No tourism income, but this Philippine community still guards its environment by 

Keith Anthony
Fabro on (30 April 2020, Mongabay) emphasized the following;
 Communities in the biodiversity haven of Palawan in the Philippines earn millions in tourism-
related services annually, but the industry has been paralyzed due to a lockdown aimed at
suppressing the spread of COVID-19.
 The lockdown, in effect since March 17, has forced close tourist sites in the province, which has
affected thousands of families dependent on tourism.
 Despite this, these communities continue to look after their protected areas, making sure that
illegal logging and fishing activities do not proliferate during the lockdown period.
 Owing to proper handling of finances, these community organizations can sustain themselves
and the areas they look after for a year, but interventions and support are necessary to keep
these areas protected in the long run.
"Austria has also rekindled her subsistence organic farm during the lockdown, planting fast-
growing vegetables in her 1-hectare (2.5-acre) property located at the foot of the park’s iconic
karst mountains. “The adjustment is difficult because we’re now used to earning more from
tourism than farming and fishing combined,” she says.
Tourism’s “easy money” drove numerous locals away from farming and fishing, Austria adds.
“The pandemic has forced many to realize how equally important those forgotten and
underappreciated sectors are, especially now that the tourism industry has slumped.”
Community-based tourism has improved the once economically deprived villages in the
province, but many believe that regaining the economic momentum remains a challenge in the
age of COVID-19."
The provincial tourism office is preparing a recovery plan to help tourism-dependent workers,
but no concrete details have been released as of the time this article was published.
“Will tourists come back after the Philippine lockdown lifts? That’s our concern,” Mazo says,
adding that the majority of the site’s foreign visitors come from European countries like Spain
and France, which are still grappling with the pandemic.
Austria, meanwhile, is pinning her hopes on the discovery of a vaccine for the virus. The
provincial office has earlier said that without a vaccine, inbound and outbound travel is banned
in the province. “If we find a cure to coronavirus,” Austria says, “then there’s a fighting chance
we can revive the dying tourism industry that gives life to everyone here.”

The pandemic has globally paralyzed the economy of the whole world, each nation strives to
survive and fight against the disease. The lockdown forced the local communities that are
heavily dependent on tourism to finds ways to survive the daily struggle of finding food to
support their families, despite this, the communities continue to guard and protect the
environment against the violators. Park manager Jose Mazo of Northern Coron, Palawan fears
that violators may turn to illegal activities, although finances are at stake to cover every worker,
Mazo is encouraged to do their work in protecting not only the environment but also their
livelihood, preparing and hoping that next year the tourist's sites will be open for business again.
One of my reactions to the article was the admiration for the efforts of Park Manager Jose Mazo
in leading the team to continue to do their job even though they may not get paid. In this time of
crisis, there are still people who will do their job without being compensated. It must be hard for
them to look for other ways to feed their family in this time of crisis, at the same time guard the
protected areas in hopes that tourism will be back soon. 
Additionally, Austria's take on the situation, on my part was a reality that we should accept and
make most of it. Tourism has slumped and many have been affected but going back to basics is
not bad at all. We have been there, the root of our nation lives out from farming and fishing, it
may not as easy as Austria said but it is something we must do to live. I also believe that the
local government is preparing a recovery plan since tourism is our main source of livelihood. All
of us are in high hopes that this pandemic will end soon, this shall pass too and it will be all a
memory for Palawan that we have surpassed a devastating crisis.