Philippine Eco Tourism in Facebook

I recently joined a group in Facebook called the Philippine EcoTourism group, and this band of good people, true-blue nature lovers all, is definitely doing its own part in protecting the environment.

Gone are the days though when environmental advocacy means protecting the environment at all costs. It used to be that environmental groups look at local residents in a threatened ecological niche as adversaries in the fight to save the environment. These days, as Philippine Eco Tourism advocates, local residents are treated as partners in environmental protection.

Photo Courtesy of John Lubos

The group aims to promote "sustainable tourism within a natural and cultural heritage area where community participation, protection and manangement of natural resources, culture and indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and ethics, as well as economic benefits are fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and the satisfaction of visitors."

The bottomline is tourism, in the context of Philippine Eco Tourism's programs, is geared not only towards protecting and preserving the environment in the Philippines but also in providing a sustainable space where local residents can live in and thrive.