Oslob – A hub of responsible tourism

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Sustainable and responsible tourism is the foundation stone of Tourism Secretary, Bernadette “Berna” Romulo-Puyat’s, program as she defines the tourism of the country offensive. This is exactly what she informed a group of us in a recent press forum on July 2018.

 
Her plunge could not be more suitable. Following the Boracay catastrophe, we have seen how fast development with zero planning can boomerang into an environmental tragedy; how dishonesty in local governments can turn the immaculate of islands into a virtual septic tank; and how local governments can be unable of administering large volume, high profile visitor destinations, both in financial and management terms.

 
Boracay was a hurting lesson for majority of us. Not only will its shutting down episode cost us somewhere around US$900 million in foregone tourism revenues, it also relocated thousands of businesses, small and large, from the island. The environmental harm caused to the flora, fauna and marine life of Boracay has yet to be quantified.

 
Last week, I took my family to the Oslob to enjoy a swim with the whale sharks. This wasn’t the first time we were in the island; we were there in 2012 when it was still a low- key vacation spot. At that time, the place was barebones rural. The main reception was comprised a roofed pavilion some 400 square meters in size, ready with two toilets and around eight shower stalls. It had a parking space, good for approximately 25 cars. The entire facility was enough to process 100 daily visitors.

 
In today’s context, Oslob has become a famous tourist destination. At present it attracts around 1,000 tourists every day and neither the pavilion nor parking lot have been expanded.

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