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3│ Ecotourism in the Islands

Ecotourism Sites & Activities

Bantayan Island, the Camotes Group of Islands and President Carlos P. Garcia Island

have a diverse range of high quality natural and man-made attractions, which are ideal for

ecotourism development. Its attractions include an extensive system of protected areas such as

coral reefs, marine parks and mangrove forests; fine white sand beaches; coves; caves;

waterfalls, and; historical sites that could easily be packaged into viable tourism products. At

present, tourism activities are limited to the following: rest & relaxation, nature tours, trekking,

biking, homestay, and festival celebration.

Natural Resource Base

The islands' natural resource base comprises mostly of marine and coastal resources,

such as marine sanctuaries, coral reserves, beaches, seascapes, caves and mangrove areas.

Measures to protect some of the potential ecotourism sites such as the marine protected

areas are already in place. Local legislations such as the Municipal Fisheries and Coastal

Resource Management Code and the Clean and Green Ordinance are some of the local

initiatives taken to protect the coastal resources of the islands. A number of task forces have also

been created to ensure the protection of the marine sanctuaries.

There is a need though to strengthen some of the measures. Even with the presence of

the bodies, violations threaten these protected areas.

Marine Protected Areas. The islands boast of successfully-implemented and managed marine

protected areas. By virtue of enacted ordinances, the islands have established 56 marine

sanctuaries/protected areas, covering more than 1,000 hectares. Almost half (25) of the marine

protected areas are found in Bantayan Island. Another 22 are found in President C.P. Garcia

Island and 9 in Camotes Island (see Table 3).

The Marine Protected Areas are home to hundreds of marine flora and fauna species

including coral reserves. These sanctuaries are potential ecotourism sites for snorkelling, diving,

and fish feeding.

Although marine resource conservation was the primary reason for establishing the

marine protected areas (MPA), the tourism industry could benefit from the MPAs and put more

justification for their maintenance. If managed well, tourism could contribute to the economic

gains of the MPAs in the islands as well as boost their conservation.

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Table 3. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Camotes Group of Islands and President C.P. Garcia Island

MPA Location Covered Barangay/s Total Area

Camotes Group of Islands

1. Pilar Municipal Marine Park (PMMP) Pilar Lower Poblacion and

Villahermosa

179.2 hectares

2. Libertad Marine Sanctuary Poro Libertad 33 hectares

3. Esperanza Marine Protected Area Poro Esperanza 42 hectares

4. Santiago MPA San Francisco Santiago 18 hectares

5. San Isidro MPA San Francisco San Isidro 48 hectares

6. Esperanza MPA San Francisco Esperanza 12 hectares

7. Consuelo MPA San Francisco Consuelo 38.6 hectares

8. Puertobello MS Tudela Puertobello 39 hectares

9. Villahermosa MS Tudela Villahermosa 69 hectares

President Carlos P. Garcia Island

1. Aguining Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Aguining 51.14 hectares

2. Bonbonon Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Bonbonon 32.62 hectares

3. Campamanog Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Campamanog 9.77 hectares

4. Canmangao Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Canmangao 5.35 hectares

5. Kabangkalan Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Kabangkalan 2.99 hectares

6. Tilmobo Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Tilmobo 2.17 hectares

7. Tugas Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Tugas 10.35 hectares

8. Gaus III Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Gaus 9.59 hectares

9. Lipata Marine Protected Area II President C.P.Garcia Lipata 10 hectares

10. Bantigue Island Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Butan N/A

11. Bantigue-an Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Saguise N/A

12. Basiao Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Basiao N/A

13. Baud Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Baud N/A

14. Bogo Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Bogo N/A

15. Datag Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Popoo N/A

16. Gaus I Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Gaus N/A

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MPA Location Covered Barangay/s Total Area

17. Gaus II Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Gaus N/A

18. Pong-Gamay Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Lapinig N/A

19. Santo Rosario Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Santo Rosario N/A

20. Sidlakan Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Saguise N/A

21. Talisay Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Pitogo N/A

22. Villa Milagrosa Marine Sanctuary President C.P.Garcia Villa Milagrosa N/A

Sources: Local Government Units of Bantayan and Camotes Islands

Mangroves. Several areas in the islands have been dedicated to mangrove plantations. The

more important mangrove sites are those found in Bantayan Island. The mangrove sites in the

Municipality of Madridejos cover a total area of 38.56 hectares while that in the Municipality of

Bantayan cover 90 hectares. Potential activities in the area include kayaking, boating, and

fishing.

