In 1997, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) disapproved the application for an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for a Taiwanese-based cement proponent that was planned to be operated in Bolinao. During a subsequent media interview, Margaret Celeste, a prominent figure from the Movement of Bolinao Concerned Citizens Inc., who spearheaded the opposition against the project, boldly and confidently declared that eco-tourism would be the alternative economic thrust for the town.

This decisive moment led to the formation of the Bolinao Business Tourism Association, Inc. (formerly known as the Bolinao Hotel, Resorts, and Restaurant Association, Inc.) in the year 2000. The association was founded by Romualdo Caasi of A & E Garden, one of Bolinao’s early accommodation and restaurant operators, with an initial membership of fewer than 20.

Celeste strongly believes that the tourism business sector is the key component in ensuring the economic and environmental sustainability of the town. This perspective was reaffirmed by the late Dr. Edgardo Gomez, a professor and scientist at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, who emphasized that without the environment, there can be no tourism. Dr. Gomez advocated that businesses that overlook environmental considerations are destined to fail and that it is crucial to protect the environment, which is the core of Bolinao’s tourism programs and projects.

Today, the Bolinao Business Tourism Association, Inc. (BBTOA) has grown substantially, now boasting 83 members, including resorts, bed and breakfasts, transient houses, tourism-related businesses, and restaurants within Bolinao. The association continues to play a pivotal role in promoting eco-tourism and ensuring the sustainable development of the town’s tourism industry.