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ABSTRACT
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INTRODUCTION
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to the foot of the active volcano. The barangay has seven zones with an adjacent
area, which is the Sitio Matagbac. It has a total land area of 2, 088 hectares. As
of 2007, there is a total population of 10, 319 who widely speak Daraganon, a
Bicol sub-dialect. The barangay tourism and cultural officer of Kilicao has been
promoting the area as a place with its unique cuisines, delicacies, such as the
famous “suman sa ibus,” customs and traditions, forests, rivers, and hills and
ATV for the sports enthusiasts. The barangay’s major industries are agriculture,
handicrafts, such as, ‘sinamay’ derived from banana fiber.
The researcher selects this concept of tourism because, as tourism enthusiasts,
it is also significant to look for a credible tourist site that has the potential to
introduce to the local and foreign visitors. It is worthy of being promoted, and
since it has the potentials and qualifications to be developed. The researcher
undoubtedly believes that its rich culture and beliefs, and also the mesmerizing
natural view will surely satisfy tourists on its high possibility. The slopes of Mount
Mayon would also be the best and ideal place to adventure and let tourists feel the
stunning essence of nature they commonly look for. The researcher looks forward
to its success due to its capability to become a perfect tourist destination worthy
of development.
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and cultural impacts on local communities. Therefore, the study considered the
main social and economic impacts on the local community through tourism
development in the Kandalama area of Sri Lanka. The study identified that the
community had developed positive attitudes about tourism development, and
the community was accepted tourism as a major income source through active
and passive participation.
According to Alshboul (2016), research on community involvement in
development had shifted from a conventional to a more sustainable form of
tourism. Sustainable tourism aimed to engage the local communities in its
planning, development, and management. Thus, various efforts had been made
to promote community participation and cooperation and translate it from
concept to practice for community development.
On the other hand, Croes and Semrad (2015) applied the cultural tourism
typology of McKercher and estimated the economic relevance of cultural tourism
to the context of a small island destination tourist market. The authors viewed
that small island destinations could be confronted with environmental constraints
that restrained the traditional small island tourism development model based on
sun, sand, and sea. The results of the study indicated that McKercher’s typology
could provide more refined results when incorporating the purpose of a trip, and
those cultural tourists could be a lucrative market for destinations to pursue given
the results of an economic input-output model.
Likewise, Aref, Gill, and Aref (2009) made the case on the role of local
communities for tourism development. This study attempted to highlight the
role of tourism development and how communities could develop tourism in
the local area. The concepts of community and community development had
been important for local tourism development. The implication of this study
arose from the fact that little research was carried out on the interaction between
communities and local tourism. Theoretically, the findings of this study enriched
knowledge concerning the local tourism industry.
Likewise, Brida, Disegna, and Osti (2011) made the case on the residents’
perceptions of tourism impacts and how they affected their attitudes towards local
tourism policies. The findings revealed that residents’ perceptions of economic,
environmental, and socio-cultural impacts affected their support of local tourism
policies. Residents who perceived tourism impacts positively were more willing
to support future tourism development policies.
Chang et al. (2018) also made a point to what extent tourism impacts affected
indigenous hosts’ support of alternatives for tourism plans. The authors ranked
the effects of socio-culture, economic, and environmental tourism impacts. The
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highly competitive tourism environment in the Visayas and across the country.
The findings revealed that its diverse historical and natural resources strengthened
Cebu’s tourism competitiveness, rich cultural milieu, established land, sea, and air
transport infrastructure, presence of hotels and resorts, and a thriving industrial
and manufacturing economy.
In addition, according to Nolasco and Cruz (2016), tourism had benefits
not just for travelers, but also to the local economy. Since the Bicol Region had
natural and cultural attractions, it was a potential travel destination. This allowed
travel enthusiasts to get more information about various tourist attractions.