Beaches. The islands' coastal areas are characterized by either strips of white sand beaches or

limestone crags. Both offer good sites for swimming and seascape scenery. The islands have

also several islets that

have potential for island

hopping activities.

Bantayan Island

where tourism is already

an emerging industry is

particularly popular

among domestic and

foreign visitors for its

white and sandy beaches

and clear seawaters. The

Municipality of Santa Fe

boasts of a 17.5

kilometer stretch of

pristine sandy beaches.

Hence, the municipality

is host to numerous

beach resorts in the

island.

Caves. The islands have

a good number of caves that are ideal for adventure tours such as spelunking.

Waterfalls. Waterfalls is another attraction found in Camotes Island. The Municipality of Tudela

have two waterfalls and the Municipality of Poro has a waterfall.

Beach resort in Bantayan Island, Cebu

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Lakes. Lake Danao in the Municipality of San Francisco, Camotes Island is one of the most

scenic lakes in the Philippines. It is the only freshwater lake in Cebu and the second cleanest

lake in the country. Given its relatively large area (approximately 500 hectares) and the fact that

no fish cage has been constructed within the lake, it could be a very good place for fishing and

cruising. Lake Danao, which is home to a variety of wildlife species, is also ideal for picnics.

Cultural Resources

Cultural resources include historical sites, festivals, and traditional practices.

Historical Sites. The Islands of Bantayan, Camotes and President C.P. Garcia are not only home

to many natural attractions but also host a number of historical sites. An assessment of these

sites, however, needs to be conducted to determine the extent of their potential as ecotourism

products.

Festivals. Festivals are

common attractions in the

Philippines that showcase the

cultural heritage of the locals.

As these festivals were able to

attract tourists in many areas,

they could also be used in the

case of the islands to promote

tourism.

Cultural Practices. Some

handicraft industries are unique

to the islands that could be

developed to become the

islands' niche market in cultural

tourism. Such type of tourism

product, which could be

developed further to allow

tourists to personally experience

the actual production, is gaining

popularity in the global tourism

scene.

Soli-soli Festival of San Francisco, Camotes Island, Cebu

(Photo by Enrico Dee)

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Ecotourism Facilities & Services

Accommodation. Considering that the tourism industry in the islands (except Bantayan Island) is

still in its early stage of development, facilities to support the industry are limited in terms of

capacity and type. Most of the ecotourism sites are still largely without accommodation facilities.

In President C.P. Garcia Island, which is the least developed among the 3 island groups,

there are only two beach resorts that provide accommodation. These resorts are quite small,

capable of hosting a total of 22 guests.

In Camotes Island where tourism is slowly being developed, only about 100 rooms are

available in the entire island. Homestays, however, have been organized in some municipalities

to address the lack of accommodation facilities in the area.

In Bantayan Island where tourism is already an emerging industry, accommodation

facilities are available for tourists in all the three municipalities. Most of the hotels, resorts and

restaurants, however, are concentrated in the Municipality of Santa Fe where the best beaches

are found. Among the tourist accommodation facilities in Santa Fe are six (6) class A resorts,

eight (8) class B and C resorts, and 18 rest houses or cottages built along the shoreline.

Accommodation is not the only facility that needs to be put up if the islands are to be

developed into world-class ecotourism destinations. Adequate auxiliary facilities and services

such as rescue and medical facilities & services, banks, tour and transport services, restaurants

and entertainment facilities, reception/information centers, and public restrooms must also be

provided.

Dining. Among the three groups of islands, Bantayan Island has the most number of dining

places and entertainment facilities for tourists. Many of these are located within the premises of

the resorts/ hotels. Camotes Island, for its part, has limited choices of restaurants and

entertainment facilities. President C.P. Garcia has no such facilities for tourists.

