Mount Makiling

TOP 10 REASONS TO DEVELOP ECOTOURISM

BUSINESS IN MOUNT MAKILING

Presented by
ROBERTO P. CERENO
Deputy Director
Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems
University of the Philippines Los Baños
BTW, What is ecotourism?

 Responsible travel to natural

areas that encourages
environmental education,
appreciation & conservation.
 Vacations where the
traveler would experience
nature, adventure or
culture in the countryside.
BTW, What is ecotourism?

Environmental education

Visitor Economic
enjoyment benefits

Heritage conservation
 c QUALITY OF THE MAIN
ATTRACTION
• Mount Makiling is an
Important Bird Area
• A priority Biodiversity
Conservation Area
• Home to more than
2,000 species of
flowering plants,
291 species of ferns,
211 species of mosses,
45 species of mammals,
181 species of birds,
65 species of reptiles,
22 species of amphibians,
& thousand insects,
& other arthropods.
Photos by Dr Edwino S. Fernando, MCME
 • Mount Makiling is one
of the Philippines’
z
18 centers of plant diversity
zz

z
zz
z z
CENTERS OF
z z PLANT DIVERSITY
z z

z z Areas rich in plant species,

large number of endemic species,
z
diverse range of habitats.
zz
Source: DENR-UNEP 1997
Mount Makiling is one of the
32 Key Ecotourism Sites
in the Philippines

•
••
••
•• ••••
• •
• •
• ••
• • •
••

Per EO 111 National Ecotourism Strategy

 Mount Makiling is a
water tower
D78 streams, creeks,
springs; underground for
deep wells;
DMore than 42 hotsprings;
8 water intakes;
providing the water
requirements of
more than 1 million
people & industries
 Mount Makiling is
CALBARZON’s
carbon sink
absorbing carbon
dioxide and other
pollutants from
surrounding urban
and industrial
enclaves
Mount Makiling hotsprings sources

Source: S. Lopez 2007

 DIVERSITY
dMount OF ECOTOURISM
Makiling
ACTIVITIES

Trekking or
backpacking

Camping or tenting

Mountain biking
Birding

Photo safari

Nature education
Annual events

Mountain adventure race

Lenten Season Visitor Management

 e ACCESSIBILITY
Mount Makiling TO THE
MAJOR TOURIST GATEWAY

• located 14°08´N, 121° 11´E

• 65 km southeast of Metro Manila
• highest peak at 1090 m asl

Photo courtesy of R.S. Punongbayan, PHIVOCS

Mt Makiling
 f AVAILABILITY OF AREA
AND LEGAL MANDATE
Proclamation 106 (1910) established the
Mount Makiling Forest Reserve, to support the
first Forestry School in the Philippines.

Republic Act 3523 (1963) ceded,

transferred and conveyed the
Mount Makiling Forest Reserve to
University of the Philippines for use
as a training laboratory; mandated
the College of Forestry to conduct a
nationwide program on forest
conservation education,
information, and outdoor
recreation; established the
Makiling Botanic Gardens
Republic Act 6967 (1989) vested exclusive
jurisdiction, administration and complete control of
Mount Makiling Forest Reserve to U.P. Los Baños,
to be used as training laboratory for advancement
of scientific and technical knowledge on natural
resources conservation and watershed protection.
Mount Makiling Conservation and Development
Master Plan, EO 349 (June 1996)
Principal Management Objectives
9 Education & Scientific Research
9 Watershed Protection
9 Ecotourism & outdoor recreation
9 Biodiversity conservation
9 Geothermal power generation
Mount Makiling Conservation and Development
Master Plan, EO 349 (June 1996)
Chapter 11 - Ecotourism Program

Goals:
ƒ Promote appreciation & increase
knowledge, awareness & understanding
about forests, plants & animals & their
diversity, importance & conservation.
ƒ Provide quality outdoor recreation
opportunities & tourism facilities
& services to the visiting public.
Strategies
ƒ Develop & maintain areas/ facilities:
(Makiling Botanic Gardens, Makiling Rainforest
Park, Mariang Makiling Trail, Tayabak & Malabóo
campsites, 3 Peaks, Flatrocks & Molawin Creek)
ƒ Organize ecotourism-related projects & activities

