The Research Center for Social Sciences and Education (RCSSEd) and the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management (CTHM) 鈥� UST Sentro Turismo officially turned over a 10-year Sustainable Tourism and Strategic Development Plan for Barangay San Miguel, Echague, Isabela on August 19, 2024 (Monday).
The plan aimed to assess the potential of Barangay San Miguel in Echague, Isabela, for sustainable community-based tourism in the new and next normal. It also determined the current situation of the barangay, specifically its community-based tourism industry development, analyzed different related issues, constraints, and opportunities of the barangay for community-based tourism industry development, assessed the perspectives and views of different stakeholders on the sustainability and development of the barangay鈥檚 tourism resources, assessed tourism development impacts, specifically on the barangay鈥檚 economic, socio-cultural, and environmental aspects, and developed a sustainable community-based tourism strategic development framework and sustainability indicators for Barangay San Miguel, Echague, Isabela.
The Office of Hon. Faustino 鈥淚nno鈥� A. Dy V of the 6th District of Isabela initiated the project and was supported by the Municipal Government of Echague, Isabela. The turnover activity was conducted at the Blessed Jane of Aza Lounge, Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. Building.
Mr. Louie Simbe, the Municipal Tourism, Culture, and Arts Officer of the Municipality, and Ms. Claire Santiago, the Political Affairs Assistant under the Office of Cong. Inno officially received the plan. Officials from the DOST NRCP also attended the event. It was headed by Dr. Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo (President) and Dr. Bernardo N. Sepeda (Executive Director). While RCSSEd was represented by its Director, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jeremaiah M. Opiniano.
#TeamKomunidad of the UST CTHM and Sentro Turismo spearheaded the project under the leadership of Asst. Prof. Jame Monren T. Mercado, MACHS, with the team members, Asst. Prof. Dr. Avi Ben P. Andalecio, Dr. Fhamela F. Sarmiento, Asst. Prof. Maria Concepcion A. Ang, Assistant Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Evangeline E. Timbang, and Dean Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atty. Gezzez Giezi G. Granado.
The plan was an output of the project entitled 鈥淪ustainable Community-based Tourism Potential and Development of Barangay San Miguel, Echague, Isabela in the New/Next Normal.鈥� The project was also part of the 1st batch of the Policy-funded Research Projects under the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
