What have I learned about sustainable tourism?

It is a goal to acknowledge all positive and negative effects of tourism. It aims to maximize
positive effects while minimizing negative ones. Sustainable tourism is a way to travel and see a
place while being respectful of its people, its environment, and culture. This is, according to
common sense, the very definition of travel, and the term "sustainable" is unnecessary. Sadly, the
majority of people do not travel this way.

What I researched about the current sustainability issues of Philippine tourism? How are
these being addressed?

*Air Pollution

Air pollution has become particularly problematic in the Philippines over the course of the year.
According to the health and environment scorecard of the World Health Organization, the
Philippines has an annual mean of 24 micrograms per cubic meter (g/m3) for fine particulate
matter, which is significantly higher than the recommended maximum level of 5 g/m3. The
majority of the country's air pollution comes from the burning of fossil fuels like oil and coal.
The fact that 53% of people do not have access to cooking technology or clean fuels is only
going to make the air quality worse in the long run.

Vehicle emissions also contribute to air pollution in the Philippines, particularly in metropolitan
areas like Metro Manila. The San Fernando City Station in Pampanga, the Antipolo City Station,
the Bian City Station, the Puerto Princesa City Station, and the Davao City Station all recorded
increases in air pollution in 2022.

William Cuado, Director of the Environmental Management Bureau at the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), claims that lifting restrictions on Covid-19 had a
particularly negative impact on Metro Manila's air quality. This was mostly because there was a
sudden increase in the number of cars on the road, which had dropped to 10% in the National
Capital Region of the country during the lockdown.

The widespread use of fireworks during New Year's Eve celebrations was another factor. The
DENR reaffirmed its commitment to controlling spikes in air pollution of this kind because
firecracker particulate matter (PM10) contains a mixture of carbon, sulfur, and other fine
particles that are harmful to public health. However, in order for this strategy to be successful,
local government units would need to enforce Executive Order 28 regarding the controlled use of
firecrackers.

Also, despite the fact that the government enacted the Clean Air Act in 1999, organizations like
Greenpeace Philippines and the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) point out
that the international community regards it as being out of date. As a result, urgent demands have
been made for the government to adjust its standards to reflect the actual level of air pollution in
the country.