Subic Bay Freeport – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and this premier Freeport is all set as the 2024 Central Luzon Sustainable Tourism Summit (CLSTS) happens on September 11 and 12, 2024 at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center (SBECC).
SBMA Chairman and Administrator Eduardo Jose L. Aliño said that the two-day event in collaboration with the Department of Tourism Region 3, and dubbed as “Towards a Carbon Neutral Future: Central Luzon’s Commitment to Sustainable Tourism,” is aimed at raising awareness of the current environment issues.
“This year’s event promises to share more insights on how tourists can help Mother Earth through first-hand sustainability efforts that have been conducted inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The activity is open to all tourism officers and stakeholders from Central Luzon, and is also geared towards the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the tourism sector, who are focused on the preservation of the environment and members of the academe,” he said.
For the first day of the Summit, messages from Aliño, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Director Ralph Pablo, Olongapo City Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr., and DOT3 Regional Director Richard G. Daenos, which hope to create awareness about sustainable tourism and love for the environment will be delivered, as well as the keynote speech from DOT Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco.
Highlighting the first day will be the SBMA’s launching of the Race to Carbon Neutrality to be led by Chairman Aliño and Ecology Center Chief Amethya Dela Llana-Koval. A discussion on the Strategies for Carbon Neutral Tourism Enterprises will be conducted by Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Senior Research Fellow John Paolo Rivera.
For the afternoon session, a topic on Cultural Preservation as a Pillar of Sustainable Tourism will be led by focal person National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Committee for Monuments and Sites former Vice Chairman Arch. Jayson Portem.
Meanwhile, the second day will focus on discussions on the Role of Technology in Achieving Net Zero Carbon in Tourism Destinations, with Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NZCA) Executive Director Allan Barcena as the focal person and on Traveling Sustainably: Tips and Tools for Eco-Friendly Tourism.
The succeeding talks revolve on Harnessing the Power of Sports for Environmental Stewardship in Coastal Communities with Alon and Araw Club owner Donn Lawrence Quintos as the focal person, followed by the Sustainable Transportation Solutions for Tourists presentation.
The two-day event will include eco-tours of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and its contingent localities namely, Birdwatching at Nabasan Area; tree planting at the SBMA Ecology Mangrove Nursery; trips to the El Kabayo Waterfalls; Pamulaklakin Aeta Forest Trail; the Green Building of Pacific Ace; Adventure Cove; Alon and Araw Club in Cabangan; Pinatubo Brewery in San Marcelino; and Dela Llana Farm in Castillejos.
Aliño highly encourages stakeholders to come and participate in the two-day event as this is the biggest ecotourism summit held in Central Luzon.
The CLSTS is part of a series of activities that was organized in partnership with the Department of Tourism to celebrate National Tourism Month.