Denise Joan M.

Peña November 14, 2019

ABM 12B Ms. Maya

Ecotourism: The Boon or Bane for a Marine Sanctuary?

1. What entrepreneurial behaviors are exhibited in the following cases?

Timoteo Menguito, the project director of Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary (GMS),
can be described as determined and passionate. This is what makes him a
successful entrepreneur and leader. He believed that learning should never stop
even outside of school. He would always grab the opportunity to attend training
courses and seminars to deepen his knowledge in his projects. He was also
dedicated to nature; always going out of his way to promote a peaceful coexistence
between man and the environment. As an environmental advocate, he makes sure
that he radiates confidence in his advocacies. He can also be described as a risk
taker because he knew that his job would entail reprimanding wealthy and well-
connected violators who could easily take him down, but his love for nature never
wavered.

2. What makes your chosen case a social enterprise?

The Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary was primarily in charge of protecting
Gilutongan from ecosystem collapse. Menguito was determined to preserve the seas
of Gilutongan. He knew that the income of the residents mostly came from the seas
(fishing, tourism, etc.) and so he wanted to involve these residents in protecting
GMS. He believed that this was one way the barangay can learn how to responsibly
earn income from the surrounding seas.

3. Describe your chosen social entrepreneur’s motivation in terms of background.

In Gilutongan Island, coastal tourism and recreational diving were a big part of
the economy and a large source of livelihood. Although this brought benefits to
Gilutongan such as increased income for both local government units and residents,
 this affected the marine life negatively—overfishing, destructive fishing practices,
reef damage and many more factors. This served as Menguito’s motivation in
establishing the Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary, whose objective was to protect the
surrounding seas in Gilutongan to benefit both man and the environment.

4. How does your chosen case accomplish the transformation called for by its mission?
Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary continuously tackles issues concerning the
residents of Gilutongan and its seas so that both the residents and marine life can
enjoy improved living conditions. In partnership with Cebu Resource Management
Office (CRMO) under the office of then Governor Emilio Osmeña, training and
observation tours were provided in the process of conserving the marine life in
Gilutongan. Aside from the marine sanctuary, Menguito also founded the Seaweed
Growers Cooperative in the area which also generated a decent amount of profit.
With this, he hopes to improve the quality of life through tending to seaweeds into
sea gardens. With Menguito’s hardwork and passion for his advocacy, GMS is not
too far away in achieving its mission to protect the seas of Gilutongan.

References

Guzman, R. S. (2014). Ecotourism: The Boon or Bane for a Marine Sanctuary?

Retrieved from https://wdi-publishing.com/product/ecotourism-the-boon-or-bane-
for-a-marine-sanctuary/.

Morales, M. (n.d.). The man who talks to fishes. Overseas, 3(7). Retrieved from http://
www.oneocean.org/overseas/200007/the_man_who_talks_to_fishes.html.