Arch. Felino Palafox Jr. said it is logical for the Philippines to develop its coastal resources since it has more than 7,000 islands. “Property development has a big potential, especially in tourism projects,” said Palafox in a recent briefing on SEA-EX, the country’s leading boat show and nautical lifestyle expo organized by Headsail Inc. and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).

He cited his firm’s project in Dubai, where they only reclaimed 70 hectares that has generated millions of dollars in revenues as tourist sites.

Palafox, an active advocate of sustainable and adaptive architecture, said he drafted rehabilitation plan on Leyte to make it the Caribbean of Asia and the Pacific. The proposal did not push through because of the so-called bureaucratic roadblocks. “However, we have a lot of obsolete laws that hamper our development,” he pointed out.

Martial Beck, ECCP vice president and general manager, said marine-development programs around the world benefited the countries that pursued it. With the proper support from the concerned stakeholders, he said marine-based tourism can be a major contributor to economic growth.

He cited the US, where marinas generate an average of 0.3 jobs per berth—meaning that a 200-berth marina could provide 60 jobs and a payroll in excess of $1 million.

A size of a country does not matter in pursuing marine development. Belgium, a country with only 12 marinas and 3,500 boats along the North Sea coast, generated $6.75 million annually directly, plus $3 million indirectly.

In order to promote marine development in the country, Headsail and ECCP are organizing the SEA-EX expo, which will be participated in by businesses engaged in manufacture and distribution of yachts, sail boats, boating accessories, water-sports equipment, summer apparel and resort gateways.

“The goal of this conference, like the show, is to bring together key people with great ideas and projects all related to the marine industry and start a discussion about applying different strategies and concepts to make the Philippines what it should be, the next Mediterranean of Asia,” said Angelo Olondriz, president of Headsail.

Topics to be discussed are promoting the Philippines as a mecca for marine tourism; developing the country’s boat-manufacturing industry and sustainable development and protecting the Philippines’s marine biodiversity for ecotourism.

The three-day event is scheduled from February 20 to 22 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City. 

Source: Business Mirror