LOCAL POLICIES

The LGU of Donsol, through the Municipal Council, has enacted Municipal Ordinance No. 1, S. 98, providing for the banning of whaling within the territorial waters of the municipality of Donsol, Province of Sorsogon; and, (2) Municipal Ordinance No. 12, S. 99, empowering the LGU to operate, control and manage the community-based ecotourism projects and activities in their jurisdiction. These ordinances provide the bases for ecotourism activities in Donsol. To date, the Municipal Council has passed the Municipal Fisheries Ordinance which provides for the establishment of a marine conservation park that will totally restrict human activities in the municipal waters that will directly and indirectly affect the whale shark population. At presents, other efforts are being undertaken to address the inadequacies of the existing local policies and to provide concrete link between ecotourism and coastal conservation.