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What began as casual strolls along a beachfront, picking up litter as the women exchanged stories, has now become a recognized model of sustainable tourism
BACOLOD, Philippines – Two decades ago, a group of women from Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, started a routine that would transform their coastal community. What began as casual strolls along a beachfront, picking up litter as they exchanged stories, has now become a recognized model of sustainable tourism.
Their initiative, Lakbayon Women’s Beach Clean-up Volunteer Project, won on Thursday, October 10, the Best Sustainable Tourism Practice award at the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines (ATOP) Awards in Koronadal City.
Lakbayon, a Hiligaynon term for “steps,” is a project with the tagline “Women’s steps towards sustainability.” It involves daily beach clean-ups by a group of Sipalay women, regardless of age or status, who stroll along beach in the city proper while bonding, exchanging stories, or even gossiping.
What began as pure volunteerism caught the attention of the city government, which recognized the efforts of these women who, while walking and chatting, also picked up trash along the beach.
To formalize the daily coastal clean-up, the city government provided funding, offering each woman a daily per diem of P40 for two hours of strolling and trash collection. It started when Vice Mayor Oscar Montilla Jr. was Sipalay’s mayor.
Montilla’s sister, Sipalay Mayor Gina Lizares, said the project has three main objectives: eliminate coastal waste, reduce pollution, and boost tourism promotion in the city,
Recognizing the project’s environmental and tourism value, the Sipalay City Council for Women (SCCW) also stepped in to support the program.
Now, 20 years later, the project has grown to involve numerous women from 11 villages across Sipalay, who rotate in performing the daily coastal clean-up. The volunteers include senior citizens and students.
In March, the project also ranked second place in the Green Destinations Top 100 Story Awards at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse (ITB) Berlin in Germany.
Aside from winning the award for Best Sustainable Tourism Practice in Koronadal on Thursday, the Sipalay City government was also named winner in two other categories: Best Tourism-oriented Local Government Unit and Best Tourism Month celebration for its 17th Sipalay City Tourism Month Celebration.
Jeck Lacson, Sipalay city tourism officer, was recognized as one of the national finalists for the Most Outstanding Tourism Officer of the Year award.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental was named the champion in two categories: Best in Local Event Hosting (province category) for the Negros Trade Fair, and Best in International Event Hosting for the Slow Food Terra Madre Visayas.
The town of Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental, won again in the Best Tourism Promotional Video award, while Silay City’s Kansilay Festival was named runner-up for Best Cultural Festival. – Rappler.com
