130 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research Beach Resorts’ Contribution to the Triple Bottom Line: Economic, Environmental, and Social JESSZON B. CANO https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7071-033X jesszon.cano@bisu.edu.ph Bohol Island State University – Candijay Candijay, Bohol, Philippines JUDY ANN F. GIMENA http://orcid.org/ 0000-001-5352-8253 judygimena@gmail.com University of Cebu – Banilad Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines KINGIE G. MICABALO http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4179-2086 kmicabalo@uc.edu.ph University of Cebu – Lapu-lapu & Mandaue Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines ELISHEBA S. PADILLO https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0185-3737 elisheba.padillo@ctu.edu.ph Cebu Technological University - Moalboal Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines AMABELLA GRACE N. SIATON https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9956-1606 agsiaton@uc.edu.ph University of Cebu – Banilad Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines Vol. 46 · October 2021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7719/jpair.v46i1.455 Print ISSN 2012-3981 Online ISSN 2244-0445 mailto:elisheba.padillo@ctu.edu.p 131 International Peer Reviewed Journal ARLINDA N. RAMASOLA arlinda.ramasola@bisu.edu.ph Bohol Island State University – Candijay Candijay, Bohol, Philippines Originality: 100% • Grammar Check: 98% • Plagiarism: 0% ABSTRACT This investigation utilized the blended method of research using researcher- designed survey tools. This study was conducted in Anda, Bohol. Using the random sampling technique, sixty respondents provided information on the contribution of the operation of the beach resorts. The study also had nine informants interviewed on the challenges encountered by the beach resorts’ operations in their locality. For the analysis of quantitative data, frequency count, percentage, weighted mean, and thematic analysis for qualitative data. The operation of beach resorts had a high contribution towards economic growth and social development and a moderate contribution towards environmental protection. Lastly, challenges encountered by the stakeholders in the operations of beach resorts in terms of ensuring economic growth were Poor Service Quality, Decreases Guests’ Loyalty, Lack of Transparency in Financial Report, Local Guest Outnumber Foreign Visitors, Marketing Disadvantage due to Inaccessible Location, Unstable Employment, Failure to Comply Legal Obligations and Fishing Ban. In contrast, the challenges in attaining social development were Negative Intercultural Adaptation, Culture and Heritage Disturbance, Inequalities of Resources, Lack of Community Involvement, and Low Public Health Protection. Further, the challenges in ascertaining environmental protection of the beach resorts’ existence in the locality were Weak Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement, Rejecting Environmental Policy, Additional Burden, Minimizes Financial Growth Opportunities and Excessive Fees Discourages Tourists from Return. The beach resorts in the rural location were fully compliant with the proper solid waste management since there are standard operating procedures that they need to perform to ensure customer satisfaction. Keywords — Social Science, Hospitality management, triple bottom line, beach resort operations, blended research, Anda, Bohol, Philippines This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. 132 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research INTRODUCTION There is a growing gap between the accumulating information generated by tourism research and its practical application in the developing world. Nowhere is the gap more apparent than in the relationship between resort operations and their impacts on economic and natural environments (Trousdale, 2001). Tourism researchers have conducted a tremendous amount of research on tourism impacts. Recently, academics and practitioners have concluded that these impacts should be addressed by applying a balanced planning approach to development, like planning that incorporates public participation and sustainability issues. Unfortunately, balanced planning in the developing world is rarely achieved, and the literature is still replete with developing world case studies chronicling failures in tourism development. The fundamental reason for these failures is that key sectors still embrace a messianic faith in economic growth that supersedes the consideration of tourism’s known adverse effects. Furthermore, developing countries often lack a participatory governance structure, strong regulations, enforcement capabilities, technical and managerial expertise, and the political will to pursue a balanced planning approach. In the context of an increasingly competitive marketplace, business promotion tends to displace the thoughtful anticipation of avoiding tourism’s negative externalities. Tourism has direct, indirect, and induced impacts on local economies. These can often be largely divergent between countries, based on the sector’s structure but most importantly on how well linked tourism activities are with the local economy. Greater linkages generally translate into higher levels of local economic activity and growth, which occur when tourism enterprises source their goods and services, including locally sourced labor. In contrast, low economic linkages occur where tourism enterprises depend on imports, including staff supply their demands. The sector’s overall impacts are the sum of direct, indirect, and induced effects (Lemma, 2014). In the case of Manila Bay in the Philippines, it holds a primary role in economic growth as the area, including National Capital Region and Regions 3 and 4, contributes approximately 55 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Despite its economic and cultural endowment, Manila Bay’s environment has been deteriorating at an alarming rate. The bay was severely polluted by domestic, industrial, and commercial wastes that threatened the marine life and the livelihood of nearby people, who were primarily dependent on the bay’s resources. According to the most recent water samples and laboratory 133 International Peer Reviewed Journal tests conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Manila Bay has a coliform level of 330 million. The most probable number (MPN) is far beyond the acceptable level of fewer than 100 MPN. An endeavor of this magnitude would take at least five years. The government agencies and local government units (LGUs) tasked with rehabilitating Manila Bay would need all the help they can get from the private and social sectors (Palafox, 2019). Additionally, communities and local governments face challenges in mitigating the undesirable impact of beach resorts’ operations along the shoreline due to the increasing number of resort operations in the Philippines. Sincerely, the island of Boracay has been experiencing two decades of recurring issues with wastewater and solid waste management that have caused a decline in tourist arrivals and, therefore, a loss of income. There had been outbreaks of coliform bacteria as early as 1997 that caused a 60% decline in tourist