Reception/ information centers are not available within the tourism sites.

Medical Services. In Camotes Island, there is only one 25-bed capacity hospital based in the

Municipality of San Francisco. Likewise, in President C.P. Garcia Island, there is a 10-bed capacity

hospital. All of the municipalities in the 3 island groups, however, have rural health units (RHU)

that are staffed with a doctor, nurses, and midwives.

The health care services offered in the RHUs are limited to general consultations. For

extreme medical cases, patients are usually brought to hospitals in mainland Cebu or Bohol,

which are better equipped to handle more complicated medical cases.

Organized professional and volunteer rescue services within the islands are non-existent.

The local government units through their Barangay and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction

Management Councils (B/MDRRMC) spearhead rescue operations during emergencies and

calamities. While the barangay volunteers have undergone short trainings on rescue and

disaster risk reduction, there is a need to hone their capabilities further to conduct rescue

operations. Providing support to the barangay volunteers and civilians is the Philippine National

Police.

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Banking. Banking services, which are among the basic services expected in tourist destinations,

are wanting in Camotes and President C.P. Garcia Island. There is only one bank in Camotes

Island situated in the Municipality of Poro. The bank, however, provides automatic teller machine

(ATM) services; hence, certain bank transactions may be availed even beyond banking hours.

In Bantayan Island, banking services are more plentiful compared to that in the other

islands. Allied Bank, Aspac, and the Bantayan Rural Bank have branches in the island. Financial

services are also available through the Western Union, Palawan Pawnshop, and several money

changer outlets.

Transportation. Tour and transport services in the islands are very much lacking. The Island of

President C.P. Garcia where tourism is still undeveloped has no such service for tourists. In

Camotes Island, there is no locally-based tour operator to service the needs of tourists visiting

the islands. The developing tourism industry in Camotes Island relies on tour operators based in

mainland Cebu to service the tourists who visit the island.

Inland transportation in the Islands of Camotes and President C.P. Garcia are limited and

uncomfortable. The public utility motorcycle, known locally as “habal-habal”, is the main mode of

transportation within the islands. Although the habal-habal can carry only two to three adult

passengers, it can reach any point in the islands. A few public utility jeepneys also ply certain

routes in Camotes Island especially those routes that cut across municipalities. The trips however

are not regular and are far in-between. In contrast, Bantayan Island has a fairly developed

transportation system. Public utility jeepneys, for-hire vehicles, tricyles, habal-habal and trisikads

are plentiful to service the transportation needs of the populace.

In the case of inter-island travel particularly between the islands and mainland Cebu or

Bohol, sea transport is the main if not sole mode of transportation. Although an airstrip, which

can accommodate small airplanes is present in Camotes Island (Municipality of San Francisco)

and Bantayan Island (Municipality of Santa Fe), only chartered flights are serviced by the

airstrips. Travel time from Mactan, Cebu to Bantayan Island is approximately 30 minutes.

Motorized bancas, ferryboats and fast crafts are available daily to transport passengers

and cargo by sea to and from the islands to mainland Cebu or Bohol. Travel time from Camotes

Island to Danao (Cebu), Mandaue or Cebu City is approximately 3 to 4 hours in the case of

motorized bancas or ferryboats, and 2 hours in the case of fast crafts (Cebu City to Camotes

Island). There are also boats plying the Ormoc (Leyte) – Tudela (Camotes Island) route.

Bantayan Island, for its part, can be reached through an overnight sea trip by ferryboat

from Cebu City. The traveler has also an option to take the 3-hour bus ride from Cebu City to the

north of Cebu, to the Municipality of San Remegio and from there catch the ferryboat for the one

hour trip to the island. Boat trips are also available between Bantayan Island and Masbate. In the

case of the Island of President C.P. Garcia, motorized bancas ply daily the President C.P. Garcia -

Ubay (Bohol) route, President C.P. Garcia - Lo-oc, Mandaue City (Cebu) route, and President C.P.

Garcia – Bato (Leyte) route.

