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.