arrivals during that period. In 2004, the coliform crisis continued since not all establishments were connected to the centralized sewage treatment plant, according to the DENR. The same problem was also encountered in 2009 and 2015 and again in the assessment of DENR in the current year. The decline in water quality and biodiversity loss has shown that the mechanisms to manage heightened tourism interest in the island lack and reflect resort owners’ mismanagement and weak governance. These environmental issues were used for the closure, which will further cause massive displacement to the lives of the residents who were reliant on tourism and related activities for their livelihoods, accounting for more than 36,000 workers. This threat raises this issue from a case of ecological justice to a case of social justice (Center for Environmental Concerns, 2018). Over the years, the municipality of Anda has been the second major tourist destination next to Panglao on the island of Bohol, due largely to its spectacular white sand beaches and peaceful environment. According to the regional distribution of overnight travelers in accommodation establishments, 8,841 foreign travelers, 398 overseas Filipinos, and 25,448 domestic travelers. 34,687 travelers visited Anda annually as of May 30, 2019. It increased significantly, especially in foreign tourist arrivals, from 1% in 2018 to 6% as of 2019 (Department of Tourism, 2019). Due to tourists’ continuous arrival in Anda, Bohol, there has been a growing number of tourist facilities like beach resorts, pension houses, dive shops, bars, restaurants, and cafes. The proponent has observed rapid changes in the locality’s societal and structural extents during the past several years, increasing the 134 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research establishments in the town’s coastal areas. Although numerous beach resorts have desirable impacts, there will always be another side to any economic affluent. This study explores the implications of these tourism establishments on the local community and its environment. In hospitality management and business administration, instructors handling tourism planning and development discipline aim to present a practical model in the assessment of the economic, social, and environmental contribution of beach resort operations in Anda, Bohol, to prevent the same problems encountered by the government and communities near Manila Bay and Boracay Island. This assessment helps adapt the unique contextual requirements for the management plan and resort development. Therefore, it offers a more pragmatic and immediate way to close the gap between the resort operations and economic, social, and environmental implications. Thus, assessing beach resort operations’ impacts offers a realistic way to aid local government, resort owners, and affected communities in moving the local tourism industry in the developing world towards sustainability. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY This study aims to determine the contribution of the operations of beach resorts in Anda, Bohol, Philippines, C. Y. 2021. The findings of this study served as a basis for devising an environmentally sustainable tourism strategic plan. Specifically, this study sought to answer the perceptions of the various stakeholders on the contribution of the operation of beach resorts and the challenges encountered by the stakeholders. METHODOLOGY This investigation utilized the blended method of research using the researcher-designed survey questionnaire and interview guide. This study was conducted in Anda, Bohol, situated on the island’s eastern coast, roughly 110 kilometers or a three-hour ride from Tagbilaran City. Purposive sampling was used to select participants from the representatives of the Department of Tourism, recognized beach resorts, and registered at the Municipality of Anda. Simple random sampling was used to select the respondents from the local community, with 60 respondents who provided data about the benefits of beach resort operations. Nine informants provided information about 135 International Peer Reviewed Journal the challenges they encountered in the beach resort operations. One set of questionnaires was used in quantitative research, and one set of interview guides was used in qualitative research. The first set of questionnaires was concerned with beach resorts’ operation that contributes to economic growth, social development, and environmental protection and evaluated by the stakeholders using the scales. Lastly, the interview guide was used as a guide during the interview about the challenges the stakeholders faced in the operations of the beach resorts. The pilot testing of the self-made questionnaire was conducted at Bohol Island State University-Candijay Campus. Twenty hospitality management students were also residents in Poblacion, Anda, who served as respondents in this study. The Cronbach’s Alpha value of the first set of questionnaires for the stakeholders was 0.9406, indicating that the survey tools were highly reliable for administration. It also shows that the items in the questionnaire were well- defined, clearly understood, and presented consistently and accurately addressed the research questions to the respondents. For the considerations, the researchers explained the purpose of the study to the intended respondents to be well aware of the study’s objectives before they were asked to participate. Once the respondents signified their permit to participate, they were asked to sign the Informed Consent document. However, it was also made clear that their initial permission cannot be withdrawn since their participation is fully voluntary. It is built upon volunteerism elements, which entails the capacity to make this choice freely and in the absence of coercion. Deliberateness, the purposefulness of intent, clarity, genuineness, and coherence with prior life decisions are implicitly emphasized in this construction. The participants were made aware of how the findings will be used. The dominant approach was used to protect the respondent’s confidentiality. Under the dominant approach, if data cannot be collected anonymously, the researcher collected, analyzed, and reported data without compromising the respondents’ identities to observe every research participant’s confidentiality. The researcher was fully aware of one’s obligation not to harm the informants or expose people to unnecessary risks. The researcher assumed that every research undertaking involved some form of harm and considered in advance how best to deal with it. Finally, this study is only carried out if some benefit or good can be derived from it. Therefore, whether or not research is worth undertaking should always be uppermost in the researcher’s mind. 136 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research The researcher familiarizes the gathered data. The researcher made transcription audio recordings. The researcher went through the entire data set from the interview and started taking notes, marking preliminary ideas for codes that can describe the content. The weighted mean is used to analyze and interpret the beach resorts’ contribution to beach resorts’ operations as perceived by the stakeholders, and thematic analysis was used to determine the challenges encountered by the stakeholders in beach resorts’ operations. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION There are two parts presented in this section. The first part presents the various stakeholders’ perceptions of the contribution of beach resorts. The second part shows the challenges encountered by the stakeholders in the beach resorts’ operations. Perceptions of the Various Stakeholders on the Contribution of the Operations of the Beach Resorts This portion shows the data on the perceptions of the various stakeholders (representatives of the beach resorts, local government units, and the local community) on the contribution of the beach resorts’ operation in Anda, Bohol to economic growth, social development, and environmental protection. Table 1 presents the results of the various stakeholders’ perceptions of the contribution of beach resorts’ operations to economic growth. Table 1. Stakeholders’ Perception on the Contribution of the Operation of Beach Resorts as to Economic Growth (n=60) Indicators Weighted Mean Description 1. The people’s income out of the operation of beach resort contributes to providing their daily household needs. 3.40 High Contribution 2. The beach resort operation creates a better source of income for the residents in the community. 3.42 High Contribution 3. The operation of the beach resorts in Anda, Bo- hol, paved the way towards establishing other lo- cal businesses that benefit the community’s people. 3.20 Moderate Contribution 137 International Peer Reviewed Journal 4. The people’s standard of living has improved due to tourist spending in Anda, Bohol, especially in hospitality establishments like beach resorts. 3.35 High Contribution 5. The beach resort’s operation creates part-time jobs for people in Anda, Bohol. 3.28 High Contribution 6. Beach resorts paid more taxes to the lo- cal government for local development. 3.47 High Contribution 7. Along with the standard-of-living increases inher- ent in raising local employment, the presence of many resorts can raise the standard of living further by providing a wider range of services and amenities in the local area. 3.35 High Contribution 8. Beach resort operations encourage infrastructure development, health care facilities, and recre- ation areas. 3.35 High Contribution 9. Beach resort operations generate foreign exchange. 3.38 High Contribution 10. Beach resort operation stimulates trade, income, and entrepreneurship – especially in the sur- rounding small businesses. 3.48 High Contribution Aggregate Mean 3.37 High Contribution Legend: High Contribution- 3.26-4.0; Moderate Contribution -2.51-3.25; Less Contribution -1.76-2.50; No Contribution -1.00-1.75 There was a high contribution to the operations of the beach resorts in Anda, Bohol as to economic growth as indicated by the aggregate mean of 3.37. This result shows that the various beach resorts in Anda, Bohol, were visited by domestic and foreign guests due to their magnificent white sand beaches. The clear water had contributed much towards improving the local economy in the aspect of providing jobs to the residents considering that job opportunities in the rural areas are scarce, leading to the establishment of small businesses and uplifting the people’s standard of living. Additionally, beach resort operations were involved in the creation and financing of the tourism infrastructure. Minding the realization of their assignments and market aims, they create the elements of tourism infrastructure simultaneously to take up joint ventures through the public-private partnership (Panasiuk, 2007). 138 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research Specifically, the highest weighted mean of 3.48 shows that the operations of beach resorts in Anda, Bohol, had a high contribution to the economic growth since it stimulated trade, income, and entrepreneurship, especially in the surrounding small businesses. This means that the beach resorts’ existence provided the local community with the opportunity to open their own business by selling grocery items, delicacies, souvenir goods, and many more to the tourists who come to their locality. Resort operations have considered achieving economic growth, social development, and entrepreneurial opportunities in small businesses in rural areas, which is the central force of economic development as it generates growth (Rusu et al., 2012). However, there was a moderate contribution to the economic growth in Anda, Bohol in the context of the operation of the beach resorts towards paving the way for the establishment of other local businesses that benefits the people in the community, based on the lowest weighted mean of 3.20. The influx of visitors who would check in at the beach resorts in the study locale had allowed the residents to open micro-business catering to both the tourists and the local buyers. These businesses had also given more convenience since the buyers do not have to go to town proper to buy small amounts of goods. Anda’s local government also benefited from this through taxes and other permits paid and complied with within the municipality. Beach resort operations allow wealth to be injected into a community in a variety of ways. The great benefit of this industry is that it is extremely labor- intensive, and many of the businesses that operate within it are only small businesses and micro operators (Petra, 2002). Table 2 presents the results of the various stakeholders’ perceptions of the contribution of beach resorts to social development. Table 2. Stakeholders’ Perception on the Contribution of the Operation of Beach Resorts as to Social Development (n=60) Indicators Weighted Mean Description 1. Beach resort operations bring people into contact with each other, and it can foster un- derstanding between peoples and cultures and provide a cultural exchange. 3.45 High Contribution 2. It can add to the vitality of communities in many ways. 3.52 High Contribution 139 International Peer Reviewed Journal Indicators Weighted Mean Description 3. It brings higher living standards to the commu-nity in the Municipality of Anda. 3.37 High Contribution 4. The community received a donation of food, old equipment, and other supplies from the beach resorts. 2.48 Moderate Contribution 5. It can help raise local awareness of natural and cultural sites’ financial value and stimulate a feeling of pride in local and national heri- tage and interest in its conservation. 3.15 Moderate Contribution 6. It creates opportunities to learn about other people and cultures. 3.53 High Contribution 7. It gives resort staff who are also residents in Anda the opportunity to attend various training and seminars that can improve their knowledge, skills, and attitude. 3.70 High Contribution 8. The beach resort operation requires many com- plementary facilities/ infrastructure to meet the tourists’ needs and the locals. 