waste: remind them to bring trash bags for example. In small islands and in ALL protected areas, the protocol is TRASH IN, TRASH OUT. Take your trash with you, especially plastics, back to the boat and dump them in the main port or the registration area/jump off point if you are trekking. Do not leave your plastics on the island or the mountain.
Proper behaviour also includes basic courtesy, such as observing quiet hours at night and in the early morning hours with the locals. Be aware of your attire. In Mindanao, for example, wearing a two piece bikini swimsuit is not allowed for women. Visiting churches, historic or otherwise, often require wearing more conservative clothing.
Always keep the people in mind: the locals as well as the strangers you might be influencing with your blog post. Write about more than the usual where to go, how to get there, and how much money to bring. Ecotourism is a relatively young industry in the Philippines and we do need to help make it a success.
All for now. I need to prep for my next destination. Thank you for sharing.