Funds from:
• UPLB MCME’s Internal Operating
Budget/ Revolving Fund (income
from entrance fees);
• Donations and sponsorships
 g PROXIMITY TO LARGE
ECONOMIC BASE
Laguna de Bay

CALAMBA LAGUNA de BAY

N

LOS BAÑOS

BAY

Laguna Province
CALAMBA LOS BAÑOS
CALAUAN

STO. TOMAS

BAY

STO. TOMAS
Available and good
Batangas Province quality accommodation,
SAN PABLO
support services and
infrastructure
ALAMINOS

121 ° 11” E
 h SECURITY OF THE
LOCATION

Assured tourist safety & security

 i SOCIAL AND POLITICAL
SUPPORT

Administrative
Division:
2 Provinces
1 City
3 Municipalities
21 Barangays

Forest Reserve
4,244 ha

Buffer Zone
1,652 ha
 j MARKET DEMAND

Current appeal to
domestic & international
market Current Visitor Pattern:
Makiling Botanic Gardens
High school - 42%
Elementary - 24%
College - 17%
Others - 17%

M. Manila - 45%
S. Tagalog - 21%
Other regions - 34%
 k PROJECTED COMMUNITY
BENEFITS

Adjacent tourist destinations & products

Within Los Baños
Hotsprings
resorts

Buko pie
Magnetic Hill

Tadlac Lake
IRRI
Adjacent tourist destinations & products
Within Laguna

Villa Escudero

Pangil river Pakil /Turumba

Majayjay falls

San Pablo lakes And more…

l OPPORTUNITY TO FURTHER
UPLB’S MISSION

Ecotourism can support

instruction, research &
extension programs
 Major Projects & Activities for
Ecotourism Development
Marketing & promotions
11th Taipei International Birdwatching Festival
Guandu Nature Park, 6-9 November 2009

Distributed Mount Makiling

flyers at Philippine booth
 Major Projects & Activities for
Ecotourism Development
Nature Education &
Ecotourism Center @ MBG

Under construction
(Nov 2009- March 2010):
A donation of
 Major Projects & Activities for
Ecotourism Development

MARIANG MAKILING ECOTOURISM VILLAGE

the SITE
( P R O P O S E D M A R I A M A K I L I N G

ECOTOURISM VILLAGE)

MAKILING BOTANIC
GARDENS

POOK NI
MARIA MAKILING BSP SWIMMING POOL
AREA
PAR KING

VI SITOR
REC
EPTION
C EN
TER
PA RKIN G AREA

B IRD S AN D BUTTERFLIES
G ARD ENS

I N TERN ATIONAL
C O N V EN TI O N CENTER

MT. MAKILING
FOREST RESERVE

LOCATION MAP
NOT TO SCALE
 Major Projects & Activities for
Ecotourism Development

MARIANG MAKILING ECOTOURISM VILLAGE

Proposed Components:
n Redevelopment of
Makiling Botanic Gardens
& Makiling Rainforest Park

o Ecolodge / Pook Ni
Mariang Makiling

p Visitor Center, Car Park &

Access Road
 Major Projects & Activities for
Ecotourism Development

MARIANG MAKILING ECOTOURISM VILLAGE

q Los Baños Bird Park

r Forest Canopy Ride &

Tree Top Adventure

s Convention Center

t Wellness Center
 Major Projects & Activities for
Ecotourism Development

MARIANG MAKILING ECOTOURISM VILLAGE

Conceptual plans  technical proposal

 financial proposal

Options for development /investment:

1. Long term lease /contract by developer
2. Joint venture with UPLB
3. Build, operate, maintain
Finally, we will keep
only that we love,
we will love only what
we understand,
and we will understand
just the things that are
taught to us.
Baba Dioum
 Thank you
for your attention.

For more information, e-mail:

rpcereno@uplb.edu.ph