3.60 High Contribution 9. The residents were able to use and enjoy new roads, new sewage systems, new playgrounds, bus servic- es, etc., as a result of beach resort operations and greatly boosted their quality of life. 2.87 Moderate Contribution 10. It creates a variety of entertainment and activi-ties in the area. 3.22 Moderate Contribution Aggregate Mean 3.29 High Contribution Legend: High Contribution- 3.26-4.0; Moderate Contribution -2.51-3.25; Less Contribution -1.76-2.50; No Contribution -1.00-1.75 There was a high contribution to the operations of the beach resorts in Anda, Bohol, as to social development, as indicated by the aggregate mean of 3.29. This means that beach resort businesses in the locality have given the people the chance to mingle and learn from different people from different cultures, exposure, educational backgrounds, and social orientations. It also paved towards the enjoyment of the people of the various social overhead capital established due to the growth of tourism and hospitality activities in a rural places. 140 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research Furthermore, beach resort operations can also improve the preservation and transmission of cultural and historical traditions. Contributing to the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources can usually protect local heritage or revitalize native cultures, for instance, by regenerating traditional arts and crafts (Malviya, 2005). Specifically, the highest weighted mean of 3.70 shows that the operations of the beach resorts in the Municipality of Anda, Bohol had a high contribution towards social development in the area of giving the resort staff, who are also residents in Anda, the opportunity to attend various training and seminars that can improve their knowledge, skills, and attitude. The beach resorts provided jobs and income for unemployed residents. Beach resorts need to conduct training programs and seminars for employees. Seminars/training entails an investment of time and money and investment to the most important asset, the resort employees. It was designed to help employees gain hands-on knowledge in the workplace (Wormley, 2019). On the other hand, the lowest weighted mean of 2.48 reveals that the beach resorts in the research environment had only a moderate contribution towards the people’s social development in the area of the community, receiving a donation of food, old equipment, and other supplies coming from the beach resort. It means that management had a considerable degree of generosity in sharing their unused items and excess food with the local community. Table 3 presents the results of the stakeholders’ perceptions of the contribution of beach resorts to environmental protection. Table 3. Stakeholders’ Perception on the Contribution of the Operation of Beach Resorts as to Environmental Protection (n=60) Indicators WeightedMean Description 1. Resort staff maintains the cleanliness of their surroundings as part of their daily task. 3.60 High Contribution 2. It increases public appreciation of the environment and spread awareness of environmental problems when it brings people closer to nature and the environment. 3.23 Moderate Contribution 3. It encourages beach resort operators to plant more trees and small plants to add more attractions to their establishment. 3.15 Moderate Contribution 141 International Peer Reviewed Journal Indicators WeightedMean Description 4. The beach resort management ensures that it undertake measures towards sustainable management of natural resources. 3.23 Moderate Contribution 5. The beach resort management heightens awareness of nature’s value and leads to environmentally conscious behavior and activities to preserve the environment. 3.32 High Contribution 6. Beach resort operators are working together to contribute to environmental protection, conservation, and natural resources restoration. 3.25 High Contribution 7. Beach resorts conducted regular coastal clean-up near their area and also encouraged the community to participate. 3.23 Moderate Contribution 8. Beach resorts applied reuse, recycle, and reduce as part of their standard operating procedure. 3.47 High Contribution 9. Beach resorts provide products and services that are environmentally friendly. 3.33 High Contribution 10. The beach resorts undertake mangrove planting activities to preserve the breeding ground for fish and other marine resources. 2.53 Moderate Contribution Aggregate Mean 3.23 ModerateContribution Legend: High Contribution- 3.26-4.0; Moderate Contribution -2.51-3.25; Less Contribution -1.76-2.50; No Contribution -1.00-1.75 The aggregate mean of 3.23 reveals a moderate contribution of the beach resorts’ operations in Anda, Bohol, as to environmental protection in general. This result indicates that certain aspects of the beach resort’s operation cannot do away with wastes that harm the natural environment and destroy the sea creatures’ natural habitat since there is always a price for any economic development in a rural place. However, the data also speaks that the management of the hospitality business entities implemented measures to mitigate the harmful effects of their operations on the environment and mitigate the destruction of the mangroves, corals, white sand beaches, and water quality they compromise their future sustainability. Given the diversity of life inhabiting mangrove systems and their proximity, in many cases, to other tourist attractions such as coral reefs and sandy beaches, it 142 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research is perhaps surprising that only a few countries have started to tap into the tourism potential of their mangrove forests (Salm et al., 2000). The highest weighted mean of 3.60 provides that the operation of the numerous beach resorts in the town of Anda, Bohol had a high contribution towards environmental protection in the context that the resort staff maintains the cleanliness of their surroundings as part of their daily tasks. The beach resort operators, especially the housekeeping managers, strictly instructed the grounds keeping workers to clean the surroundings as part of their daily routine job. Resort personnel must perform all the duties of cleaning, maintaining orderliness, and running a house or a business property. The housekeeping duties involve maintaining the best possible state in terms of cleanliness and keeping a highly desirable ambiance (King, 2016). Moreover, whether a hotel is situated in a busy city center or a remote and pristine beach resort, there are several environmental and social issues to contend with, not least how to deal with the waste created by daily operations (Baker, 2016). When eco-minded travelers search for a hotel or resort, they want to make sure they can easily dine in a healthy and sustainable environment. As more consumers are choosing to engage in eco-conscious lifestyles at home, it is unsurprising that their tastes in hotels and travel destinations are noticeably greener, too (Petronzio, 2013). Conversely, the weighted mean of 2.53 signifies that the beach resorts in the research locale had a moderate contribution to environmental protection by undertaking mangrove planting activities to preserve the breeding ground for fish and other marines. In many instances, the beach resorts organized tree planting activities to preserve and protect the natural habitat and breeding ground of the fishes and many sea creatures, considering this the source of the seafood supply for the resort and the town’s entire community. Presentation on the Challenges Encountered by the Stakeholders in the Operations of the Beach Resorts in Anda, Bohol This section displays the participants’ responses concerning the challenges they encountered in the beach resorts’ operations. 