The Department of Tourism (DOT) shall be the primary government agency charged with the responsibility to encourage, promote, and develop tourism as a major socio-economic activity to generate foreign currency and employment and to spread the benefits of tourism to both the private and public sector.
Apayao Is Named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
The Apayao is now included in the list of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Biosphere Reserves. As the 4th biosphere reserve in the Philippines, the area is now officially marked for biodiversity protection. The other “Science for Sustainability support sites” in the Philippines are Albay, Palawan and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.
Biosphere reserves are terrestrial, marine,and coastal ecosystems that reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with sustainable use. They are sites that use varied approaches in managing changes and interactions between ecosystems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity- UNSECO.
Biosphere reserves undergo periodic review after 10 years to ensure that development and protection of the biosphere reserves are done and biodiversity present in the area are sustained.