Bunglon Cave is a jagged karst limestone tower standing out of the flatlands of alluvium and soil in the vicinity of Barangay Tagabinet. According to anecdotes from senior residents of the area, the name Bunglon is a Tagbanua term for wild dogs that used to roam the cave. The Cave is geographically situated at North 11°54’71” and East 70°31’73”. From the 1970s until the 1990s, the hill was trekked by young people for its scenic and natural beauty and became a popular hangout for the locals. Aside from its recreational service, Bunglon’s forest provided an important livelihood for the Tagabinet community whose occupations were mainly farming and fishing. During that period, slash and burn or kaingin farming was prevalent as well as the conversion of mangrove forests to fish pens. The highly extractive and destructive nature of these two practices took its toll on the natural environment of Bunglon which in turn seriously affected the livelihood of the community. In 1999, Mr. Kenneth Kennedy, and some member of the University of the Philippines Mountaineers (UPM) discovered one particular stalactite inside the cave which produced a haunting humming sound when knocked. He named it "Ugong Rock" from the Tagalog word "ugong" for the humming sound it made. Since then, Bunglon Cave became more popular among the community members and visitors as Ugong Rock. In the year 2000, the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), an environmental nongovernment organization based in Puerto Princesa City visited Ugong Rock to study the unabated environmental degradation happening in the area as part of their project proposal on community-based ecotourism in the Ulugan Bay area. ELAC provided technical and legal assistance to discourage people from their environmentally destructive practices and to stop illegal activities conducted by some individuals who acted purely on self-interest and disregarded the negative impacts of their activities to the environment. As part of ELAC’s activities on environmental awareness in the Ulugan Bay area, they organized the Tagabinet Community Tourism Association (TCTA) whose members were Barangay Tagabinet residents who decided to join the proposed community-based tourism project of ELAC.
Table of Contents
- Chapter 1. Introduction
- Chapter 2. Methodology
- Chapter 3. Results and Discussion
- 3.1 Organizational Context
- 3.1.1 Physical and Social Settings
- 3.1.2 Timeline
- 3.2 Strategies Described
- 3.2.1 Approaches Taken
- 3.2.2 Actors Involved
- 3.2.3 Institutional Support
- 3.3 Challenges
- 3.4 Outcomes
- 3.4.1 Accomplishments
- 3.4.2 Perceived Socioeconomic and Environmental Impacts of Ugong Rock CBST
- 3.4.3 Lessons Learned and Best Practices
- 3.4.4 Perceived advantages of TCTA/TURSCO over other CBST projects in Puerto Princesa City
- 3.4.5 Other practices that made the Ugong Rock CBST Project the most successful CBST project in Puerto Princesa City so far based on members' perception:
- 3.4.6 Offshoot Projects from Ugong Rock Cave and Zipline Adventures
- 3.5 SOCIAL DYNAMICS BETWEEN UGONG ROCK CBST/TURSCO AND EXTERNAL ACTORS
- 3.5.1 Dynamics between the Community and the Barangay
- 3.5.2 Dynamics between the Community and its Members
- 3.5.3 Dynamics between the Community and Institutional Partners
- 3.5.4 Legal, organizational, management and technical arrangements of various parties
- 3.1 Organizational Context
Objectives and Key Themes
This case study aims to analyze the organizational history of the Ugong Rock Caving, Spelunking, and Zipline Adventure community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) project in Barangay Tagabinet. The study examines the project's evolution, the strategies employed, the challenges faced, and the outcomes achieved. It seeks to understand the factors contributing to the project's success and offer valuable lessons for future CBST initiatives.
- The evolution of community-based sustainable tourism strategies at Ugong Rock.
- The role of external actors and institutional support in the project's development.
- The socioeconomic and environmental impacts of the Ugong Rock CBST project.
- Challenges faced and lessons learned throughout the project's lifespan.
- The social dynamics within and between the community and external stakeholders.
