By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter
LAOAG CITY—The magnificent
landscape of natural parks showcasing the best in Region 1 took the center
stage in a photo exhibit set up by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB)
in Region 1 at the Palacio de Laoag Hotel on April 6-7 to promote its eco-tourism
potentials.
Over the years, members of
the PAMB composed of a multi-sectoral body has preserved these sites but due to
limited budget, some are poorly maintained and weakly promoted. PAMB is an
administrative body composed of all the local government units and tribal
communities in charge of regulating the protected area
However, with the passage of
Republic Act 10629, which President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III signed in
September 2013, at least 75 percent of the income generated by protected areas
by the PAMB, can now be used by stakeholders to develop and sustain its
eco-tourism potential. The remaining 25 percent of the total earnings will
still go to the national treasury for the utilization of other national parks
in the country.
Income generated by protected
areas comes from entrance fees paid by tourists, payment for the lease of areas
used by tourism concessionaires, contributions from industries and facilities
directly benefitting from the protected area—such as resorts and cell sites of telecommunication
companies—and taxes for the legal sale and export of flora and fauna found in
the protected area.
In Region 1, at least 15
protected areas are being promoted. Found in this province are the
Kalbario-Patapat Natural Park in Pagudpud; Tanap watershed forest reserve at
Barangay Tanap in Burgos, Metropolitan Ilocos Norte watershed forest reserve in
Sulbec, Pasuquin; and the Paoay Lake Natural Park.
In Ilocos Sur, the protected
areas are Libunao protected landscape in Sinait; Bigbiga protected landscape in
Mazoro, Narvacan; Northern Luzon Heroes Hill in Magsaysay, Santa; Bessang pass
natural monument in Malaya, Cervantes; Lidlidda protected landscape located in
between Lidlidda and Banayoyo; Santa Lucia protected landscape in Salcedo; and
the Tirad pass national park in Gregorio del Pilar Quirino, Sigay, Cervantes
and Suyo.
Other protected areas in
Region I are: Manleluag Spring in
Malabobo, Catarataraan, Pacalat, Lawaklangka and Calomboyan Sur in Mangatarem,
Pangasinan; Hundred Islands in Alaminos City; Agoo Damortis protected landscape
and seascape in Agoo, Sto. Tomas and Rosario, La Union; and the Naguilian
Watershed at Brgy. Casilagan, also in La Union.
In a press conference held in
Laoag, Gwendolyn Bambalan, assistant regional director for technical services
of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources based in Region 1 said
these protected areas have been eyed to promote sustainable enterprise and
benefit its local stakeholders.
In view of this, Ms. Bambalan
said PAMB members from the four provinces in Region 1 are currently undertaking
capability building seminar to ensure they are ready to implement new
innovations in protected area management.
Meanwhile, she lauded Ilocos
Norte government’s effort to promote its eco-tourism sites here where other
PAMB members could emulate.
“We would like to commend the
administration of Governor Imee Marcos for her efforts to pursue ecotourism
sites in the province. That is why we brought the 15 PAMBs here to see and
observe for themselves how Ilocos Norte did it,” Ms. Bambalan said.
She also cited the crucial
role of local government units in terms of the social preparation of the
national parks for the local community to embrace changes.
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