An early morning view at the entrance of Kaputian Falls, an eco-tourism spot in Brgy. San Gabriel, Borongan City. The area gained popularity among local tourists when it was promoted online after the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by Chantal Eco.
BORONGAN CITY — In the early mornings, Mark Cesar Aquino and other members of the San Gabriel Eco-Tourism Association (SGETA), a youth group managing Kaputian Falls in the village of San Gabriel, in Borongan City, Eastern Samar, hold a ‘pintakasi’ to clean and prepare the area for tourists. Pintakasi, also known as bayanihan in Filipino, is a tradition of coming together to work on matters that affect the whole community. On weekends, more than 200 tourists visit Kaputian Falls and the nearby Nagbak River to swim, relax, and enjoy nature. However, the influx of visitors also brings a persistent problem: trash. In 2022, as tourism in the Philippines began to reopen after the pandemic and Kaputian Falls gained popularity online, the youth of San Gabriel saw the need to establish a group dedicated to protecting their community’s natural resources.
Every day, volunteers of the San Gabriel Eco-Tourism Association (SGETA) hold a ‘pintakasi’ to clean the surroundings of Kaputian Falls. The youth of San Gabriel village formed the group in 2022 when they saw the need to protect and preserve the area due to the influx of tourists. Photo by Chantal Eco.Sonny Boy Aboy, a member of the SGETA, waits for the trash they have collected to burn. Among the items being burned are dried leaves, plastics, boxes, and paper plates. Aboy and his group have not yet received training in proper waste disposal. Photo by Chantal Eco.
To fund their conservation efforts, SGETA collects a ?10 environmental fee per tourist. Of the total amount collected, three percent is allocated to the barangay, another three percent goes to the City Tourism Office, and the remainder funds the organization’s activities. These include maintenance costs, building cottages, producing promotional materials, and other administrative expenses. Members also staff their office daily along the road to Kaputian Falls, ensuring they can flag incoming tourists, collect fees, and provide orientation on the area’s rules and guidelines.
A Jollibee takeout box is among the trash left behind by tourists that is being burned. Tourists often leave behind plastic wrappers and bottles, paper plates, and leftover food.Jayson Capon, SGETA’s Vice President, pours out the contents of a bottle he picked up from the stream. That morning, they had collected several glass and plastic bottles from the area. Photo by Chantal Eco.
Despite their dedication, maintaining and protecting Kaputian Falls poses significant challenges. The fees they collect are insufficient to provide allowances for volunteers to ensure commitment to watch over the area and enforce guidelines. The group also needs funds for the construction of better facilities, such as pathways for easier access. Volunteers also need training in waste management and proper disposal methods.
Some members of the SGETA smile and pose for the camera as they rest after cleaning the area around Kaputian Falls. Members who are available volunteer to join their “pintakasi” every morning to prepare the area for tourists. Photo by Chantal Eco.Mark Cesar Aquino, SGETA’s President, carries a sack of plastic bottles they picked-up around the Kaputian Falls area. They will bring the sack to the village’s designated materials recovery facility. Photo by Chantal Eco.
According to Aquino, SGETA’s president, increasing the environmental fee is not a preferred option. They worry that higher costs may discourage tourists, most of whom are locals from Borongan City and neighboring areas. The group hopes the government will step in to provide the financial support necessary to sustain their efforts and ensure that Kaputian Falls remains a clean, safe, and enjoyable destination for generations to come. (CAM, RVO)
Some teenage members of the SGETA on duty laugh after awkwardly posing for the camera in front of their office in Brgy. San Gabriel, Borongan City. They are responsible for flagging down tourists to ensure they register and pay the environmental fee. Photo by Chantal Eco.The schedule of the daily duties of SGETA members posted inside their office. Photo by Chantal Eco.Randall Sabate, 16, approaches a van filled with tourists to inform them to register and pay the ?10 environmental fee. Photo by Chantal Eco.Tourists wait their turn to jump off a cliff to dive in one of the areas of Kaputian Falls.Visitors also enjoy swimming in the clear waters and swinging into the river using hanging vines. Photo by Chantal Eco.Tourists cross the stream as they leave Kaputian Falls in the afternoon. Photo by Chantal Eco.A Coca-Cola bottle left behind by tourists lies on the ground in the Kaputian Falls area. Small trash like this, often left behind by tourists and sometimes overlooked by SGETA members during their clean-up, may end up in the waters. Photo by Chantal Eco.As the day comes to a close, tourists leave leftover food on the ground near the stream at Kaputian Falls, ignoring reminders not to leave trash behind. Without paid caretakers, SGETA members, who are all volunteers, hope that tourists and visitors comply with the rules, as it is difficult for them to maintain the area with limited resources. Photo by Chantal Eco.A signage posted in the Kaputian Falls area reminds tourists to take along their trash. Photo by Chantal Eco.
SUPPORT BULATLAT.
BE A PATRON.
A community of readers and supporters that help us sustain our operations through microdonations for as low as $1.
0 Comments