Since sea travel is the only means for common travelers to reach the islands, accessibility

is a major issue in the efforts of the local governments to develop the islands' ecotourism

industry. Sea travel is affected by seasonal weather conditions. The Amihan (northeasterly

winds) which occurs from October to February usually brings high sea waves that could make sea

travel uncomfortable to passengers.

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Ecotourism Stakeholders

The ecotourism industry has a wide variety of stakeholders. They include the national

government, local governments, non-government organizations, and private enterprise operators.

The following are the roles performed by the major stakeholders.

National Government. On 17 June 1999, the national government passed Executive Order No.

111 declaring as a policy the development of ecotourism in the Philippines. Following this

declaration, the national government through the various government agencies coordinated the

preparation of tourism development plans and the conduct of tourism promotional activities.

The National Ecotourism Strategy for the Philippines (July 2002) and the Sustainable

Tourism Management Plan for the Central Philippines (December 2007) have identified a

number of sites in Bantayan Island and the Camotes Group of Islands as potential key

ecotourism sites in the country and batted for their development. The recognition of Camotes

Island as an emerging important tourist destination in the country was especially reaffirmed by

the national government when it named the island as the “new iconic product” in Central

Visayas. With the inclusion of Bantayan and Camotes Islands in the national government's plans

for ecotourism development, marketing them as major ecotourism destinations should not be as

much a problem. In the case of President C.P. Garcia Island in Bohol, while the island

municipality is not specifically mentioned as a key ecotourism site in the country's tourism plans,

the whole province of Bohol is recognized as an important ecotourism destination which can also

benefit President C.P. Garcia Island.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is coordinating the development and government

marketing of the ecotourism sites and products of the Philippines, the Central Visayas Islands

included. DOT is also involved in standard setting for the industry.

Aside from policy setting and promoting the ecotourism sites, the national government is

in the forefront of protecting the natural and cultural resources of the country. In particular, the

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) together with the Protected Area

Management Boards (PAMBs) oversee the development and management of the protected areas

of which the small islands are critical components. As protected areas, no development is

allowed to be undertaken in these areas unless approved by DENR and the PAMBs.

Among the more recent initiatives of the national government to develop and promote

ecotourism in the small islands of Central Visayas was the implementation of the Philippine

Environmental Governance Project or eGov Project. The eGov Project, a technical assistance

project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), facilitated the

formulation of the Destination Development Plan for the Camotes Sea. The plan provides a broad

framework for the development of the Camotes Group of Islands as an ecotourism destination.

The assistance of the national government especially DOT and DENR in developing the

islands' ecotourism industry continues to be needed particularly in the following areas: capacity-

building for the local government units on ecotourism planning, product development, standards

setting, monitoring and administration of ecotourism activities; and enforcement of laws, rules

and regulations that have bearing on ecotourism.

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Local Government. The policy of the national government to promote ecotourism spurred the

local government units of Bantayan and Camotes Islands to assess potential ecotourism

destinations within their respective localities and to take the lead in developing and marketing

some of these ecotourism sites. Thus far, Bantayan Island has the most developed tourism

industry among the three island groups. In contrast, the municipal government of President C.P.

Garcia has yet to take an active role in developing the ecotourism industry of the island. These

include the identification of potential ecotourism destinations/sites, the preparation of plans,

product development, marketing, infrastructure development and social and community

mobilization.

The municipal governments were assisted in marketing the ecotourism products of the

islands by the provincial government and the private sector. The Suroy-Suroy Sugbu tours of the

Cebu Provincial Government in particular had been providing the venue for Bantayan and

Camotes Islands to showcase their potential as important ecotourism destinations. This tourism

project involves 3-day visits to a number of towns to experience the lifestyle and culture of the

area. Part of the program includes visits to cultural heritages like old churches, cultural

presentations/shows, food fairs of local delicacies, exhibits of crafts and other products, and

visits to natural attractions. A fee is charged from participants to cover accommodation and other

travelling costs. Thus far, the tours were successfully in attracting a number of tourists that

included balikbayans, domestic and foreign tourists, and businessmen. The Cebu Provincial

Government has been receiving inquiries on future Suroy-Suroy Sugbu tours, an indication of its

increasing popularity, which could benefit Bantayan and Camotes Islands.

