PHILIPPINES - Foreign aid helps treat dirty household water

manila times, September 11, 2006

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is implementing a project called Sustainable Coastal Tourism in Asia (SCOTIA)-Philippines to pursue a collaborative program to promote sustainable coastal tourism that will protect the long-term viability of delicate coastal and marine areas.
SCOTIA is modeled on other successful public-private, voluntary ecotourism programs and focuses on minimizing the environmental footprints of tourism industry operators like resorts, hotels, tourist agencies and dive shops. SCOTIA aims to strengthen the capability of local governments to safeguard the sustainability and tourism value of their marine and coastal ecologies. SCOTIA is focused primarily on six project sites—Panglao Island in Bohol, Mactan Island and Moalboal in Cebu, Puerto Galera in Mindoro Oriental, Balayan Bay region in Batangas and El Nido in Palawan. SCOTIA offers technical assistance on coastal resource management and environmental management to local governments and resort operators with special emphasis on solid-waste management and sanitation in the six project areas. SCOTIA seeks the assistance and cooperation of organizations, agencies and concerned individuals who share the concern for strengthening local capability for sustainable coastal tourism.

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