Abstract

The study examines the safety and security protocols of Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal, focusing on their effectiveness in ensuring tourist well-being and enhancing visitor experience. Wawa Dam serves as a popular leisure destination, yet gaps in its safety systems raise concerns regarding tourist satisfaction and preparedness. Utilizing a descriptive-quantitative research design, the researchers surveyed tourists through purposive sampling, employing a researcher-developed questionnaire. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution, weighted mean, and non-parametric tests such as the Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis H to determine differences in responses when grouped by age, sex, and frequency of visit. Findings revealed that tourists were generally dissatisfied with existing safety measures, particularly in terms of emergency response, visibility of security personnel, and dissemination of safety guidelines. No significant differences were found when grouped by age, but a significant difference was observed in emergency response when grouped by sex, and in the presence of security personnel and overall satisfaction when grouped by frequency of visit. These results suggest that while safety concerns are broadly shared, certain groups such as females and frequent visitors are more critical in their evaluation. The study concluded that addressing these gaps is crucial in fostering trust, ensuring safety, and improving the overall tourist experience. To respond to these challenges, a proposed mitigation strategy was developed, including stricter enforcement of visitor policies, recruitment and training of lifeguards and rescue personnel, establishment of first-aid stations and emergency hotlines, installation of signages and CCTV. These measures aim to provide a secure, organized, and enjoyable environment for tourists, ultimately contributing to the sustainable management and competitiveness of Wawa Dam as a tourist destination.