Sogod

Carmen

Liloan

Borbon

Catmon

Medellin

Bogo Tabogon

San Remigio Bantayan

Danao City Compostela

Argao Naga

Barili Dumanjug

Alcoy Boljoon

Badian

Ronda

Alegria

Malabuyoc

Carcar

Oslob

Ginatilan

Samboan Santa Fe Madridejos

Suroy-Suroy Sugbo Program of Cebu Province

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The local government especially the municipal government is also deeply involved in

environment protection. The numerous marine protected areas and marine sanctuaries, for one,

were created by the local government units through local legislation. Aside from passing local

ordinances, the local governments created councils, task forces and similar bodies (e.g., Coastal

Law Enforcement Council, Task Force Kalikupan, Bantay Dagat) to oversee the management and

development of the natural resources of the islands and the implementation of measures,

regulations and standards set by the national and local governments.

The local government units partnered with the private sector and the non-government

organizations in many of the tourism-related activities of the LGUs. The Expanded-Green

Wholesome Environment that Nurtures or e-GWEN program of the Provincial Government of

Cebu, for instance, is being implemented in cooperation with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.

(RAFI). The e-GWEN program assists the local government units in Cebu practice good

governance, environmental protection, and sustainable ecotourism development and promotion.

The LGUs are expected to continue to provide direction for ecotourism at the local level

and to ensure that ecotourism in the local area contributes to the protection of the natural and

cultural resources of the area.

Protected Area Management Board. Since Bantayan Island, the Camotes Group of Islands, and

the Island of President C.P. Garcia are declared protected areas (as many of the small islands of

Central Visayas are), the Protected Area Management Boards (PAMBs) composed of

representatives of national agencies, local government units and non-government organizations

are responsible for planning and overseeing the development and management of the islands.

As protected areas, no development is allowed to be undertaken in these areas unless approved

by the PAMBs.

The PAMBs of the three island groups have been organized and are involved in the

following: policy formulation, settlements regulation, issuance of occupancy rights, collection and

management of user's fees, royalty fees and other fees, and issuance of clearances in

shorelines.

Non-Government Organizations. There are non-government organizations or NGOs implementing

ecotourism-related projects in the islands. Most of the projects involve natural resource

preservation and management. Livelihood assistance is also being provided by some NGOs. The

beneficiaries of the projects of NGOs include small-scale fishermen and farmers, and women.

Tourism Enterprises. Tourism enterprises pertain to facilities, services and attractions involved

in tourism (Republic Act 9593, 2009). They include the following: travel and tour services, tourist

transport service, accommodation establishments, convention and exhibition organizers, tourism

estate management services, restaurants, shops/stores, recreational centers, spas, museums/

galleries, theme parks, and convention centers.

Among the three island groups, Bantayan Island has the most number and variety of

tourism enterprises. Camotes Island's tourism enterprises, which are few, consist mainly of

accommodation facilities and eateries. The Island of President C.P. Garcia has only two beach

resort establishments and no other tourism enterprise.

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The tourism enterprises in the three islands are not organized. That is, each

establishment work individually to advance its interests or business. This fragmented action of

tourism enterprises makes it difficult to raise awareness and generate action on common issues

and concerns plaguing the tourism enterprises in the islands.

The lack of properly trained and educated manpower to work in the islands' tourism

enterprises as well as lack of knowledge on product development are also major challenges.

Thus, capability building programs and skills trainings are some of the priority activities that need

to be implemented in the short-term for the tourism enterprises for a sustainable ecotourism.

Visitors. Visitors seeking ecotourism experiences are the very reason why there is an ecotourism

market. At present, only a small segment of this growing market has been tapped by the three

island groups mainly because of limited products that the islands could offer for the moment.

With their natural resources and cultural assets, the islands have the potential to attract

the following types of market: adventure travellers, sedentary travellers, families, scuba divers,

independent travellers or backpackers, resort-centric travellers, students, and study tours. The

islands have also potentials as sites for film-making, art tours, and photography.