Chapter Summaries
Chapter 1. Introduction: This chapter introduces Ugong Rock, initially known as Bunglon Cave, highlighting its geographical location and historical significance to the Tagabinet community. It describes the shift from environmentally damaging practices like slash-and-burn farming to the emergence of community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) as an alternative livelihood. The discovery of Ugong Rock's unique acoustic properties and the involvement of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) in promoting environmental awareness and establishing the Tagabinet Community Tourism Association (TCTA) are key events detailed in this introductory chapter, setting the stage for the subsequent exploration of the project's development and evolution.
Chapter 2. Methodology: While the provided text excerpt does not offer the content of Chapter 2, it's reasonable to assume that this chapter would detail the research methods employed in the study. This might include information on data collection techniques (e.g., interviews, surveys, document review), the selection of participants or data sources, and the analytical frameworks used to interpret the findings. The chapter would justify the methodological choices made and address any limitations of the approach taken.
Chapter 3. Results and Discussion: This chapter presents the core findings of the case study, offering a detailed account of the Ugong Rock CBST project's evolution, challenges, and outcomes. It chronologically traces the project's development, highlighting different approaches (top-down vs. bottom-up), the roles of various actors (community members, government agencies, NGOs), and the evolving social dynamics within and outside the community. The chapter analyzes the project's perceived socioeconomic and environmental impacts, identifies lessons learned, and compares it to other CBST projects in the region, exploring the factors that contributed to its relative success.
Keywords
Community-based sustainable tourism, Ugong Rock, Barangay Tagabinet, Philippines, ecotourism, environmental conservation, alternative livelihoods, organizational development, social dynamics, institutional support, case study, ELAC, TCTA, TURSCO, UNDP.
Frequently Asked Questions: Ugong Rock Community-Based Sustainable Tourism Case Study
What is this case study about?
This case study analyzes the Ugong Rock Caving, Spelunking, and Zipline Adventure community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) project in Barangay Tagabinet, Philippines. It examines the project's history, strategies, challenges, outcomes, and the factors contributing to its success, offering lessons for future CBST initiatives.
What topics are covered in the case study?
The study covers the evolution of community-based sustainable tourism strategies at Ugong Rock, the role of external actors and institutional support, the socioeconomic and environmental impacts, challenges faced and lessons learned, and the social dynamics within and between the community and external stakeholders.
What is the structure of the case study?
The case study is structured into three main chapters: Chapter 1 (Introduction), Chapter 2 (Methodology), and Chapter 3 (Results and Discussion). The introduction sets the scene, describing Ugong Rock's history and the shift towards CBST. The methodology chapter (content not provided in the preview) would detail the research methods. Chapter 3 presents the core findings, analyzing the project's development, impacts, challenges, and comparing it to other similar projects.
What are the key themes explored?
Key themes include the evolution of CBST strategies, the importance of external actors and institutional support, socioeconomic and environmental impacts, challenges and lessons learned, and social dynamics within and between the community and external stakeholders.
What are the key findings (preview)?
While the full findings are in Chapter 3, the preview highlights the project's chronological development, different approaches taken (top-down vs. bottom-up), the roles of various actors (community members, government agencies, NGOs), and evolving social dynamics. It also mentions analyzing the project's perceived socioeconomic and environmental impacts and comparing it to other CBST projects to understand its success.
What organizations are mentioned in the study?
The study mentions the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), the Tagabinet Community Tourism Association (TCTA), TURSCO (likely an abbreviation related to tourism), and UNDP (United Nations Development Programme).
What are the keywords associated with this case study?
Keywords include: Community-based sustainable tourism, Ugong Rock, Barangay Tagabinet, Philippines, ecotourism, environmental conservation, alternative livelihoods, organizational development, social dynamics, institutional support, case study, ELAC, TCTA, TURSCO, UNDP.
What is the intended audience for this case study?
The case study is intended for academic use, focusing on analyzing themes related to community-based sustainable tourism in a structured and professional manner.
Where can I find the full case study?
The full case study is not included here; this is a preview providing the table of contents, objectives, key themes, and chapter summaries.
What is the purpose of this preview?
This preview provides a comprehensive overview of the case study, including the table of contents, objectives, key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords, allowing for a quick understanding of the study's scope and content.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Ronald Edilberto Ona (Autor:in), 2018, Community Based Sustainable Tourism in Puerto Princesa City. Ugong Rock Adventures Case History 2014, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/416675
