By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD CITY – Bago City has once again been included in the Top 100 Green Destinations Stories list, an international platform that recognizes inspiring initiatives in sustainable tourism development.
This marks the third consecutive year that Bago City has been included in the list, according to the Bago City Public Information Office on Wednesday.
The announcement was made during an online unveiling ceremony by Green Destinations on Tuesday, October 15, the press statement said.
The Bago City Tourism Affairs Office shared that the city’s entry, titled “Regenerative Agritourism: Cultivating a Sustainable Future for Bago City,” made it to the list this year in the Environment and Climate category.
“This 2024, our story highlights how climate-positive tourism has contributed to Bago City’s economic recovery and community empowerment,” the office stated.
Senior Tourism Operations Officer Mae Ann Furtos explained that the launch of the “Booming GREEN AGritOurism” (BAGO) program transformed farmers into “agripreneurs.”
The program maximized farm potential while promoting sustainable tourism, focusing on the triple bottom line—planet, people, and prosperity, Furtos added.
“Since its introduction in 2018, our agritourism programs have shifted focus toward sustainable, climate-responsive development, capitalizing on the city’s rural landscape, agroecological biodiversity, and rich farming culture,” she said.
These programs include Booming GREEN “Farm Tours,” Booming GREEN “Farmers Weekend Market,” and Booming GREEN “Gastronomy Tourism.”
Furtos said these initiatives have established Bago City as a premier agritourism destination in the Philippines, recognized for its exceptional agroecological biodiversity and outstanding environmental practices under the leadership of Mayor Nicholas Yulo and Vice Mayor Ramon Torres.
Bago City has been part of the Top 100 Green Destinations Stories list since 2022.
Last year, its entry titled “Growing a Food Sufficient and Climate Smart Agroecological Destination” was also featured in the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories.
In September 2022, Bago City’s “Reviving the Majestic Diversity of the Bago Watershed” project was included in the list as well.
The project placed third among the finalists for the 2023 Green Destinations Story Awards in the Environment and Climate category.
Furtos highlighted that the city has maintained its status as a tourism destination that prioritizes climate action and sustainable tourism, meeting the Green Destinations’ basic sustainability criteria.
“Alongside our Green Destinations journey is the tremendous support from our agritourism communities and stakeholders—our farmers, local tourism producers, culinary community, city government offices, and the mentorship of Madame Susan de Cárdenas, all of whom helped us excel in this Top 100 competition,” Furtos said.
“We are deeply grateful to everyone involved in this recognition,” she added. “We will continue to stride in the GREEN direction—Global, Regenerative, Empowered, Equitable, and Natural for local tourism.”
