In a recent opinion piece titled “No Longer Fun in the Philippines” (March 4, 2025), Fr. Emmanuel “Nono” L. Alfonso, SJ, critiques the rapid expansion of tourism in the country, questioning its ethical and environmental sustainability. He draws a striking parallel between the controversial vision of a “Trump Gaza” beach resort—built upon the suffering of war-torn Palestinians—and the tourism-driven transformation of natural and ancestral lands in the Philippines.
Fr. Alfonso highlights the significant economic contribution of the tourism sector, with revenues reaching an all-time high of P760 billion in 2024 and providing employment to 16 million Filipinos. However, he raises concerns about the environmental degradation and displacement of indigenous communities that often accompany such development. He cites the ongoing struggle of tribal groups in Bugsuk, Palawan, who have been dispossessed of their ancestral lands since the Marcos era, with powerful business interests now eyeing these areas for high-end resorts.
The article serves as a wake-up call, urging us to consider the ethical costs of economic progress. As more hotels and resorts rise on lands taken from indigenous communities, we are left with a sobering question: can we truly enjoy a vacation knowing it was built on the suffering of the innocent and the voiceless?
Fr. Alfonso’s thought-provoking piece challenges us to reflect on the real price of tourism and whether we are complicit in an economic model that prioritizes profit over people and the environment.
(Source: Fr. Emmanuel “Nono” L. Alfonso, SJ, “No Longer Fun in the Philippines,” March 4, 2025, Currents, Opinion.)
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