By Chris-J D. Ramos
Los Baños, Laguna – As visitor numbers at Makiling Botanic Gardens (MBG) continue to rise, the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) MBG relaunched its Educators for Nature Tourism (ENT) Training on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at the Toyota Environment Education Center. The training event, which is focused on the Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR), was jointly administered by the MBG and the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems (MCME).
Approximately 35 UPLB undergraduate and graduate students participated in the event, said Forester Angela “Jelai” A. Limpiada, the lead training organizer.
According to the MCME, ENTs are UPLB student volunteers who serve as guides for visitors who go on guided tours in the MMFR. Part of the ENT’s responsibilities include discussing the species and natural features that can be seen in the MMFR and the MBG.
Forester Angela A. Limpiada briefs participants during the Makiling Botanic Gardens’ (MBG) Educators for Nature Tourism (ENT) Training held on February 25, 2025, at MBG. Photo by Chris-J Ramos.
Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Dr. Roberto P. Cereno, who pioneered the concept of ENTs, delivered a lecture about Nature Tourism, Conservation Education, and Interpretation. He noted that despite its relatively small area, Mt. Makiling contains a high concentration of Philippine flowering trees.
VC Cereno expressed his respect for ENTs and explained that nature tourism is what is taught, but the goal of the training is conservation. “After nitong training, as ENTs, treat yourselves as the new heroes as volunteering to be nature educators is an act of heroism,” he said.
VC Cereno also discussed the importance of 5 Es, namely Visitor Enjoyment, Economic benefit to sustain the facilities, Stakeholder Engagement, Conservation Education, and Environmental protection.
Subsequently, For. Limpiada conducted a session on the Basics of Tour Guiding and Interpretation for Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR). Participants were grouped and tasked to develop themes and outputs related to Mount Makiling’s unique flora and fauna, such as the Jade Vine and the Philippine Hornbill. The group exercise served as preparation for the individual demonstration tours, where each participant showcased a specific species to current ENTs and their fellow trainees.
Dr. Cereno also shared that similar ENT programs are now being extended beyond MBG, with former ENTs facilitating training sessions in some places and through the “Promoting Agroforest Stewardship & Ecological Observations (PASEO) through Edutourism” project.
“Pumunta ako ng Caraga at Butuan, kasi ineextend ko sa mga universities itong PASEO program, na iconvert nila yung mga campuses into tourist destinations. Kung may botanic garden kayo, gumawa kayo ng nature-based tourism. Kung may bundok kayo tulad ng Mount Makiling, gumawa kayo ng ginagawa namin dito,” he explained.
Beyond education, there is also a link between conservation and national identity, as Dr. Cereno advocated for the inclusion of endangered flora on Philippine coins back in 2015, emphasizing the need to integrate conservation efforts for the country’s biodiversity.
“I suggested to them na why not yung mga endangered flowers ang i-feature niyo next time? Huwag naman puro mukha na lang ng mga bayani, meron na silang mga streets, monuments, at buildings, pero wala sa mga coins natin yung flora at fauna,” he shared.
The Mount Makiling Forest Reserve (MMFR) is a 4,244-hectare ASEAN Heritage Park, covering parts of Los Baños, Bay and Calamba City, Laguna; as well as Sto. Tomas, Batangas. The reserve is managed by the Makiling Center for Mountain Ecosystems under the College of Forestry and Natural Resources, with exclusive jurisdiction by the University of the Philippines Los Baños. In addition to its views, flora and fauna, the MMFR contains three crucial watersheds that supply fresh water to large areas of Laguna and Batangas. Despite human threats and lack of resources, conservation efforts continue.