As travellers become more discerning --- seeking quality experiences and willing to pay

well for them --- it is essential that tourism authorities strive to come up with quality ecotourism

products. Satisfied visitors could be very effective tourism marketing agents for the islands'

ecotourism destinations.

Local Communities. In order to maximise the benefits that ecotourism could bring to the

communities, the local populace must be involved in ecotourism planning processes and

activities. The sustainability of ecotourism depends largely on the support of the local

community. Local communities will be more inclined to support and champion the ecotourism

projects and activities if they are made part of the planning for these activities.

The success of the islands in their implementation of past community-based initiatives is

an indication that ecotourism, which is anchored on community-based tourism, could be a viable

long-term undertaking in the islands.

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Table 4. Major Stakeholders and their Roles in Ecotourism Development

Stakeholder Roles/Major Areas of Interest

National Government Agencies

Department of Environment and Natural

Resources (DENR)

Conservation of biodiversity, management of

protected areas under NIPAS, establishment &

management of critical habitats, hazard

mitigation, policies, plans & programs formulation

on environmental concerns, promulgation of

rules, regulations & guidelines, enforcement of

environmental laws

Department of Agriculture (DA) Well-being of fishermen, conservation & proper

utilization of fishery & aquatic resources, policy

formulation, conduct of training

Department of Interior and Local Government Conduct of training/capability building of LGUs

Department of Transportation and

Communication (DOTC)

Policy formulation and regulation of marine

transport and communication

Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Ports development and management

Department of Public Works and Highways

(DPWH)

Public works/ infrastructure development (e.g.

roads)

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Trade, livelihood development and training

Department of Tourism (DOT) Tourism development, production of IEC

materials, promotions and marketing, policy

formulation

Technical Education and Skills Development

Authority (TESDA)

Skills training

Local Government Units Enforcement of laws, legislation of local laws to

regulate natural resource utilization and

development, enactment of comprehensive land

use plans & zoning ordinances, preparation of

local tourism/destination plans, development and

promotion of ecotourism sites, funding and

implementation of programs & projects

Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) Management of protected areas

Non-government Organizations (NGOs) Conduct of skills training, livelihood development

and training, conservation of biodiversity

Tourism Enterprises Development and promotion of ecotourism sites

and products, provision of ecotourism services,

conservation of natural resources

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Stakeholder Roles/Major Areas of Interest

Visitors/ Tourists Promotion of ecotourism sites and products,

contribution to conservation of natural

environment

Local Communities Plans and programs formulation, development

and promotion of ecotourism sites, monitoring of

implementation of environmental laws

Support Infrastructure and Utilities

The presence of good infrastructure and reliable utility services are pre-conditions to a

successful and sustainable ecotourism industry. The following sections describe briefly the state

of the infrastructure and utilities in the three island groups.

Sea Ports. The existing seaports in the three island groups are used primarily by the ordinary

commuters in their trips to or out of the islands. The same seaports are used by the tourists who

visit the islands. Most of the trips going to or originating from the islands' seaports have

mainland Cebu (for Bantayan and Camotes Islands) and mainland Bohol (for President C.P.

Garcia) as their destinations. There are also trips going to other neighboring provinces such as

Leyte and Masbate (see Figure 2).

Camotes Group of Island. Camotes Island has port facilities in the Municipalities of Poro, San

Francisco, Tudela and Pilar. The ports cater mainly to small boats plying mainland Cebu and

Camotes, and Leyte and Camotes. There is also a fastcraft service plying the Cebu City to Poro

route. In the Port of Poro, there are plans to put up a shopping center inside the port to cater to

passengers as well as tourists.

President Carlos P. Garcia Island. The island municipality has one base port, the Port of Pitogo,

and 2 subsidiary feeder ports in Barangays Popoo and Aguining. The Port of Pitogo is the main

port of the island and the town’s gateway to Cebu and mainland Bohol. While the Port of Pitogo

is not designed for large seacrafts, large vessels can drop anchor in Pitogo Bay. The Port of

Pitogo, however, has no passenger terminal facilities but only a waiting shed that provides little

shelter to passengers.