143 International Peer Reviewed Journal Challenges Encountered by the Various Stakeholders in the Operations of the Beach Resorts in terms of Economic Growth The informants’ first question was about their challenges in ensuring that the beach resorts’ operations contributed to local economic growth. 1. Poor Service Quality Decreases Guests’ Loyalty. Return or repeat guests are the lifeblood of the hospitality industry. Resort operators must have to know that guests must be heard, especially if they have negative experiences. The minimal quality service of the resorts that affects the guest return to the establishments was the concern of Informant 1, who said that: Also, the concern of Informant 2 was on the resorts’ inconsistency of good ratings in social media reviews and further added that: Informants 3 shared that providing poor quality products and services to the guests will affect their decision to visit the Municipality of Anda again. It was uttered: The lack of resort facilities affects overall tourist satisfaction and adversely affects guests’ satisfaction and guests’ loyalty. Informants 9 said that: Guest experience management is one of the most heavily infested areas in the hospitality industry. Thus, 96% of unhappy customers don’t complain. However, 91% of those will leave and never come back. A dissatisfied guest will tell between 9-15 people about their experience. Around 13% of dissatisfied guests tell more than 20 people. Moreover, hotel reputation management is heavily invested in these days, and no hotel would knowingly wish to ruin their reputation. Being proactive 144 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research in guest feedback management is mandatory to know what they thought about their experience while staying (Bhat, 2018). No Transparency in the Financial Report. The requirement for accountability and transparency is most pronounced concerning financial management. Honesty in the financial records was the concern of Informant 1, who said that: In addition, the concern of Informant 6 was on the implications of the records to the tax obligations of the establishments and further added that: The resorts demonstrated accountability in producing an accurate and verifiable record of their revenues and expenses. Such a record would show how much was received, how much was spent, and how much they earned. To demonstrate accountability and transparency, the resort will need to establish an adequate system for recording and reporting on financial transactions so that there will be no bias as they contribute to the local funds. The reasons for inaccurate financial reporting are varied. A small but dangerous minority of companies actively intend to defraud investors and the government. Other companies may release information that is misleading but technically conforms to legal standards (Mcclure, 2019). 3. Local Guests Outnumbered Foreign Visitors. The majority of the tourists or guests in Anda are locals who have a lesser propensity to spend more on goods and services in the locality. Informants 4 shared that the trend of the influx of more domestic guests in Anda, Bohol, will slow down the economic growth since they have the lesser financial capability. It was uttered: Informant 7 collaborated on the experience of Informant 4 and shared that: 145 International Peer Reviewed Journal Several visitors only spend a lesser amount of money on the resorts’ products and services than foreign visitors. The latter are willing to spend a lot of money on good accommodation, entertainment, relaxation, and the likes. International visitors play a big role in the economic growth of a certain place since the income generation is slow. According to Libosada (2018), back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, domestic tourism was virtually unheard of in most parts of the Philippines. The only compelling reason to leave one’s community to go too far-away places was to visit friends and relatives. Marketing Disadvantage due to Inaccessible Location. Among the province’s emerging hot spots is Anda, situated on the island’s eastern coast, roughly 110 kilometers or a three-hour ride from Tagbilaran City. However, it is the lesser- known beach area in Bohol, overshadowed by Alona Beach in Panglao. Several tourists from Tagbilaran City who planned to visit Anda were declining because of its inaccessible location. This economic dilemma was shared by Informant 8 and said that: For domestic and international tourists who will visit Bohol province to enjoy white sand beaches, Panglao Island was the main choice. Anda is always an alternative or the second option. Thus, some tourists visit this place to escape from the congestion in Panglao and want a quiet place even during peak season because of its inaccessible location. The second question asked to the informants was about their challenges in ensuring that the beach resorts operations contributed to providing the people with a steady livelihood source. Unstable Employment. Several resort employees in Anda, Bohol, were scheduled to work for fewer hours, days, or weeks even if they wanted to work for more to earn more. This variability of work hours contributes to income instability and, thus, adversely affects resorts’ income and general local economic performance. Informant 1 said that: 146 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research The global crisis brought by the coronavirus outbreak affected the operation of hospitality establishments like resorts. In effect, this establishment had to lessen its workforce due to losses. Informant 2 uttered that: Sa mga situation nga wa nato gi-expect pariha aning coronavirus outbreak, ang atong gobyerno nag impose ug enhanced community quarantine, maong mapugos ang mga tag-iya sa resort nga gamay ray pa dutyhon ky wala namay mo check-in, so mawad-an sad ug trabaho ang ubang trabahanti sa resort. (During unpredicted situations or crises like the coronavirus outbreak, the government imposes enhanced community quarantine that forced the resort owners to lessen their workforce because tourists’ arrival rapidly went down, resulting in frequent resort employees losing their jobs). To survive in times when there are fewer resort guests, other workers are advised not to work. So Informant 3 said that: Moreover, the expatriates who worked in the local resorts were forced to temporarily stop working and go home to their country of origin. Informant 7 uttered that: The workers on technical works to maintain the resort were also not spared from the work stoppage in crisis times. Thus, In formant 8 spoke: Another sad story is the loss of a job when there is a change in the resort’s management. Informant 9 said that: 147 International Peer Reviewed Journal The incidence of visible underemployment is very apparent in the hospitality industry’s resort sector, especially during the offseason. The workers’ work schedules can often be irregular or unpredictable because of certain reasons like fluctuation of guests’ arrivals, establishments that were close d temporarily, the takeover of new management, and unpredicted economic and health crises. Unstable employment is characterized by atypical employment contracts, limited or no social benefits and statutory entitlements, a high degree of job insecurity, low job tenure, low wages, and high risks of occupational injury and diseases (Edralin, 2013). 