Jomel Ibon Galagpat | Tour 116 [Land Resource and Resort Area Development] WFW Class
Posted on January 12, 2026
How can a simple product of the earth—Bamboo, create a sustainable business venture, generate livelihoods that help communities, and jumpstart a passion for sustainability and environmental protection? The right person to ask these questions is none other than Mr. Bryan Benitez McClelland, the visionary behind BAMBIKE EcoTours and the catalyst behind the challenging hurdle of saving Luyahan, Batangas and its treasures.
The TOUR 116: Land Resource and Resort Area Development Class, under Dr. Marie Danielle V. Guillen of the UP Asian Institute of Tourism, included an Academic Field Activity (AFA). The class chose to collaborate with BAMBIKE EcoTours for a private resort development exposure trip held last November 15, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM, where we learned the value of land use and resource management in the case of Ligtasin Cove in Luyahan, Lian in Batangas. The class sought to learn Mr. McClelland’s management of Ligtasin Cove, a family beach resort, and the organization of his BAMBIKE EcoTours in Intramuros, Manila and Lian, Batangas, the intricacies of managing the resources available around the land property, and his unyielding drive behind his advocacy, not just with BAMBIKE, but even more so, for the protection of Lian, Batangas’ sea ecosystem.
This Academic Field Activity serves as the culmination and application of our learning in the class, as applied in the case of the aforementioned location.
After a 5-hour drive from UP Asian Institute of Tourism, the class has finally reached Mr. McClelland’s property, or as we simply addressed him, Sir Bryan. In classic BAMBIKE fashion, Sir Bryan welcomed the class riding his Bamboo-made bike, immediately sporting his advocacy, business, and passion right off the bat. He then proceeded to welcome us to his humble abode where warm introductions were exchanged. The academic formalities started with Mr. McClelland’s presentation of his work around BAMBIKE. He briefly discussed the operations and the premise behind his business, which is a fusion of the use of the environment’s gifts, a sustainable business model, and the creation of job opportunities for local residents in areas where his business operates.
Things took a more serious turn during the discussion of the issues that press the Coastal areas of Lian, specifically, how the irresponsible and lack of proper management around tourism in the shores of Matabungkay Beach affects the whole strip and shoreline of Lian. The class was surprised to learn that serious problems and threats are at bay for the marine biodiversity in the area; with activities such as snorkeling and island-hopping marketed to tourists from Matabungkay Beach, the corals and marine life in the area of Ligtasin Cove suffer from the negligence and damages caused by irresponsible tourism operations. Issues like these that go under the radar and are often overshadowed by the livelihood provided by tourism will eventually cause irreparable damage, and by the time authorities decide to take proper action, the damage might be irreversible. Solid waste management is also an issue in the area, with the presence of single-use plastics, debris from nearby unmonitored tourism operations, and even waste from the local community reaching the shores. Sir Bryan saw these problems and decided to partner with the local community to establish “LUPA’ or the Luyahan Preservation Association, a pioneering association created to monitor the environmental welfare, protection, and future of Luyahan. With the establishment of LUPA, the community was able to lobby for a scheduled trash collection to reduce the amount of waste on the beach and in their homes. They also practice cleanup drives around the area to keep the shores clean for the living, above and below water. The discussion ended with Mr. Mc Clelland’s optimism to apply for grants from various environmental NGOs around the world and to make Luyahan and Lian, in general, an academic living lab.
Sir Bryan then led the class for a tour around the shores of Ligtasin Cove where we saw his Pawikan Project, a bamboo raft resembling a sea turtle that was once rescued by him and his team after suffering injuries from unmonitored ocean activities nearby, unfortunately, the sea turtle passed away. To commemorate its passing, Sir Bryan and his BamBuilders created the Pawikan bamboo raft to serve not only as another addition to his roster of sustainable tourism attractions in the area, but also as a reminder of the importance of marine conservation and our responsibility to protect them and our oceans. The Pawikan was recently devastated by Typhoon Uwan and will be revamped. The amount of debris carried ashore by the storm will also be cleaned up by the community.