These authors analyzed the effectiveness of delivering information sources, such
as web advertisement and desktop publishing, for tourist promotion in the Bicol
Region. Specifically, it determined the status of tourism and identified common
forms of promotions for tourism development. Based on the findings of the total
foreign visitors in the country, only 9.14% visited Bicol Region in 2014. Hence,
domestic tourists showed a high percentage against foreign visitors, with 25.7%.
Brochures with EZ maps are the most commonly used desktop publishing
materials, websites and social media for web advertisements. Thus, there was a
need to re-evaluate promotional activities by the Department of Tourism (DOT)
and other agencies. Adoption suggestive features for creative desktop publishing
materials and web services could be considered to increase tourist visitors.
This study would benefit the Barangay Council of Kilicao and other various
sectors. The result of the study will contribute to the idea of conceptualizing
plans and programs regarding the tourism destinations in this community.
This will serve as an aid in making plans about developing the destination as a
tourist destination. The Department of Tourism, particularly the Regional Office
of Bicol (Region V) would gain insights that there are still undiscovered and
undeveloped, but potential tourist destinations in Daraga, Albay other than the
famous Cagsawa Ruins.
This would further benefit the tourism department as it faces structural
advantages in addressing the weaknesses and even threats to tourism development.
It will also help the local residents and tourists coming from different parts of
the country and outside the Philippines. It will provide them information about
the destination, and in addition, it will give them perceptions about this place
and appreciation of the attraction. This study will not just be beneficial to the
locals and tourists but also the educators and students, especially those who are
taking Tourism Management as their chosen program. This will help them gain
knowledge and widen their understanding of the destination.
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Moreover, this will be beneficial to both the researcher and future researchers.
The outcome of the study is effective to use as a source of new information. It
would encourage others to conduct research on the area. Lastly, this study shall
promote the tourism industry not just in Kilicao, Daraga, Albay, but also in the
whole Bicol Region.
METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This section presents the discussion of the research design and methodology
along with the procedure employed in data gathering and the process used in
assessing the data to be gathered. The study employed a qualitative research
design in gathering relevant information about the study. The focused-group
discussion and interview were utilized in gathering vital responses.
Research Site
The study was conducted at Barangay Kilicao in the Municipality of
Daraga, Albay.
Participants
The participants were the three (3) barangay officials and fifteen residents.
The chairperson on the tourism council, along with the barangay captain and
another councilor, participated in the study. Also, the fifteen individuals were
the residents of the barangay from the different zones served as the respondents
of the study.
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The barangay officials revealed that on the aspect of spirituality as part of the
culture and tradition, the residents had a strong devotion to Almighty God as the
giver of life. According to the accounts of the elders, “Sa pagkaka-alam naming
ang mga naninirahan ditto ay may matinding pananalig sa Pong Maykapal”. (In
our own understanding, the residents had a strong faith in God. As stated by the
elders, “Ang Kilicao ay galling sa salitang Licao na ibig sabihin ang pamayanan
ay iniligtas sa matinding baha ng Santong Michael Archangel noong unang
panahon” (Kilicao came from the word ‘Licao’ The entire community was spared
from the havoc of the great flood long time ago, and eventually saved the residents
from its devastation in the intervention of the Saint Michael de Archangel, the
barangay patron saint). They celebrated fiesta every year in the last week of
September in honor of their patron saint, Flores de Mayo, and Santacruzan in
honor of the Virgin Mary. These annual celebrations and festivities, as commonly
practiced all over the country, were considered as a way of thanksgiving as part
of the tradition, thus showcasing a unique Filipino spirit and warm hospitality.
According to the participants, they were able to share the blessings they received
by welcoming every visitor in their homes to be part of the celebration. Through
this practice, they established rapport and eventually built friendships among
individuals in the community. Hence, cooperation and camaraderie were always
present in every activity.