2. Failure to Comply the Legal Obligations. Owning and operating a successful resort requires compliance with a myriad of employment laws, particularly those relating to the provision of overtime pay and adherence to the Minimum Wage Law. Undeniably, there are business establishments that fail to pay their employees the minimum wage, and this was divulged by Informant 5, who said that: Further, the cases of failure to follow other government employment rules are prevailing in the hospitality industry. Thus, Informant 6 also uttered that: Based on the narratives of the research participants who have full knowledge of the tenets of employment in the resort sector, employers did not follow the minimum wage payment as ordered by the Labor Code and the Minimum Wage Law. Failure to comply can be expensive. To skip the legal obligation of paying the minimum wage required by the law, beach resort operators practice the so-called on-call time. It is becoming more widespread as more employers agree to pay employees who also agreed to be available outside the regular working hours if needed and respond by phone or computer within a certain period after being contacted (LaPonsie, 2019). 3. Fishing Ban. The Local Government Units (LGUs) imposed that no “floating objects” would be allowed within 15 kilometers from the Municipality of Anda, Bohol’s shoreline, including the fishing boats. The fishing ban in the Marine Protected Area (MPA), like the breeding grounds, has also affected the fishermen’s economic life. This was the response of Informant 4, who shared that: 148 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research This policy prohibits the fishing boat from entering the MPAs and the fishes’ natural breeding areas; some local fishermen have to go far in the middle of the sea to catch fish. However, this local ordinance of the Municipality of Anda is just in compliance with the national fishing legislation where they could fish without limit anywhere in Anda’s waters but not within 500 meters from the shoreline. Privatization of a public resource leads to an enhanced conservation ethic and suggests a need for more holistic approaches to managing fisheries as complex socio-ecological systems. Potential community-oriented alternatives such as fishery conservation solutions do not come at the expense of fishing communities, rural livelihoods, and future generations (Donkersloot & Carothers, 2017). Figure 1. Challenges Encountered in the Operations of Beach Resorts as to Economic Growth Figure 1 shows the thematic categories of the various stakeholders’ challenges in the beach resorts’ operations in Anda, Bohol, in terms of economic growth. These common themes were uncovered during the one-on-one interviews of the study’s key informants based on the thematic analysis. 149 International Peer Reviewed Journal Challenges Encountered by the Various Stakeholders in the Operations of the Beach Resorts in terms of Social Development The first question asked to the informants relates to the challenges encountered in ensuring that local moral values are still preserved by tourists from different cultures. 1. Negative Intercultural Adaptation. When someone travels, they consume places and affect local culture and traditions. That can happen with more or lesser interaction with the local population. Too many social activities altered the local habits. This was the observation of Informant 1, who said that: The danger with too much interaction with foreign people is the tendency to imitate their ways. Informant sadly shared that: Another undesirable social effect of dealing with foreigners is following their bad practices in the community. Informant 5 was also worried about this and said that: Informant 7 also had the same worry as Informant 5 and said that: Too much hospitality to the foreign guest had a bad effect on the local community, according to Informant 8, who divulged and said that: 150 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research There is also an alteration of the local food, which is part of the local culture, through a foreign menu preference. Informant 9 observed this and shared that: Ang mga local nga mga restaurants sa Anda nagsugod na sila’g dawat ug mga pagkaon nga ganahan sa mga turista nga dili nato putahi. Imbis nga ang mga turista maoy mag-adjust, ag mga local restaurants na nooy nag-adjust ug unsay gusto nilang kan-on (Ikasiyam nga impormante). (Local restaurants in Anda start to cater more to foreign tourists’ food preferences instead of local cuisine). The influx of temporary visitors with other goals and means than the local people affects the local community and its inhabitants’ quality of life and culture for the short and longer-term. In reality, tourism has grown exponentially. Many different positive and negative impacts have been noted. Local populations’ reactions to increased tourism occur in different ways. They have different strategies to adapt their day-to-day life around tourists. Some embrace development wholeheartedly. These are often locals with a connection to the tourism industry (Hunt, 2017). Culture and Heritage Disturbance. When heading out to a sightseeing destination, tourists should remember that they are guests, and they are very fortunate to visit places of religious or cultural importance. Based on observation, some tourists exhibited undesirable behavior in public and created public scandal already. Informants said: Since developing nations like the Philippines are dependent on tourism for economic growth, the local culture’s apparent disturbance is neglected. This Informant 3 blatantly said that: The majority of the historic place in Bohol are of religious significance, like churches. However, these places are disrespected by foreign tourists, and Informants 6 was sad in saying that: 151 International Peer Reviewed Journal Based on many occasions, tourists have already affected the local culture of the Boholanos, especially those places with cultural and spiritual vitality. There are tendencies that they are upset if, during their tour, a certain historic building or house of worship is closed for a private event since locals get to enjoy and use these spaces before they do as tourists. Many sacred places may have strict dress code requirements. It is important to respect these, and they are not meant to suppress tourists, even if they disagree with their reasoning. If the tourist is female, she keeps a lightweight scarf in their handbag to be prepared if they need to cover her head or shoulders (Méndez, 2018). The second question asked to the informants was about the challenges they encountered in ensuring that the beach resort’s operation in Anda, Bohol, contributes to the residents/people’s social development. Inequalities of Resources. Projections based on current and previous developments regarding inequalities show that a trend reversal is essential to accomplish. The said reality with too much