Bea Zobel Jr., Ben Chan join hands for Bohol

MANILA, Philippines – Call it Divine Providence.

In a carinderia (eatery) in Baclayon, Bohol, philanthropist Beatriz Susana Zobel de Ayala Jr. was talking shop with diver-businessman Joel Uichico when her mobile phone rang.

Ben Chan, chairman of Suyen Corp., was calling to make a pledge after reading an article on her civic work in Bohol. He offered to donate part of the sales from Bench’s Green Tee, a line of T-shirts dedicated to environment causes, for the construction of the tourism information center on Baclayon’s wharf.

Zobel’s link with Bohol began with an exhibit of the province’s treasures at Metropolitan Museum, where she was board member and culture worker. Victorino Manalo was then museum head. The ties were strengthened when Manalo and Zobel urged the local government to spare the ancestral homes in Baclayon from demolition.

The houses were then converted into tourist lodgings, which were eventually given accreditation by the Tourism department. In three years, Baclayon has gone from a sixth-class municipality to third-class, owing to its increased income from tourism.

To lure more visitors, make them stay longer and generate more revenues for the town, Uichico suggested developing Pamilacan Island, off Baclayon. Diving tourism could be added to the dolphin and whale-watching tours.

Livelihood alternatives

Bezo Recreational and Aquatic Activities for Bohol (Braabo), with Zobel as chairperson and Uichico as GM and board director, worked with Baclayon officials and Ayala Foundation to establish an eco-tourism program to benefit the community.

Fishermen were given alternatives to dynamite fishing and hunting for manta rays to save marine life in the area. Their wives were taught livelihood skills such as massage training for spa services and food preparation for catering. The small fishing boats were upgraded into larger and safer tourist vessels.

Last week, Chan, with Bench endorsers Richard and Lucy Gomez and John Prats, graced the inauguration of the Municipal Tourism Center, the hub of tourism activities in Baclayon. Braabo turned over the P6 million building to the Baclayon-LGU (local government unit).

Responsible eco-tours

Aside from coordinating tourism enterprises in Baclayon, the Municipal Tourism Center aims to safeguard the environment. For instance, divers bound for Pamilacan must register, pay a fee and watch a video on the island’s attractions and rules to protect them.

Uichico said that in other destinations, visitors are not briefed about the environment, so they end up destroying the place by littering or picking up corals.

In Baclayon, new boats and trained tourist and dive guides are government-accredited. Vessels have life vests and safety equipment, and passengers are insured for a certain amount.

Braabo, Ayala Foundation and the local government have identified three dive sites in the waters of Pamilacan, now on tourist maps. Zobel added that when Pamilacan became a marine sanctuary, the underwater life flourished.

Bohol’s Loboc River, famous for its singing cruises, she said, rakes in P12 million a year. However, uncontrolled tourist traffic and construction along the river are slowly eroding the banks. From the lessons of Loboc, the eco-tourism program in Pamilacan emphasizes education, awareness and managed practices.

Striking a balance

Chan said Zobel’s sustainable development projects in Baclayon blended with Green Tee’s vision.

He lauded Braabo’s efforts to strike a balance between tourism and livelihood opportunities for the Boholanos who depend on natural resources.

Bench’s involvement in environment preservation began in the ’90s when it produced T-shirts that batted for saving the animals in Calauit, Palawan.

Brand integrity

Like Zobel, Chan has also managed to marry capitalism with social conscience. Consumers weigh their concerns between expenditure and social responsibility, he said. They rely on the brand’s integrity and respect environmentally responsible products. Bench’s Green Tees bear messages on protecting nature, recycling, avoiding wastage, and even going vegetarian.

“We wanted to produce merchandise that you’ll feel good about when you buy because you’re helping the community. It’s good karma. To make them salable, you must come up with nice designs. We tell them that part of the sales will go to a very good cause. The consumer appreciates this especially in times of crisis,” said Chan.

Asked what drives him to extend a hand, Chan replied that the psychic income would be the biggest reward.

“By giving, you are able to help. What is sad is when the beneficiary can’t continue. But as long as they need our help, we’re here – if we can afford it.”

[ Baclayon Church Wiki ]