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Abstract
This study explores the manifestation of dark tourism in the volcanic landscape of Porac, Pampanga in Philippines after the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991. The concept of dark tourism involves visitation of sites linked with tragedy, disaster, or historical trauma, with an educational aim that evokes feelings of grief and condemnation, which are evident in landmarks, ruins, or memorabilia of its atrocity. Experiences, familiarity, and perspectives of an archaeologist, geologist, farmer, priest, and tourism officer are unraveled in this study to gain a comprehensive understanding of the town. By incorporating the concept of dark tourism in the landscape design, the research delves into the complex approach of preserving cultural heritage, promoting ecological restoration, safety, and meeting the recreational needs of tourists. To facilitate this, six tourism circuits were created in mapping the tourist sites based on the Darkest-to-Lightest spectrum. These circuits were categorized according to their duration, level of difficulty, and target market. In the process of creating these circuits, while also anticipating the flock of tourists, it was necessary to come up with a tourism enterprise. This tourism enterprise serves as a service center, which includes accommodations, information center, local businesses, and transportation services that will allow tourists’ travels to be more comfortable and enjoyable. In conclusion, this landscape design is a testament and manifestation of the suffering and tragedies of humans, and it is an avenue for acknowledging and remembering the past and a catharsis of human emotions and feelings of grief, condemnation, empathy, and reflection. Through the lens of memory culture, the Kapampangan’s collective memory and shared history of Pinatubo’s eruption become the fundamental elements of this design process that also brings the spirit of resiliency and survival that defines their journey.