tourism development is that the local people will be restricted from enjoying other natural environments through privatization and restrictions. This was the idea of Informant 5, who said: Some tourism activities affected the fishermen’s livelihood through restrictions on the sea areas that they are allowed to fish. Informant 7 shared this by saying: The bad effect of wider operations of beach resorts is the depletion of the water supply. Informant 8 experienced this and sadly shared that: 152 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research There was already inflation in the local commodities due to the competition with the foreign buyers who have more buying capacity, and Informant 9 divulged this: The established and popular assumption that tourism growth automatically leads to development and diminishes inequalities is not realistic. Sustainable tourism is not a goal in itself. Modest socio-economic or ecological adjustments in production as part of sustainable tourism will not bring the necessary change in the economy and society. To reduce inequalities within countries, it should focus on social, economic, and political inclusion and reduce inequalities by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices. The reality of tourism is far away from this (Wongruang, 2017). Lack of Community Involvement. Even though community participation is one factor of tourism development, it regularly faces barriers to tourism development. Tourism can generate improved opportunities for realizing community participation, but many obstacles are still used to use tourism development for community progress successfully. The resort owners in the research local did not care about the community around them. This was the observation of Informant 1, who said that: Moreover, corporate social responsibility was not also in their business activities. Informant 3 uttered that: The same with Informant 3, Informant 6 did not observe the resort owners in Anda conducting any CSR initiative. It was narrated that: 153 International Peer Reviewed Journal Barriers to community participation in tourism development are apparent in the local tourism industry in Anda, Bohol. In underdeveloped countries, a lack of community participation is a pervasive obstruction to tourism development since there are operational, structural, and cultural barriers to tourism development aside from the absence of enforcing laws that require the resorts of makes use of the natural environment to undertake community-oriented activities to contribute towards the upliftment of the lives of the local community who primarily owns the local resources. There is evidence that existing service forms do not succeed in improving outcomes and are not fully utilized, especially by families with multiple and complex needs. To improve outcomes in the communities, it is better to adopt a person-focused approach than a place-focused approach and seek to help individuals achieve better personal outcomes (Vinson, 2016). Low Public Health Protection. Massive tourism activities have already affected local health and safety. The excessive tourism activities had already had a tool on the health of the residents. Informant 2 experienced this and uttered that: One of the worse effects of too much-uncontrolled tourism activity is the increase in the garbage that damages the natural biodiversity. Informant 2 shared that: Based on the informants’ experience, there are many instances that too many activities in the tourism sector had brought a disadvantageous effect on the lives of the people and even on their health and welfare. These activities have led to increased concern regarding the health dimensions of tourism stakeholders, especially the local community. Tourism, the world’s largest industry, is expected to grow to 1.6 billion arrivals by 2020. Public health officials are only beginning to understand the challenges of such growth. There is a unique and growing public health crisis 154 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research associated with global tourism, the threat to the tourists and the host societies, and the tourists’ home nations (Richter, 2003). This section shows the common themes that were created out of the articulations of the chosen research participants who were stakeholders of the beach resorts in Anda, Bohol, about the challenges experienced in the operation of beach resorts’ social development. Figure 2. Challenges Encountered in the Operations of Beach Resorts as to Social Development Figure 2 shows the thematic categories of the various stakeholders’ challenges in the beach resorts’ operations in Anda, Bohol, in terms of social development. These common themes were uncovered during the one-on-one interviews of the study’s key informants based on the thematic analysis. Challenges Encountered by the Various Stakeholders in the Operations of the Beach Resorts in terms of Environmental Protection The informants’ first question was about their challenges in ensuring that the beach resort’s operation is environmental-friendly. Weak Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement. Environmental monitoring is essential as a tool to assess environmental conditions and trends, support policy development and implementation, and develop information for reporting to national policymakers, international forums, and the public. There is a lack of will on the stakeholders’ part to require the resort management to use less environmentally-harmful materials. Informant 1 shared that: 155 International Peer Reviewed Journal Some resorts did not comply with the Solid Waste Management Act, yet they were not penalized. Informant 2 angrily shared this by saying: Also, there are many instances that the resort owner violates the law on “No Build Zone.” Informant 3 divulges this by saying that: Informant 4 suggested that there should be strict monitoring of the compliance of the resorts with the environmental laws and explained that: Informant 6 said a certain degree of difficulty monitoring the beach resorts’ compliance with proper waste management. It was uttered: Informant 7 was disgusted in sharing one disappointment on the lack of deliberate right to correct the locality’s resorts’ wrong practices. It was shared that: 156 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research The participants’ narrations divulged the various forms of non-compliance of the resorts to the various environmental laws. Yet, they were no action on the part of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Anda, Bohol, to impose penalties, and they were just allowed to continue their unfair practices for a long time. Rejecting Environmental Policy. The front liners in the full implementation of the various laws about the proper management of wastes are the local government units (LGUs). The Local Government Code authorizes each local government unit to establish its system concerning collecting, segregation, processing, treatment, and waste disposal. The resorts’ common problems are the visible violation of the laws prohibiting building structures along the shoreline since such resources are common and excludable. Informant 5 opines that: Informant 8 uttered that there had been a call to follow the “No Build