Hundred Islands gets enthusiastic support from tourists
BASURA MO, IUWI NO
ALAMINOS City – The “Basura mo, Iuwi mo” campaign of the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) and the city government that engages and teaches visitors to keep the islands clean and to be ecologically responsible, is one campaign worth duplicating in other tourist destinations in the province.
Before the campaign was launched, HINP efforts to keep the islands clean and clear of trash was a daily, major headache.
“Everyday we collect tons of garbage from the islands and bring it back to the mainland for disposal,” says Miguel Sison, tourism officer of Alaminos City.
Engaging tourists to become responsible
The “Scubasurero” project shared the same problem having to clean and pick up trash and debris under the water around the islands.
“These problems led us to launch ‘Basura mo, iuwi mo’.” said Sison.
The campaign requires every tourist going to the islands to deposit a refundable P200 for 2 trash bags for their biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes.
Tourists are advised to dispose of their trash in the supplied trash bags to be brought back with them to the mainland when they depart. The trash bags will be received at the Waste Disposal Center where they can claim their P200 deposit.
Free entrance fee for their next visit are given as added incentive to those who return their wastes inside the trash bags.
“It is effective” said Sison. The islands maintenance personnel have reported they are collecting much less trash since the start of the campaign.
Some 200 to 250 kilos of trash a day are being turned over by visitors daily at the Waste Disposal Center.
Sison said the response and reaction of the guests have been very positive because they have been made to help create further awareness to preserve and protect the environment.
“That’s the whole idea,” Sison said.
The city government is optimistic that with the support the campaign is getting, it can soon declare Hundred Islands National Park as a ‘Zero Waste’ tourism destination. (Jojo Riñoza)
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