Mt. Pulag earning millions from visitors

June 18, 2019 Provincial

Mt. Pulag National Park has collected an amount of Php4,864,995 in revenues from local and foreign visitors starting January to May 22 this year, according to the Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) headed by Protected Area Superintendent (PaSu) Emerita Albas.

The collection is generated from entrance fees, rental/camping fees and other administrative costs from an estimated 22,183 local visitors and 696 foreign visitors.

The months of February and March recorded to have the most number of visitors who trekked the park.

Albas remains onsite managing the park to assure all the guidelines are strictly followed by all entering visitors in order to well-facilitate the coming of tourists. Orientations and physical health checkups are also conducted at PAMO before entering the park.

Albas said the park is one of the best areas for ecotourism activities such as trekking, sightseeing, physical exercising including other direct and indirect benefits that can be gained from said environmental activity.

She also said that through the environment, the government accredits tour guides and porters onsite who are helping visitors along the way, aside from earning.

Meanwhile, the Mt. Purgatory in Bokod, Benguet under the Upper Agno River Basin Resource Reserve (UABRR) headed by PaSu Victor Gorinto has also generated revenues amounting to Php144, 895 in January to May 23 this year from an estimated 1,620 local and foreign visitors.

Mt. Purgatory is now boosting its ecotourism activities after its office in Bokod was formally opened last year to cater more visitors.

All fees collected were already deposited to the Bureau of Treasury and a portion thereof will be returned back to the protected area’s maintenance, personnel and other direct and indirect projects and programs of the government.

Both protected areas are managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) together with the support of the local government units covered, Department of Tourism (DOT), and other concerned agencies.

Visitors intending to visit the areas may check the official Mt. Pulag and UBRRR Facebook accounts for more information / details or may visit CENRO Baguio at Gibraltar Road, Baguio City.

Ian Jefrey Addatu/ABN