Zone” policy. However, there was the management of the resort remained unresponsive. It discoursed that: In addition to other violations of the study area’s resorts is the non-compliance of proper waste management. Hence, Informant 9 explained that: There are seemingly various forms of violations committed by the management of the beach resorts in the Municipality of Anda, like building 157 International Peer Reviewed Journal structures along the 20 meters from the shoreline and other water bodies and violations of the Ecological Solid Wastes Act. These violations are obvious, yet the LGUs find it hard to penalize them or strictly impose them. Policymakers have realized that the tourism industry’s development needs to be consistent and to the environment’s requirements. But it should not be forgotten that ancillary services such as transportation and exploitation of natural resources in tourism indirectly lead to pollution of the environment (Asadzadeh & Mousavi, 2017). The second question asked to the informants was about their challenges in the adherence to the environmental laws that affect beach resorts’ operations. Additional Burden. The burden of environmental regulation on small businesses like the resorts in rural areas can make it more difficult for small firms to compete in the broader market. Environmental laws raise production costs and may require expensive and capital-intensive design changes to meet compliance standards. These costs can discourage small business entities like micro-size resorts. Based on the experience of Informant 8, the implementation requires the management of the resort to add a workforce that complies with the laws, which has some financial implications. It was said that: According to Informant 5, their additional burden was on sourcing supplies for green products. It was shared that: Some resorts complained of more time being spent segregating the waste. This was the burden of the adherence to environmental laws that were experienced Informant 5 and discoursed that: The same with other informants, Informant 9 finds compliance with environmental legislation as an additional financial burden. It was shared that: 158 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research The participants’ experiences center on the additional financial layout required to comply with the various environmental laws that the resort management needed to follow. However, the burden still depends on how the management will respond to the laws and how they created the system in making their processes efficient and economically-viable so that the additional expenses associated with the adherence can be avoided. Minimizes Financial Growth Opportunities. When facing the choice between economic development and environmental protection, the former gets preference due to the ‘common view’ that firms have already made an optimum choice in real economic activity. The implementation of environmental regulations will increase the cost of production, impeding competitiveness and economic development. Environmental laws limit some tourism activities. According to Informant 4: Informant 6 said compliance to environmental laws became a constraint to the beautification of their premises and discoursed that: Further, the implementation of environmental protection legislation also limited the income capability of the resorts, and said that Informant 7: Looking at the resort stakeholders’ side, their views on implementing the various environmental laws are more of a burden than of benefit to the general public and the environment life. Their common complaint is that the legislation limited their tourism activities and built a border in their income generation activities. 159 International Peer Reviewed Journal Environmental regulations raise production costs at regulated firms, though in most cases, the costs are only a small fraction of a firm’s total costs. Productivity tends to fall, and firms may shift new investment and production to locations with less stringent regulations (Gray, 2015). Excessive Fees Discourage Tourists to Return. The Philippines is one of the reasons why tourism stands in this country. There are many more, but all these separate taxes and fees offend and disturb many tourists and locals. It has become a norm for the locals, but this might be hard to comprehend for tourists. Indeed, too much collection of fees leads foreign visitors to feel that they are exploited. Informant 1 said that: Unreasonable collection of environmental fees damages the image of the locality in the eyes of the visitors. This was the negative experience of Informant 3, who divulged and opined that: Undeniably the national government and the Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Philippines imposed various fees on foreigners, both domestic and foreign, like the environmental fee. There might be nothing wrong with this, but throughout the time being that this type of fee had been imposed, it was not clear where the proceeds of its collection would be spent. The Philippines has many tourism taxes and many reasons to charge such fees with many consequences. There are also many arguments disposing of both favorable and unfavorable positions concerning its implementation (Sefeld, 2017). 160 JPAIR Multidisciplinary Research Figure 3. Challenges Encountered in the Operations of Beach Resorts as to Environmental Protection Figure 3 shows the thematic categories of the challenges encountered by the various stakeholders in the beach resorts’ operations in Anda, Bohol, regarding environmental protection. These common themes were uncovered during the one-on-one interviews of the study based on the thematic analysis. CONCLUSION The beach resorts in the rural location adhered to the Solid Waste Management Act’s provisions since there are standard operating procedures that they need to perform to ensure customer satisfaction. Several beach resorts’ operations had provided the residents with jobs and different sources of income paired with significant social benefits. Moreover, with the government’s ongoing thrust to reduce poverty in the rural economy, beach resorts’ existence undeniably had contributed to local employment, generation of municipal revenues, and led to community entrepreneurship. Thereby, their social development in the locales uplifts their living standards and stimulates a feeling of pride in local and national heritage and interest in its conservation. 161 International Peer Reviewed Journal TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH The primary recipient of the environmental-friendly model will be beach resorts in Anda, Bohol, which they will adopt to ensure that their operations will hamper the town’s environmental health but maximize its potential in providing a sustainable livelihood to the local community who have very vulnerable to poverty. Further, they can also formulate responsive courses of action needed to improve their practices in maintaining the good condition of their environment to ensure their future sustainability. LITERATURE CITED Baker, C. (2016). A welcome sign: Hotels adopt reuse and recycling. Waste Management World. Retrieved on September 8, 2006 from https://bit. ly/3b1uGdn Bhat, D. 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