WATERFALLS. The Luliugayan Falls in Calbiga, Samar. The Department of Tourism (DOT) has expressed support to the requirements set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on the operations of spring resorts in Eastern Visayas. (Photo courtesy of Lulugayan Falls and Ecovillage)
TACLOBAN CITY - The Department of Tourism (DOT) is supporting the safety requirements set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on the operations of river and mountain resorts in Eastern Visayas, especially during a change in weather.
DOT concurs with that new requirement of DENR since safety for all tourists and tourism service providers in these areas should be a top priority, said DOT regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes in an interview Thursday.
"So far, DOT does not have any existing guidelines for the operation of river or mountain area tourism sites that require having lifeguards. What the department currently has are the guidelines for the operation of tourism enterprises that have swimming pool or are considered as beach resorts," she told the Philippine News Agency.
On October 25, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued a reminder to local government units and river resort operators to lay down measures to ensure the safety of their guests.
In a letter sent to town and city mayors, the DENR suggests that mountain and river resort owners should be required to hire at least two lifeguards and watchmen who will monitor the prevailing weather condition in the local area.
The personnel should be equipped with devices that will warn the visitors of impending danger and should be responsible for bringing them to safety.
The DENR pointed out that resort owners should be required to display safety reminders for their visitors in visible areas at all times.
The office also suggests considering other safety measures that may be identified by the local government as obligatory and part of the conditions in the issuance of business permits.
Strict monitoring of the resort’s compliance with safety measures should be done regularly.
The DENR issued the call a month after the Sept. 25, 2021 incident at Tinubdan Falls in Catmon, Cebu when a flash flood swept away and killed three of its guests.
Meanwhile, the DOT is developing recreational guidelines for tourism sites and tourist activities.
The pilot project will focus on caving, mountaineering, trekking, kayaking, standing up paddling, canoeing, boating, river cruise, and rappelling.
"Safety considerations and tourism disaster risk reduction and management will be included as part of these recreational guidelines," Tiopes added.
In Burauen town, where some of the mountain resorts in Leyte are located, the local government unit has already ordered the provisions of lifeguards in all resorts operating in the municipality.
"It is also already a part of our Municipal Tourism Code which is currently being amended. All tourism establishments that have swimming pools hire a watchman or a lifeguard to ensure the safety of its visitors and avoid ill-fated incidents," the Burauen tourism office stated.
In Calbayog City, Samar, tourism officer Ronald Ricafort Jr., said that although lifeguards and watchmen are not part of the requirement in some of their destinations, locals trained as tour guides have ways of knowing the weather conditions in their areas. (PNA)
