ASEAN tourism energized by the Green Core

As part of the concerted efforts of the ten ASEAN-member countries--Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam--to unify as a single tourist destination, they have considered the standardization of tourism services. This is in view of establishing the ASEAN as one integrated economic community. At the heart of these standards is the principle of responsibility for environmental integrity.

This ASEAN logo is used for both the green hotel and the homestay awards. The flower resembling lotus means inducing luxurious enjoyment, peace and beauty; the petals enfolding the ASEAN logo signify resilience of member-countries; and the different shades of green symbolize protection of environment, fertility, growth, increase of production in tourism industry.   

The ASEAN Green Hotel Award

The ASEAN Green Hotel Award is a ceremony by the ASEAN-member states in recognition to hotel industry players who qualified for their compliance to the ASEAN Green Hotel Standard, which is succinctly defined as an ASEAN standard respectful of sustainable resources consumption. It establishes a professional green hotel operation such as environmental plan, green product, human resource and environmental management, which will enable environment and communities to benefit from a collective approach to operational professionalism.  Each winner is awarded with a plaque and a certificate of ASEAN Green Hotel Award valid for three years.

There are 11 criteria for this award, namely: (1) environmental policy and actions for hotel operation, (2) use of "green" products, (3) collaboration with the community and local organizations, (4) human resource development, (5) solid waste management, (6) energy efficiency, (7) water efficiency, (8) air quality management (indoor and outdoor), (9) noise pollution control, (10) waste water treatment and management, and (11) toxic and chemical substance disposal management.

Now on its 5th year, the ceremony was held in the Philippines, during its successful hosting of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016 held in 18-22 January 2016. 

In each member-country, the national tourism organization (NTO) appoints a national body to assess candidate-hotels, which are then nominated by the respective member-state to the ASEAN. For the Philippines, 10 hotels were awarded, namely: Amarela Resort, Amorita Resort, Baguio Country Club, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort, Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge, Pearl Farm, The Bellevue Resort, The Manor at Camp John Hay.

DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. (at the centermost, standing) is flanked by the hotel-awardees, namely: Amarela Resort, Amorita Resort, Baguio Country Club, Bluewater Maribago Beach Resort, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, Daluyon Beach and Mountain Resort, Fundacion Pacita Batanes Nature Lodge, Pearl Farm, The Bellevue Resort, The Manor at Camp John Hay.

The ASEAN Homestay Award

All over the ASEAN region, homestay program is a form of alternative tourism in which tourists are given the opportunity to experience the way of life with local community. The experiential nature of this form of tourism is becoming increasingly popular with foreign tourists.

Establishing the ASEAN Homestay Standard provides an opportunity to standardize a base-level understanding of what a homestay is and to establish a minimum standard across all ASEAN-member states. The standard facilitates a coordinated approach encouraging partnership with the relevant stakeholders and creating a positive environment while revitalizing the rural economy effectively reducing poverty incidence in the countryside. It aims to create higher quality homestays to appeal to discerning tourists.

The standard focuses on the host, accommodation, activities, authenticity, management, location, safety and security, marketing and sustainability principles.

The awardees will benefit from marketing programs being implemented by related government agencies and the ASEAN organization most especially from the branding  of ASEAN Standard Homestay, which is internationally recognized, as well as free training programs.

For the Philippines, the five ASEAN Homestay Awardees are Agan's Homestay, Ates Homestay, Estelita Homestay, Xylla's Estelita Homestay, and Daval Homestay, all from Siquijor Island.

Sandwiching the tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr. (4rth from left, standing) are the five ASEAN Homestay Awardees, namely:  Agan's Homestay, Ates Homestay, Estelita Homestay, Xylla's Estelita Homestay, and Daval Estelita Homestay.

ECOTOURISM: The Philippine's Under-Explored Pearl of Great Price

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Located at the northeastern tip of Luzon, the Peñablanca Protected Landscape [3] is known for its countless caves and lush, fertile land. It is a verdant junction to some of the region’s greatest landscapes—the Cordillera and Sierra Madre mountains lie on its western and eastern borders, providing the perfect setting for some truly intense eco-adventures. Try your limbs at spelunking in some of the best-preserved caves this side of the province.

