And when you walk through the glistening white sand beaches of Maniwaya in Sta. Cruz and the other islands of Marinduque, be aware. You also have a responsibility to be an active steward of the environment.
The Footprints Project was started out by a few Filipino friends who enjoyed travelling so much, they were compelled to write about their trips until it dawned upon them that they could do more by helping increase awareness about responsible travel, providing tips and insights and learning from their readers.
While pushing for beach tourism in the Philippines, the group is keenly aware of the danger that tourism could also bring destruction and therefore, tourists must be well equipped with enough information before they set out to explore and enjoy the beaches. And so, for travelers to take seriously the saying "leave nothing but footprints".
This group of friends actively share their love for travel and the beaches in the social media. Their website is PhilippineBeaches.org.
Footprints Project's reasons for being:
"Tourism brings pleasure. Most tourists travel to relax, unwind and enjoy. The mere sight of the beach inspires ideas and enables us to see things differently. The sound of the waves hitting the shore allows us to escape the pressure and violent jolts of metropolitan living. The activities that await us on the beach are opportunities to build and strengthen relationships. These benefits are exactly what we would like to share with everyone by showcasing the beauty and wonder of our islands and pushing travel packages that are not just enjoyable but easily affordable.
"Tourism brings jobs and livelihood to communities. We have seen tourism change the lives of the people residing in coastal areas and help save the environment. Fishermen in some parts of the country who used to hunt down and kill whalesharks have now become tour guides and guardians of the threatened species. Dynamite and cyanide fishing in some areas decreased significantly when fishermen learned that bringing tourists to beautiful spots makes more money than killing wildlife. These fruits of tourism will be enjoyed by many other communities throughout the country.
"Tourism, however, also brings destruction. We've seen many beaches get abused and exploited by both residents and tourists themselves. This is why we also spread the word on the many ways on how to minimize footprints. Tourists must be equipped with enough information on responsible travel before they go out there and explore."
