THE provinces of Bohol and Palawan are sharing best practices through a partnership to advance ecotourism and development in the two prime Philippine destinations.
Bohol Gov. Edgar M. Chatto and Palawan Gov. Jose C. Alvarez formalized the partnership dubbed the Bohol-Palawan/Puerto Princesa Tourism and Environmental Programs and Development Policy Exchange, with the linkage slogan “We grow together”.
Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II and Puerto Princesa City Mayor Luisito Bayron, at the same time, forged a city sisterhood.
The United States Agency for International Development-Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity (USAID-SURGE) facilitated the exchange program.
The program strengthens sustainable tourism and policies on environmental preservation amid the growth and development of the partner-provinces and -cities.
Nature conservation in Palawan is considered a Philippine benchmark that can enrich and enhance Bohol’s own innovations and practices for sustainable, enduring ecotourism.
The League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) -Bohol Chapter is also a party to the partnership.
Chatto said policy-development exchange is essential because the partnership engages local government units (LGUs).
Bohol and Palawan also have these in common: Both have island towns, three congressional districts and one city, which is also the provincial capital. “We share and develop policies during the exchange and policy-development exchange has positive long-term implications that will make the program more substantial,” Chatto said.
Host officials themselves took turns in sharing best practices not just on tourism and environment, but also on agriculture, culture and arts.
The continuing pursuit of sustainable development and excellent governance, through the exchange program, has tied Bohol and Palawan.
A guided tour, coordinated by the provincial and city tourism officers, brought the Bohol group to the different known Palawan program sites and environs.
A fitting “prelude” to the formalizing of the partnership with Palawan, the Bohol tagline “Behold Bohol” was officially launched in Metro Manila.
The catchphrase is Bohol’s newest branding as a premier tourist destination in the country with the support of provincial government’s partners AirAsia Philippines, Department of Tourism (DOT) and USAID.
Through its Compete Project, USAID assisted in Bohol’s rehabilitation from the great earthquake, particularly in the formulation of the tourism recovery master plan.
The governor himself led the Bohol stakeholders in attending the launch, which gathered the officials of AirAsia, the DOT and USAID.
Also gracing the event, National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) Director General Ernesto M. Pernia said an earlier Panglao airport completion, which he believed is doable, is much better for Bohol.
DOT Undersecretary Alma Rita Jimenez said she was “amazed by the progressive increase” in the number of Bohol tourists despite the merciless earthquake’s impact. She said Bohol, as one of the Philippine destination icons, has simply been validated, again.
The launch was also attended by Rep. Rene L. Relampagos of the First District of Bohol, former House tourism committee chairman; Rep. Arthur C. Yap of the Third District of Bohol, House economic enterprise committee chairman; and Ebb Hinchliffe, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines.
Organized Boholanos in Metro Manila joined in the affair, which further had Provincial Tourism Council Chairman lawyer Lucas Nunag Jr. and Bohol Tourism Office people, plus travel agents and the national media.