MACTAN, Cebu - All hands were on deck recently as over 60 volunteers participated in BE (formerly Microtel Inn & Suites) Resorts' first foray into voluntourism, through it's Be the Spark project. Dubbing its voluntourism programs as "vacations with heart," BE Resorts representatives said the holiday resort establishment would like to introduce the concept of "giving back while getting away," which, while not yet popular in the Philippines, is now resorted to by similar establishments in more developed countries like the United States.
Voluntourism has people embarking on vacations and holiday travel while, at the same time, helping out in a cause, including environmental awareness. In its first Be the Spark activity focused on the environment, BE Resorts tapped assistance from Cebu-based Ocean Care Advocates, Inc. (OCAI). Volunteers were brought to Olango Island for a mangrove-planting activity or went on a clean-up dive off the coast of Punta Engaño, Mactan Island. Altogether, over 2000 mangrove propagules were planted and some 150 kilos of deep-sea garbage were collected, all thanks to the helping hands of 62 volunteers. (Pete L. Dacuycuy)
