TPB, TPB Members, SPSF, and Beneficiary Community of Sitio Calabugtong, Taytay Palawan
MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines, in collaboration with the Department of Tourism (DOT) Region IV-B (MIMAROPA), successfully concluded its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, SUSTAINABILISEA Phase 2, in Taytay and El Nido, Palawan.
TPB’s CSR program brought together 22 TPB member-volunteers alongside key institutional partners: the Save Palawan Seas Foundation (SPSF), which implemented ground development projects, and the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), whose President, Ms. Malou Japson, spearheaded the mentorship of TPB Members and local stakeholders on the creation of voluntourism packages.
TPB Members hand out t-shirts and school supplies from the TPB and PHILTOA
TPB Members plant saba and lakatan saplings to support Sitio Calabugtong Food Security
The delegation supported Sitio Calabugtong, a coastal settlement of 145 households in Taytay. Here, volunteers turned over school supplies, classroom repair materials, solar lighting setups, and essential household items. To boost local food security, the team conducted a banana sowing activity. In El Nido, operational gear and support were extended to the Dewil Eco-Mangrove Association, capped by a mangrove planting effort to reinforce coastal ecosystem resilience.
TPB Members carry mangrove saplings to be planted within grounds of Dewil Mangrove River
Domestic Promotions Department, Industry Relations and Services Division Chief Ms. Margarita P. San Jose hands over drybag and dryfit shirts to members of Dewil Mangrove Cooperative on behalf of the TPB
To ensure holistic product development, the itinerary combined grassroots immersion with destination evaluation. Participants conducted hotel site inspections and engaged in an island-hopping circuit across El Nido’s premier eco-tourism spots. The activity culminated in a dedicated networking session and a voluntourism mentorship talk led by Ms. Japson, equipping local stakeholders and operators with actionable strategies to design commercial travel packages that balance leisure with social responsibility.
TPB Member takes a photo of the shore at Entalula Island during Tour A island hopping
Marking the formal close of the program, the delegation paid an official courtesy visit to the Municipal Hall of El Nido to engage with Mayor Edna Gacot-Lim and align ongoing regional ecotourism efforts with local government priorities. As part of this final leg, the team officially turned over essential operational gear and supplies to the El Nido Tour Guide Association to directly support their daily stewardship and guiding operations.
“Our goal is to redefine how we explore the Philippines by embedding voluntourism directly into mainstream travel,” says TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles. “By working hand-in-hand with local leaders from the Municipal Government of El Nido, SPSF, and PHILTOA, we are empowering tour operators to create sustainable packages that drive real economic and environmental renewal.”
TPB Member engages in networking session with local Palawan tourism stakeholders
Ms. Malou Japson, President of PHILTOA during the mentorship for voluntourism packages of TPB Members
Through initiatives like SUSTAINABILISEA Phase 2, the Tourism Promotions Board continues to strengthen its commitment to regenerative tourism models that uplift host communities, protect critical biodiversity, and inspire travel operators to champion meaningful, impact-driven journeys across the Philippine archipelago.
TPB Representative from the Domestic Promotions Department, Industry Relations and Services Division Chief Ms. Margarita P. San Jose stands with PHILTOA board members Ms. Mary Ann Ong, Ms. Malou Japson, Ms. Linda Tan, and Ms. Nihma Karay
ABOUT TPB
The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines is an attached agency of the Department of Tourism, mandated to market and promote the country both domestically and internationally as a world-class tourism and MICE destination. This is carried out through strategic partnerships with public and private stakeholders, anchored on travel trade shows and business meetings. For more information, please visit www.tpb.gov.ph.
Reference:
Maria Vanessa Abellon
Acting Head
Media Relations and Communications Division
vanessa_abellon@tpb.gov.ph
