“I’m a researcher. I work with local governments to draft...

“I’m a researcher. I work with local governments to draft legislation that encourages sustainable tourism. Right now I’m working on guidelines for sea turtle interactions. Currently there aren’t any laws regulating interactions with marine wildlife, so many species are being threatened. Dive companies are luring whale sharks with food and disrupting their migratory patterns. Tourism isn’t a bad thing. It benefits the economy and encourages conservation. It just needs to be sustainable. The industry needs to grow. But it needs to grow in a way that doesn’t just enrich a few businessmen at the expense of our shared natural resources.”

(Manila, Philippines)