 |
| All photos here from Davao Tourism office |
Turtle
sanctuary brings
promise to Davao lumads
PUNTA Dumalag in Davao City is most popular for its sea
turtle (pawikan) sanctuary.
It is an opportunity for the indigenous peoples living
around the sanctuary to earn from agritourism, according to new research
presented at the First National Agritourism Research Conference to be held on
June 27-29 at the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and
Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna.
Jointly organized by SEARCA and the Tourism Foundation, Inc.
of the University of the Philippines Diliman-Asian Institute of Tourism, the
conference was held on June 27-29.
The Davao research was conducted by Ma. Rina Quelistino of
the University of Mindanao. The study determined how the residents around the
Pawikan sanctuary perceived the income potential of the site.
The study revealed that the sanctuary offered high economic
potential through employment of the “lumads” or indigenous peoples and
opportunities for a new tourism business.
Interestingly, the lumads anticipated a high investment
return for businesses revolving around the sanctuary. It is both a boon and a
bane.
Too much commercialization of the site would overburden the
site and may disturb the sea turtles, the study observes. Still, commerce is a
sure activity that would improve the conditions of local residents.
The sea turtle sanctuary is a story in the making. The
potential of income and the threat to the pawikans due to influx of businesses
must be balanced with improving the lives of the people around the sanctuary
and turtle conservation.
The agritourism conference, organized by SEARCA and the
Asian Institute of Tourism, University of the Philippines Diliman, will focus
on the current status of research and development on the agritourism industry.
 |
|
Nesting
Site of the critically endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle
located
at Punta Dumalag, Matina Aplaya, Davao City.
Photos
and caption from Davao Tourism Office
|
“Consolidating research outputs and initiatives related to
agriculture and tourism will have a stronger impact on the reduction of poverty
and the protection of natural resources,” says Dr. Gil C. Saguiguit Jr., SEARCA
Director. “It emphasizes agritourism as an important tool to diversify farming
and boost rural economies as well.”
“For an agricultural country like the Philippines, which
through the years has also poised itself as a world-class tourism hub, the potential
contribution of agritourism to the stability and growth of the economy could
not be underestimated,” he points out.
The conference will bring together investors and
entrepreneurs, industry regulators, organizations and the academe engaged in agritourism
research and development projects.
###