Impact of Tourism on Boracay Island Development - Case Study Example

The Effects of Tourism on the Development of Boracay Island, Philippines Introduction Boracay Island is located in Western Visayas from Region Six of the Philippines with neighbors such as the island of Panay, the province of Negros, and many small islands. Boracay is about 2.5km wide at each end and 7km long. The west side main beach which is called White Beach is about 4km long has smaller beaches scattered around the island, while the main beach on the east side which is called Bulabog Beach is about 1.6km long (Information about Boracay Island itself). There are still smaller beaches scattered around the island. The island itself has no airports or docks so visitors take a boat ride to the island from the nearest airport. Boracay became an official tourist zone in 1978 by way of the Presidential Proclamation 1801. The island was placed under the management control of the Philippine Tourism Authority and land titles were forbidden. Active planning which was commenced in 1982 by the Philippine Tourism Authority utilized the services of a private company who developed a land use plan. This plan was called the Helberg plan which involved the establishment of control measures such as the 50 meter beach setback, use of native building materials, and height limitations (Trousdale, 1998). The Helberg plan up to this day was never implemented. This is just the beginning of the height of tourist or visitor traffic to the island. The succeeding years saw reorganizations, planning, forming of new regulations, implementations, and still a growing number of people visiting and settling in Boracay. Boracay Island is a paradise or was a paradise for some. Some people consider Boracay to be a lost paradise because of the tremendous influx of visitors and settlers to the island, which altered the ecosystem and the way of life in the island. The beauty of the island has been breathtaking and its ambiance serene. Life in Boracay was quiet, simple, and peaceful, until there was a boom in tourism. Tourism development and its success had a huge impact on the lives of the people living in Boracay and on the environment. Not everyone though is complaining because the growing number of visitors to the island all year round generates income for both the local people and those engaged in business. The question now lies on whether the advantages or the benefits afforded by tourism growth in Boracay outweigh the negative effects of having too many people on the island without adequate control measures. This paper will look into the social, economic, and environmental effects of tourism growth to the Boracay Island and its people. It will also deal with the Boracay preservation efforts by both private and government groups, and the applicable laws on environmental protection as implemented by Philippine government agencies. Social, Economic and Environmental Effects of Tourism on Boracay Island Tourism development in Boracay has generated both positive and negative effects on its environment, lifestyle, and people. The most obvious effect is the income generated not only by the island, but by the Philippines as a whole from the influx of foreign tourists and investments. The beauty of the island serves as the lighter or the positive side to the perceptions of other countries towards the Philippines. There are however adverse affects associated with tourism development in Boracay. In the social realm, the social experiences of the local people have changed in that they are now more exposed to frequent external visitors, both foreign and domestic. Their lifestyles including their social activities and livelihood have changed due to the modification of their environment from a sleepy rural town to a lively urbanized tourist destination. Conflicts are created within communities due to land being valuable. Property rights and land titles are being debated upon. There was clearly a lack of zoning or guidelines. Neighbors argue over their property limits. The poor become squatters in their own land because of land tenure ambiguity. Restaurants, bars or other public establishments were built beside residential areas. Noise and aesthetic degradation became a problem. Economically, tourism provided jobs to the local people, aside from fishing and farming which were the primary means of livelihood, Boracay locals have begun working in hotels, resorts, and restaurants. Some have resorted to selling native food, delicacies, ornaments, and other things related to beach activities. Some acquired jobs as tourist guides, boat operators, and masseuse. Other local residents have developed into entrepreneurs by putting up small restaurants, inns or stores to cater to the throngs of visitors all year round. The Boracay local government has raked in revenues from both domestic and foreign investments in the Island. Most of the investments were realty based where hotels and restaurants have been built almost non-stop. Pieces of land to be developed as resorts have sold incessantly. Numerous establishments set up in the island generate money for the local government to be used for the island's development programs. There has also been an adverse economic effect to the local community due to stiff business competition. Local store owners lost competition against big time investments usually from foreigners or Manila-based corporations. Local businesses were either kicked out of their territories or they lose their market. Less can be said of the positive environmental effects of tourism on Boracay Island. Negative effects include pollution of surface and ground water due to poor sewage treatment. This may result to diseases or health problems and may also cause destruction of marine resources like coral reefs. One incident of a contamination crisis happened in 1997 when the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported that the groundwater and swimming area of Boracay were contaminated with the bacteria called coliform which exist in the intestines and feces of humans and other warm-blooded animals (LUJAN, 2003). Coliform enters the water bodies through human and animal waste and may cause illness such as gastroenteritis if ingested through the mouth or through passageways like the ears, nose or skin wounds. This crisis consequently affected the local economy in Boracay when tourists cancelled their hotel reservations and tourist arrivals greatly declined. Increased boat operations or traffic due to tourist arrivals in Boracay can lead to serious damage or destruction of the coastal environment such as the damage to coral reefs from the frequent dropping of anchors and the leaking of toxic substances from the boats. Boracay Island Preservation Efforts and Environmental Protection Laws implemented and enforced by Philippine Government Agenices Boracay was not prepared for the Tourism boom in the Island. The emergence of numerous hotels and resorts spelled disaster for the sewage system of the Island. Plants and other marine life had to be protected, water had to be kept clean, and land had to be naturally preserved. The local people of Boracay also had to be protected from the ills and harm brought about by the sudden increase in visitors and settlers to the island. These are the reasons why rules had to be laid down. Protection and preservation of the environment and the rights