THE PAST two weeks in Bohol, social media, traditional media, local leaders, and kibitzers went crazy, even ballistic, over a resort that situated itself at the foot of a hill in Sagbayan. Social media went haywire with everyone having his and her own quotable quotes and some, highlighting pertinent DENR policies, ad infinitum. The circus was fascinating!
As if that weren’t enough, national media joined the fray, and naturally, national leaders had to have their say, too. What? Like we’re not capable of resolving our own issues here. How pathetic could we get?
I do not want to join the fracas, for after all, everyone had a mouthful of rant already, and the establishment had closed, so I will just repeat what I said on my talk show a couple of months ago.
I believe it’s proactive — yes, “acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes,” efficient, and effective that the provincial tourism office undertakes an inventory of all the existing tourist destinations in Bohol — which I believe they do — including those in the far-flung areas regardless of their size and capacity — and more importantly, because of what’s happening, put a working mechanism to identify upcoming constructions that may affect our protected areas and our environment.
Yes, a mechanism, a system, a process, call it anything you want, for as long as it serves the purpose. This mechanism can then produce a comprehensive plan integrating all the possible sites that can be used for tourist destination projects that do not violate the environment in all its forms, and the sensibilities of man or woman. This comprehensive plan with its working mechanism can guide future developers.
If the players of the power industry like the electric cooperatives and distribution utilities can project the power requirements of their franchise areas, and yes, even if the parallel is not so similar, our provincial tourism office can do the same, although the work is tedious. The provincial government can provide all the necessary tools to make the work possible.
We also have the municipal tourism offices. I’m sure that all tourism officers from the different municipalities of Bohol are organized like the information officers — they have their own group, and human resource officers — they have theirs, too, under one body. As a group, they can meet and formulate policies on how to address future undertakings using both environmental and tourism lens.
I do not wish to argue with anyone about which office should take charge. I’m just saying let’s do it! We should — the local government — take charge, so we don’t appear like the laughingstock of the nation.
I do not believe that it’s only the DENR’s responsibility to monitor such undertakings — why should the buck stop with DENR anyway — since it’s located in our island-province, and we lead the local government here. Or have we forgotten local governance?
And what are the local government units in municipalities doing? Are we always thinking income? It seems money is always the motivation. We do not care about any project’s impact on our landscape, our protected areas, our environment for as long as they bring in the money. Is it really all about the money?
It’s funny how when push comes to shove, everybody washes their hands and easily points a finger at anyone. How cowardly. And we need national leaders to jump in on the bandwagon and tell us in our faces we are idiots because we can’t manage our own province. Give us a break!
So, what now?
Kibitzers can become environmental advocates, students, farmers, fisherfolk, drivers, carpenters, anyone. If only we can create such brawl and indignation over other projects that violate our natural habitat, our marine environment, our trees, our hills, our rivers, our remaining forest cover, then we are all the wiser. If only.
But there’s hope.
From the heartless cutting of the four centuries-old Acacia trees in Taloto, Tagbilaran City — which now has a case filed in court, the shelved 153-hectare land reclamation project located along the coastal areas of Barangays Mansasa, Poblacion I, Poblacion II, Cogon, Booy, and Taloto (again) in Tagbilaran City, the mounting environmental concerns of the capital city and the province up to this recent chaos, I can see that there’s hope.
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The writer is on leave from her talk show, Woman Talk with Belinda Sales. She can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN
