House bill to declare Basilan’s Lampinigan Island an ecotourism zone filed

FILE PHOTO: Lone Basilan district Rep. Mujiv Hataman. Photo from the congressman’s office

MANILA Philippines — Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman is seeking to declare his province’s Lampinigan Island an ecotourism zone to fast-track development in the area.

He said many communities in Basilan depend on tourism for their livelihood.

So, all that has to be done was to improve the infrastructure of his province’s tourist hotspots, most notably Lampinigan Island, the undiscovered gem of Basilan known for its long shorelines of exquisite white beaches.

In filing House Bill No. 7159, or the “Lampinigan Ecotourism Site Act,” Hataman has aimed to make Lampinigan Island officially designated as an ecotourism zone as its development is seen to significantly boost Basilan’s tourism industry.

He had lodged House Bill No, 6293, or the “Malamawi Ecotourism Zone Act,” to also declare Malamawi Island, another one of Basilan’s hidden gems, as an ecotourism zone in order to achieve its promise as the next must-see tourist destination in the Philippines. The proposed measure has already been approved on final reading in the House of Representatives.

“Maraming komunidad sa amin ang nabubuhay sa turismo sa dalawang islang ito. At dahil sa kapayapaang pinagtulungang maabot ng mga mamamayan sa Basilan, parami ng parami ang dumadating na turista sa Malamawi at Lampinigan,” Hataman said in a statement Thursday.

(Many communities in our province survive on tourism on these two islands. And because of the peace that the people of Basilan worked together to achieve, more and more tourists are visiting Malamawi and Lampinigan.)

“And as the number of tourists grows, we must prepare the infrastructure in these islands to accommodate the influx of visitors, and at the same time protect the pristine conditions of Lampinigan and Malamawi islands,” he added.

Hataman, who was a former governor of the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, stressed that Basilan needs government support and assistance to develop its various tourist spots.

He then noted that if his House Bill No, 6293 is passed into law, the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and other government agencies would be mandated to prioritize the protection and development of Lampinigan Island.

Under his bill, a Lampinigan Ecotourism Board will be created. The mayor of Basilan’s capital city Isabela will serve as chairperson of the board with DOT and DENR officials as co-vice chairpersons. Other members of the proposed ecotourism board shall include the representative of the lone district of Basilan, the City Tourism Officer and Natural Resources Officer, and representatives from non government organizations.

Lampinigan Island is tucked within the jurisdiction of Isabela City, said Hataman.

“The island is a premier tourism spot in Isabela City that is being frequented by thousands of visitors both foreign and local every year. As far as white beaches go, Lampinigan Island is said to be one of the best white beaches in the country, at par with more popular ones such as Boracay Island,” states House Bill No, 6293.

 “Lampinigan Island can be so much more given the right development. This bill is envisioned to develop the tourism hotspot as a world-class destination by declaring it as an ecotourism zone,” it also states. —Vance Chan, trainee

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