Tourists keep coming to Puerto Galera’s pristine beaches as the popular summer destination remains safe from the threat posed by the oil spill that affected many communities in Oriental Mindoro.

Local tourism data showed that during the Holy Week, or from April 3 to 10, 2023, a total of 18,757 tourists visited Puerto Galera, according to the Department of Tourism. 

The top sources of foreign tourists are China, South Korea, the United States, Japan, and Germany. 

“Puerto Galera continues to be unaffected by the oil spill, and it continues to open itself to tourism worldwide,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said in a statement.

“Notwithstanding the difficulties, the challenges, and the calamities this province has and is facing, the Philippines, including Puerto Galera and Mindoro, continues to be a beautiful tourist destination,” she added.

Frasco joined divers in Puerto Galera in a scuba diving activity on Wednesday, April 12, to show the government’s commitment to helping the tourism industry recover not only in times of crisis but also during challenging situations.

“We are hopeful that through the efforts of the Provincial Government of Mindoro, our local government units, our mayors, our congressmen, as well as the help of the regional office of the Department of Tourism, that tourism recovery and transformation under the Marcos administration will continue,” she said. 

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Alternative livelihoods  

The DOT provides alternative livelihoods to tourism workers affected by the oil spill caused by the sinking of the motor tanker Princess Empress in the waters off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, on February 28.

The agency said it would give P2 million to each oil spill-affected LGU as funding for their qualified tourism-related projects through the Tourism Infrastructure and Economic Zone Authority (TIEZA).

“Magbibigay po tayo ng 2 million pesos for each affected LGU for any tourism-related project that will fall under the guidelines of the financial assistance of TIEZA,” she said.

She also stressed the importance of balancing the “need to manage the crisis with the need to ensure that livelihoods and employment continue.” 

While in Oriental Mindoro, the DOT chief led the distribution of Certificate of Tourism Grants to leaders of community-based sustainable tourism organizations (CBSTO) from the various local government units in the province.

“The certificate entitles the organization to tourism training interventions with starter kits for alternative livelihoods while they cannot engage in their present occupation due to the oil spill,” the tourism department said. 

Frasco said those entitled to the grant included affected tourism workers in the towns of Gloria, Pinamalayan, Naujan, San Teodoro, Pola, Bulalacao, and Mansalay, as well as Calapan City.