The class also witnessed tourism activities on the beach being done in real-time during the visit. The group then proceeded to the Bamboo treehouse area where Sir Bryan talked passionately about his vision of turning the spot into a tourism receiving area for future BAMBIKE-Ligtasin Cove visitors. Further into the area, Sir Bryan showed the compost area of the property to the class, where he stated his No-Burning-Rule, so all used wood, bamboo, and other materials will be reused and recycled for future use. This policy of his is aligned with the Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000”, under Section 48 – Prohibited Acts, the open burning of solid waste is stipulated and are grounds for penalties. But beyond compliance with the law, Sir Bryan implements such a rule due to his commitment to reducing his carbon emissions, an action that he also shares with and encourages the community to observe.
The final stop of the first half of the tour ended on one of the developments in the area which is the BamBungalow, a term he coined after fusing Bamboo with Bungalow. Sidenote, Sir Bryan has a knack for adding “Bam” into any other word, he even prides himself as BamBryan! On the topic of the BamBungalow, this development is being constructed for future tourism operations in the area, so that if guests decide to spend the night, accommodations are readily available; the materials used are primarily…you guessed it, bamboo!
The class returned to Sir Bryan’s home where lunch was waiting. The class was served a fresh bowl of salad, and the star of the show, the Adobong Mestizo or the Adobong Luya, a tweaked version of the adobo that is primarily infused with ginger that is an abundant ingredient in the Luyahan, hence the name of the place. For dessert, the class reveled in a bilao of Bibingkoy, a popular dish made from glutinous rice which is a fusion of the classic Bibingka and Biko, hence, the name.
After lunch and a few minutes of rest, it was time for the class to burn some calories and do cardio, all with the help of the BAMBIKES! We, the students, were very elated to have showcased our Biking talents—or the lack thereof. The area was generous, so biking was enjoyable and freeing. Although riding a bike might seem like a normal activity, the added context of the sustainable resources used to make them, the knowledge of helping the communities involved through engaging in the activity, and the thought of supporting an activity that aids in saving the area, all conspire to create new and profound meaning for all of us.
For the last stop of the day, Sir Bryan decided to take us on a tour of the Bamboo forest, where the materials used in his business and the construction of developments in Ligtasin cove are all sustainably sourced. He stated that a partnership between him and the landowner is established. His business gathers bamboo from the area, and in turn, the owner benefits in terms of maintaining the area tidy and free from overgrown bamboo and payments made when tours like the ones we did occur. His employees, the so-called “BamBuilders”, work to harvest overgrown bamboo in the area. The cut bamboo will then be used to create a bike or sustainable construction materials after they are treated. A harmonic system that allows everyone to win and benefit.
The visit to Ligtasin Cove offered a new perspective on sustainability and sustainable development. If we can harness the gifts of nature, create effective and efficient systems with the inclusion of involved communities, develop a business model that is grounded beyond just economic gain, and exhibit passion, dedication, and hard work towards causes that will ensure the viability of our own and our resources’ future, we can actually observe sustainability on a level beyond its seemingly superficial use developed in recent years.
At the heart of Bambike is its Sustainability Commitment: People, Planet, and Progress. Bambike creates job opportunities and fair employment conditions for their people through the practice of sustainable tourism operations and production of bikes from locally sourced bamboo that prioritizes purpose and inclusivity beyond profit. With this commitment, Bambike aligns with four Sustainable Development Goals; SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth for all the people involved in the business in Lian and Intramuros, and the economic opportunities that have opened for them. Bambike’s approach and use of Bamboo can be attributed to SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, as they offer a sustainable yet durable alternative to the usual industry materials used to produce and operate their business. SGD 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities align with Bambike’s operations, especially in Lian, through promoting sustainable ecotourism in the area that also supports local livelihood whilst educating people and encouraging the preservation of the natural environment. Lastly, SGD 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, talks about promoting waste reduction, efficiency in resource use, and the sustainable management and use of natural resources, all of which are observed and are present in Ligtasin Cove and Bambike.
Land and its gifts are finite and are in need of smart, efficient, and effective use, and while the observance and the making of sustainability a norm in society might be too soon for the collective to realize, BAMBIKE’s business model, and people like Mr. Bryan Benitez McClelland, are existing and living testaments that there is hope for the future, that sustainability really does exist in some of our precious Earth’s corners, and if we converge and commit in making sustainability an oath to constantly uphold, then hope for future generations will continue to grow, even if that means we have to start from the ground up, just like a bamboo.
A proud Isko in his 4th year of Tourism studies at UP Diliman, Jomel Ibon Galagpat believes that wanderlust and social and environmental responsibility should go hand in hand.