Get your feet wet, literally, in white-water kayaking expedition. Should you wish to keep your feet dry, there is also a host of less-hectic activities for the eco-tourist.

The Pinacanauan River is lined with the mountain edge of the Peñablanca Protected Landscape in Cagayan Valley, which houses the seven-chamber Callao caves.

One of the seven chambers of Callao cave.

The Gran Central Cordillera mountains [4] is a vast, 23,000 sq. km. portion of mountainous terrain in Northern Luzon mystified by cool foggy weather and made majestic by rice terraces. It is essentially a landlocked region with its lush valleys, and pine-covered summits making it one of the Philippines’ most popular destinations for mountaineering and other related activities. The Cordilleras are home to numerous ethnic communities—around eleven of them are in the highlands, all of them possessing their own unique cultures.

Everything that excites a mountaineer is in there—a vast terrain reaching out to the horizon, dotted with hills, mountains, streams, and rocks of all sizes from pebbles to boulders even bigger than the size of cars. Then there’s the ubiquitous sand spewed from the mouth of Mt. Pinatubo decades ago, getting into everything and everywhere else. Finally, there’s the journey itself—sixty minutes of bouncing, crushing “4x4” action, followed by three hours of trekking.

Rugged yet stunningly glorious on top, Mt. Pinatubo [6] is not for the faint of heart—you have to pay with your profuse sweat and bold guts. Devastating Central Luzon in 1991, it ejected tons of ashes and vomited raging rivers of lahar and ferocious lava but gave birth as well to tons of livelihood activities in addition to its being an ecotourism site.

The aerial view of the crater of Mt. Pinatubo

The Hundred Islands, Pangasinan

 The Hundred Islands National Park [5] is Pangasinan’s provincial pride, consisting of a small archipelago off the coast of Alaminos. Often referred to as a tiny version of the Philippines, it has more than 200 green vegetation-topped, white sand-ringed islets set amidst a brilliant backdrop of deep green-blue waters.

Climb the world’s smallest volcano or simply view it from the cool foggy slopes of nearby Tagaytay City.

Aside from being fairly challenging and rugged climb, Taal Volcano [9] is a major lesson in earth science. Situated among red oxidized soil and smoking vapour vents in the main crater, which houses a small lake of sulfur and water. Up there, the wind is cool, atmosphere calm and the view breathtaking. Such a lovely sight, one might say, belies this land’s awesome and yet violent nature.

“The Whale Shark Capital of the World” is Donsol [12], one of the 14 municipalities of Sorsogon, because of whale sharks or butanding, the largest living fish species, taking a haven in the waters of this town during summer months. It is the biggest marine attraction in the Philippines that turned Donsol into a world-class tourist destination. Whale shark interaction despite the assurance of the presence of a BOI, butanding interaction officer, and the knowledge of its being amiable will give you a formidable emotional combination of fear and thrill—an unforgettable experience you won’t forget.

Taal from the point of view of Tagaytay.

The crater lake of Taal Volcano

Butanding interaction in Donsol.

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Christmas Time: Wasting Away, Cleaning Up

Christmas time. Divisoria is the busiest business district in Manila whole year round. When Yuletide season is in the air, Divi is even more chaotic. The 168 Mall have expanded its capacity for commercial establishments which, as expected, attracted more stores and patrons of every imaginable toys, gadgets and wares--fashion, bags, jewelry, watches, cellphones, ipads, netbooks, speakers of all sizes, almost everything except wet goods that you can find outside. People regardless of state in life prefer Divi for value of money, specially those hard-earned.

While Christmas certainly stimulates commerce as it inspires gift giving, it also produces tons of wastes, especially plastics that clog drainage canals and eventually results to flooding during rainy days. We know well that flood spoils everything including the economic gains of the season. So, the losses outweigh the gains--this makes Christmas a time of wasting away.

A simple action makes a big difference. Bring with you a bag, large enough to contain all you need (not wants) to buy for gift giving. With this you don't need plastic for every purchase that you make--less plastic, less waste.