The feeder port in Barangay Popoo has RORO facilities. Motorized bancas however are

the main users of the port. These bancas are available anytime to transport passengers from the

island to Ubay in mainland Bohol and vise-versa for a fee with special night rates. Travel time is

only 10 minutes. As in the case of the Pitogo port, the Popoo feeder port has no passenger

terminal facilities but only a waiting shed.

The feeder port in Barangay Aguining is operational on Fridays only. Except for a concrete

quay, it has no other facilities. The Port of Aguining serves mainly as jump off point for the

transport of livestock bound for Maasin City in Southern Leyte.

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Figure 5. Seaport and Airport

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Airport/Airstrip. Bantayan Island has a feeder airport located in the Municipality of Santa Fe. A

feeder airport is one that serves towns with limited passenger traffic. The airport in Bantayan

Island, however, is not being used for commercial operation. Only chartered flights are presently

accommodated in the airport.

Camotes Island, for its part, has an airstrip located in the Municipality of San Francisco.

The airstrip can easily accommodate aircrafts with 15-50 passenger capacity. While the 1.2-

kilometer airstrip was improved by the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) in

2005, it has remained unattended and thus needs rehabilitation and upgrading to accommodate

commercial flights that could bring in more tourists to Camotes Island.

The Island of President C.P. Garcia has no airport nor airstrip. The nearest airport is the

feeder airport located in the Municipality of Ubay in mainland Bohol.

Roads. The roads in Bantayan Island and the Camotes Group of Islands are generally in good

condition. Except for the roads in the remote barangays, the road network in the two island

groups are either asphalted or cemented. In the Island of President C.P. Garcia, meanwhile, only

6.23 percent of the 63.52 kilometers of road are concrete.

Roads leading to some of the ecotourism sites in all the three islands need to be

constructed or improved.

Power. Electricity is available in the three island groups. These are provided by the electric

cooperatives in the islands. Cost of power in the islands though is relatively high. Because of this,

while all barangays in the islands are served with electricity, not all households are connected.

Not all areas in the Islands of Bantayan and Camotes also have 24-hour power service.

Power service in many municipalities runs up to 10 to 18 hours only daily. Power fluctuation is

also common in various areas.

The Island of President C.P. Garcia has the most reliable and sustainable power supply.

This is because the Leyte-Bohol power interconnection link of the Visayas grid passes through the

Island of President C.P. Garcia.

Water. Potable water supply is a major concern in the islands. The water supply systems in the

islands are inadequate to provide safe and potable water to all residents. This is because being

small islands, the area do no have big rivers as sources of water. The volume of groundwater,

which is the main source of water in the islands, is also low due to limited land area. In some

municipalities, there are instances in the summer months that water is scarce as many of the

islands' main sources of water dry up.

Majority of the households in the islands with access to safe water get their water from

communal faucets (level II water supply system).

Communication. Cellular mobile phone is the primary mode of communication in the islands.

Cell phone service is provided by Smart, Globe and Sun Telecom. Still, communication service

remains unreliable due to intermittent weak signals and presence of dead spots.

Landline telephone service is available only in Bantayan Island. However, almost all

towns in the three island groups have public calling centers usually located in the urbanized area

of the towns. Some of the public calling centers though could not be accessed any time in the

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day. In one municipality in Camotes Island, for instance, a telephone connection could only be

made in the mornings.

The internet provides an alternative means of communication in the islands. There are

some internet cafes in the three island groups although not all municipalities have them. In

Camotes Island, the Municipalities of Poro and San Francisco have internet cafes. The island

municipality of President C.P. Garcia has also a few internet cafes, all located in Barangay Pitogo.

Solid Waste and Wastewater Treatment Facilities. A major challenge that all the three island

groups must address as they develop their respective ecotourism industry is the proper disposal

of wastes. At present, many of the municipalities in the three island groups do not have adequate

facilities and a system in place to address the anticipated rise in the volume of wastes that will

be generated by a growing tourism industry.

Open dumpsites are widely used in the islands in the disposal of garbage. Moreover,

tourism establishments in the islands do not have wastewater treatment facilities to ensure that

effluents that are disposed to the sea are clean.