Another statement was given by the residents, the people believed in faith
healing on the extent of observance of the folk medical practices, such as, santigwar,
paninibang and pag-orasyon usually performed by elders with the power to cure
sick people. These forms of faith healing as part of common practices during the
primitive era were still present up to the present time, especially those individuals
who were able to afford medical attention due to poverty. On account of the
faith healers, they could not treat an individual who sought a cure for such illness
unless he or she had a strong faith in God as a giver of life. In the form of
gratitude, individuals who received healing offered gifts, such as, food items,
cash and other things voluntarily. Faith healers did not require people to pay any
amount unless they had the willingness to share so that it violated their pledge to
help people who needed healing from them.
Hon. Gerald B. Llorca, the barangay councilor who was in-charged for the
tourism office, “Nakakita kami ng isang bagay na hugis palaka sa isang lugar sa
barangay nag sabi ng mga matatanda ito ay ngbigay ng swerte sa kanila” (They
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found a structure that formed like a big white frog the outskirts of the barangay,
and through the information from the elders it brought lucks to the residents).
The residents still practiced the ‘tabi, tabi’ when traversing roads not being
frequently visited in giving respects to the unseen creatures and spirits.
As understood, cultural tourism includes the livelihood activities of the
residents to sustain their daily needs. Foreign and even local tourists expressed
their desire to understand the lifestyles and experience the simple life in the
barrio. According to the tourism and cultural officer, the barangay’s major
industries were on agriculture, handicrafts, and other work activities. Majority of
the residents engaged in farming such as rice, root crops, vegetables, and coconut
production. Hence, the barangay council started their projects on organic
vegetable production in all the seven zones of the barangay in response to the
need for the scarcity of food supply. The council had created such a project in
response to the booming farm tourism industry.
The residents also had ventured on the handicraft industry, such as ‘sinamay’
derived from banana fiber for the production of different finished products being
sold to the local and even foreign markets. In the community’s food production
sector, the barangay council had been promoting the area as a place with its
unique cuisines and delicacies, such as the famous “suman sa ibus.” The council
had organized the group of individuals to hold an annual festival on this unique
food item as uniquely produced in the barangay.
On the other hand, according to the respondents, they believed that cultural
tourism would be beneficial to the residents. These things could have led to job
creation for community development. It could draw local and foreign tourists to
visit the barangay and experience many good things about the cultural, spiritual,
and social aspects of life in the local settings. In addition, the respondents
had encountered challenges in the aspect of cultural tourism, such as lack of
knowledge, financial constraints, and accessibility issues. Despite these challenges,
the respondents had expressed their interest in learning and understanding all
the aspects of cultural tourism through measures and intervention programs for
community development. A potential tourist site was defined as a site that was
possible for tourism.
In addition, tourism planning, according to the barangay officials and
residents on cultural tourism, should be done by the responsible tourism
personnel, meetings, and community awareness that can help, such as carrying
capacity of the programs and implementation of rules and regulations concerning
cultural tourism.
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CONCLUSIONS
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
The findings of this study should be translated through a journal article for
international publications or brochures.
RECOMMENDATIONS
LITERATURE CITED
Aref, F., Gill, S., & Aref, F. (2009). Tourism Development in Local Communities.
https://bit.ly/3cVmpbc
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Brida, J. G., Disegna, M., & Osti, L. (2011). Residents’ perceptions of tourism
impacts and attitudes towards tourism policies in a small mountain
community. Benchmarking: An International Journal, Forthcoming. Retrieved
from http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1839244
Brolan, C. E., Van Dooren, K., Taylor Gomez, M., Fitzgerald, L., Ware, R. S.,
& Lennox, N. G. (2014). Suranho healing: Filipino concepts of intellectual
disability and treatment choices in Negros Occidental. Disability &
Society, 29(1), 71-85. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2
013.771899
Chang, K. G., Chien, H., Cheng, H., & Chen, H. I. (2018). The Impacts of Tourism
Development in Rural Indigenous Destinations: An Investigation of the
Local Residents’ Perception Using Choice Modeling. Sustainability, 10(12),
4766. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124766
Croes, R., & Semrad, K. J. (2015). The Relevance of Cultural Tourism as the Next
Frontier for Small Island Destinations. Journal of hospitality & tourism
research, 39(4), 469-491. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348013491599
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