Alaminos cross visits provinces to improve local tourism industry

The Hundred Islands National Park Protected Area Management Board (HINP-PAMB) conducted a cross visit on July 11 to the provinces of Iloilo, Antique, and Aklan to learn from its best practices in terms of aquatic ecosystem and biodiversity, aquaculture, fisheries, and eco-tourism initiatives which made these economic zones worthy of emulation.

The learning tool focuses on taking a first-hand experience and real encounter on running sustainable projects along the prominent provinces for possible replication in Alaminos City specifically in terms of the protection and conservation of the city’s Hundred Islands National Park. It also seeks to discover and widen the scope of other eco-tourism activities for duplication that would surely arouse the city's local tourism industry to attract tourists both local and international which spells additional income for the local residents to sustain the needs of their households.

The team was consisted by Alaminos City Mayor Arthur Celeste, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Field Office, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, punong barangays of Brgy. Telbang, Bued and Lucap, motorboat association, hotel, transient and restaurant associations, academe, and HINP-PAMB technical working group and secretariat.

Mayor Celeste extended his gratitude to Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) acting chief Chinaya Nakayasu, Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog and his city administrator Atty. Hernando Galvez, Kalibo Aklan Mayor William Lachica, and the Tourism Operation Officer of the Municipality of Malay Felix Delos Santos for the productive learning encounter and exchange for best practices which has inspired the HINP-PAMB to work even harder, perform better, and to spur economic advancement without sacrificing environmental protection and conservation.