Building a Stronger Society
The society’s strength is determined by its people. As most of us are aware by now, it is the local communities that need the most support and attention. In an island where tourism and fishing are the primary sources of livelihood, it is tricky to find a common ground where everyone gets their fair slice of the cake. Malapascua started getting tourists when it was established as one of the best diving spots in the Philippines. When the COVID pandemic hit the country, our industries went into shock. Tourism activities on the island have stopped. As expected, the locals resorted back to the best way they know to provide food for their families – fishing. They went back to fishing. This brought to light just how much this small island lacks the initiatives to help sustain the fisheries sector and the ever-challenging problems on enforcement and inclusion. For some time, the island focused too much on tourism and forgot about the industry that brought tourists here in the first place.
