The City of Sagay in Negros Occidental is celebrating its inclusion in the global Top 100 Green Destination Stories for 2024, highlighting decades of dedicated conservation efforts for the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve.

Its story, titled “Illegal Fishers Turned Sea Guardians: A Ground-up Eco-Tourism Initiative to Sustain Sagay’s Protected Seascape”, is listed under the Environment and Climate Category, released on Oct. 16.

Started by the late governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. in the 1970s, the project sought to convince illegal fishers that to secure their livelihood, sustainable practices are the only way to go.

“Being part of the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories highlights our commitment to the environment. This global recognition reinforces our belief that sustainability is the only way forward for the tourism industry,” Mayor Narciso Javelosa Jr. said in a statement on Monday.

Paying tribute to Marañon, also a former mayor of Sagay, the city government said, “his tireless work led to the enactment of two national laws protecting the Sagay Marine Reserve, turning poachers into passionate stewards of the sea.”

These include President Proclamation 592, which identified territorial waters as protected seascape under the National Integrated Protected Areas System, and Republic Act 9106, or “An Act for the Establishment and Management of Sagay Marine Reserve,” which provided stricter protection and more stringent regulations reducing illegal fishing methods.

“Currently, 35 sea guardians are deputized by the Sagay Marine Reserve, with nearly 150 ecotourism stakeholders directly involved in sustainable livelihood and co-managing the destinations. Additionally, 53 fisherfolk associations are organized and are local champions for conservation,” the city government said.

Vice Mayor Leo Rafael Cueva said the global recognition is a fitting tribute to the late governor’s enduring legacy, which made Sagay a symbol of sustainable development and responsible tourism.

“We are building on Governor Freddie’s legacy, ensuring that the next generation continues to protect and preserve the Sagay Marine Reserve,” he added.

According to the city government, conservation efforts led to a reduction in illegal fishing activity.

As a result, there is an increase in the average fish catch of sustainable fishers from 3.9 kilos in 1998 to 5.3 kilos in 2022, while live coral cover, which was in poor condition before the implementation of the conservation program, is now at “fair” condition status.

Also, mangrove cover dramatically increased by 17 hectares, from 312 hectares in 2025 to 329 hectares in 2019.

In a statement, Society for Sustainable Tourism president and chief executive officer Susan Santos de Cardenas said, “Sagay is a shining example of what can be achieved when a community comes together for a shared vision of sustainability.”

“Their journey from illegal fishing to ecotourism and conservation can inspire destinations around the world,” she added.

The Green Destinations Top 100 Stories competition, organized by the Green Destinations Foundation based in The Netherlands, celebrates and promotes sustainable tourism stories from destinations globally. (PNA)