of the inhabitants of a certain area are duties of the government. Planning, implementation and administration are usually done with the help of private groups or organizations. Boracay was under the management of the national government until the year 1992 when a Local Government Code transferred the responsibility and control of the master development plan (MDP) of the island to Local Government Units which include the province, municipality, and villages or barangays. The Municipality of Malay gained control over Boracay. From 1992, efforts were carried on by the Local Government Units with assistance and support from the Department of Tourism, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, other government agencies like the Coastal Resource Management Project, non-governmental agencies, and resort or hotel owners. Some of the national laws include Solid Waste and Wastewater Management which involved regulations for tourism establishments as provided for by two national laws: Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or republic Act 9003 and Clean Water Act of 2004 or Republic Act 9257, The Environmental Impact System (EIS) which involved requirements to be complied with by developers for environmental impact assessment and obtaining Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC), and Shoreline Setback which involved the prohibition of building structures at riverbanks and shores of seas or lakes, and building of structures should comply with the distance from shoreline: three meters in Urban areas, 40 meters in forest areas, and 20 Meters in agricultural areas (WWF Philippines). The Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry initiated a 3-stage effort to address Boracay's ecological sustainability: Solid Waste Collection System, Boracay Eco-Educational Campaign and Material Recovery Facility Project, Environment - Friendly Garbage Disposal System. Along with the other stakeholders of Boracay, the Chamber aims to prevent destruction of Boracay's ecosystem stemming from the steady 10% increase in tourist traffic which generates between 7 to 10 metric tones of solid waste (Boracay Lives, 2005). The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) threatened to close 160 Boracay establishments permanently for alleged environmental law violations. This prompted the establishments to comply with the laws and reapply for the Environment Compliance Certificates (ECCs). According to DENR, 390 or 77.67 percent of the 500 Boracay residential and commercial establishments have already linked to the sewage and water treatment facility, and 75 percent of the commercial structures numbering to 300 with 81 percent of the residential structures numbering to 200 have all conformed to the ordinance of the Municipality of Malay (Adraneda). "The Department of Tourism gave a deadline to the Municipal Government of Malay to prepare and present a land use plan by December of 2007". Any Construction in the island should not be permitted by local officials within this time. Due to the Malay Municipal Government's issuance of building permits which violate environmental laws, Boracay has experienced over-development without the appropriate systematic planning. The Department of Tourism is planning to hire a private company to draft the master plan using the land use plan of the Malay Municipality as a basis. Aside from maintaining the beauty of Boracay and maintaining a healthy groundwater, the ultimate aim of the department is to balance development with sustainability (Dela Cruz, 2007). Sustainable Tourism Development Sustainable tourism development focuses on long-term effects rather than short term effects or immediate rewards. It emphasizes on the preservation of the indigenous aspects of the island and its environmental health. The principles of sustainability which pertain to the socio-cultural, economic, and environmental facets of tourism development need to be balanced in order to assure long term sustainability (Sustainable Development of Tourism, 2006). In order to achieve sustainable tourism development, all the stakeholders should participate and owe responsibility to the efforts. The development process which entails continuous implementations of corrective and preventive measures need strong political will and leadership. Sustainable tourism development also aims to maintain a high tourist satisfaction level while increasing their awareness on responsible practices to protect the environment while at the island. Conclusion The beauty of Boracay, its serenity, its culture, and its people need to be protected from environmental and health hazards because the island does not only generate revenue for both private individuals or companies and the Philippine government, but it provides a tranquil getaway and it is a source of pride for the Filipinos. Sustainable development is the key to preserving Boracay Island so it can be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations. No matter how big the revenue a resort or hotel owner gets, and how big the earnings of the government are, if Boracay becomes a health hazard and a major environmental concern, then businesses will collapse and the revenues earned will be useless. In order for Sustainable tourism development to succeed, all the stakeholders should be involved in planning and decision making. This includes the owners of the resorts or hotels, the employees of the establishments, the representatives of the local people in Boracay, and the private and government agencies involved with environmental concerns and tourism. Inputs from visitors through their observations and actual experiences are likewise important in the planning stage. Implementing and managing sustainable development programs may be achieved through determination, cooperation, vigilance, strict compliance to existing laws, respect for indigenous cultures, and continuous monitoring and advocacies of the delegated government agencies with the help of private cause-oriented groups. References Adraneda, K. (n.d.). 160 Owners of Boracay establishments rush to secure ECCs or else face CLOSURE . Retrieved Oct 31, 2007, from Boracay: http://www.boracay.com/articles.phparticle_id=85 Boracay Lives. (2005). Retrieved Oct 31, 2007, from Department of Tourism: http://corporate.mozcom.com/dot/bb/bcci.html Dela Cruz, R. T. (2007, Sep 4). Boracay land use plan deadline set. Retrieved Oct 31, 2007, from Aklan Forum Journal: http://aklanforum.blogspot.com/2007/09/boracay-land-use- plan-deadline-set-by.html Information about Boracay Island itself. (n.d.). Retrieved Oct 31, 2007, from Boracay Info: http://www.boracayinfo.net/boracayinfo/index.php LUJAN, N. C. (2003, January 20). Boracay's Road to Ruin. Retrieved Oct 31, 2007, from Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism: http://www.pcij.org/stories/2003/boracay.html Sustainable Development of Tourism. (2006, Jan 9). Retrieved Oct 31, 2007, from United Nations Environment Programme: http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/sust- tourism/home.htm Trousdale, W. J. (1998, Oct 12). Governance in Context: Boracay Island, Philippines. Retrieved Oct 31, 2007, from Ecoplan International: http://www.ecoplanintl.com/documents/governance-figures.pdf WWF Philippines. (n.d.). Going Green Toolkit. Retrieved Oct 31, 2007, from WWf Philippines: http://www.wwf.org.ph/downloads/GoingGreenToolKit.pdf Read More