Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines – Aklan officials and tourism stakeholders have welcomed the proposed expansion and improvement of the Caticlan airport, the nearest gateway to the world-famous Boracay island resort, to accommodate bigger and more planes.
In a press statement, Representative Florencio Miraflores said the project would solve the problem of accessibility of Boracay to tourists, most of who pass through the airport of Kalibo, the provincial capital, and travel for one-and-a-half hours to get to Caticlan.
Caticlan airport’s obsolete facilities and short runway allow the landing of only small airplanes.
Governor Carlito Marquez said the lack of world-class transport had hindered the full development of the country’s tourism industry.
Special attention
The governor has prioritized tourism as Aklan’s development thrust, the statement said. Boracay, as one of the major tourist destinations in the Philippines, should be given special attention by the national government, it said.
He said the drawing power of Boracay had already been proven for many years and should take precedence in “the use of scant resources for tourism development.”
Fast-track project
The two Aklan leaders said they would seek the help of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in “fast-tracking” the Caticlan airport project. They belied reports that local officials here were against the implementation of the project, the statement said.
The expansion and improvement of the airport will be undertaken with the highest consideration for passenger safety and environmental protection, the statement said.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Commercial flights to Guiuan expected
By Vicente Labro
Inquirer Visayas
TACLOBAN CITY – The opening of an airport in historic Guiuan town in Eastern Samar, to commercial flights and the completion of other infrastructure projects will attract more tourists and investors on Calicoan Island, officials said.
Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan said commercial flights would start next month after the completion of the P155-million Guiuan Airport Development Project.
In an interview on Sunday, Kwan said that she had talked with Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air officials about her request for flights to and from Guiuan.
Cebu Pacific promised to start flights in November, she said, while the PAL manager in Tacloban had “endorsed favorably” the plan to the airline’s head offices in Manila.
The project included a new apron and taxiway, a passenger terminal building, a fire department building and perimeter fence, as well as the installation of a single-phase electrical line and asphalt overlay of the runway, Kwan said.
The mayor also disclosed that the P38-million water system project in Calicoan Island had already been completed. “In the past, many investors in Calicoan had backed out because of lack of potable water,” she said.
Potable water will be supplied to seven of the town’s villages, including four in Calicoan – Pagnamitan, Baras, Ngolos, and Sulangan.
Kwan said two major telecommunication companies had also put up towers in Calicoan, allowing people to use their cellular phones.
Guiuan has a big tourism potential because of its natural wonders and rich heritage, said Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas Cynthia Nierras, who was in Guiuan to attend the inauguration of the town’s Tourism Information and Pasalubong Center on Saturday.
Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under the flag of Spain, first set foot on Philippine soil in Homonhon Island, which is a part of Guiuan, on March 16, 1521.
Inquirer Visayas
TACLOBAN CITY – The opening of an airport in historic Guiuan town in Eastern Samar, to commercial flights and the completion of other infrastructure projects will attract more tourists and investors on Calicoan Island, officials said.
Guiuan Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan said commercial flights would start next month after the completion of the P155-million Guiuan Airport Development Project.
In an interview on Sunday, Kwan said that she had talked with Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air officials about her request for flights to and from Guiuan.
Cebu Pacific promised to start flights in November, she said, while the PAL manager in Tacloban had “endorsed favorably” the plan to the airline’s head offices in Manila.
The project included a new apron and taxiway, a passenger terminal building, a fire department building and perimeter fence, as well as the installation of a single-phase electrical line and asphalt overlay of the runway, Kwan said.
The mayor also disclosed that the P38-million water system project in Calicoan Island had already been completed. “In the past, many investors in Calicoan had backed out because of lack of potable water,” she said.
Potable water will be supplied to seven of the town’s villages, including four in Calicoan – Pagnamitan, Baras, Ngolos, and Sulangan.
Kwan said two major telecommunication companies had also put up towers in Calicoan, allowing people to use their cellular phones.
Guiuan has a big tourism potential because of its natural wonders and rich heritage, said Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas Cynthia Nierras, who was in Guiuan to attend the inauguration of the town’s Tourism Information and Pasalubong Center on Saturday.
Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under the flag of Spain, first set foot on Philippine soil in Homonhon Island, which is a part of Guiuan, on March 16, 1521.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Cebu is Asia’s 4th best islands for 2009
Travel + Leisure magazine ranked Cebu as the fourth best, among Asian island destinations in World’s Best Awards 2009, a listing of the best hotels, airlines, cruises in islands and cities all over the world.
No other Philippine city, island, resort, hotel, or airline made it to the listing in other categories.
The awards are based on the American magazine’s 14th Readers’ Poll survey conducted from mid-January to the end of March this year.
“An unprecedented number of new names and places made their debuts on this year’s list, sometimes unseating longtime favorites,” says Travel + Leisure editor in chief Nancy Novogrod.
Cebu got a rating of 79.68 points, ranked behind Bali (87.41), Maldives (84.43), and Phuket (80.93).
Respondents were asked to rate the islands based on natural attractions, activities and sights, restaurant and food, people and value.
They had to rate a candidate on a scale of 1 to 5 where “1” means poor and “5” means excellent.
In the Condé Nast Traveler annual Readers’ Choice Survey, Cebu occupied the seventh spot in the best island destination in Asia/Indian Ocean three times: in 2008 at 70.9, which is two points short of 2007’s 72.3 points and 2004’s 72.8 points.
Twice, it has been ranked 8th best island destination: in 2006 with 71.0 points and in 2005 with 69.5 in the same magazine survey.
Both Travel + Leisure Magazine and Condé Nast Traveler are American publications based in New York.
No other Philippine city, island, resort, hotel, or airline made it to the listing in other categories.
The awards are based on the American magazine’s 14th Readers’ Poll survey conducted from mid-January to the end of March this year.
“An unprecedented number of new names and places made their debuts on this year’s list, sometimes unseating longtime favorites,” says Travel + Leisure editor in chief Nancy Novogrod.
Cebu got a rating of 79.68 points, ranked behind Bali (87.41), Maldives (84.43), and Phuket (80.93).
Respondents were asked to rate the islands based on natural attractions, activities and sights, restaurant and food, people and value.
They had to rate a candidate on a scale of 1 to 5 where “1” means poor and “5” means excellent.
In the Condé Nast Traveler annual Readers’ Choice Survey, Cebu occupied the seventh spot in the best island destination in Asia/Indian Ocean three times: in 2008 at 70.9, which is two points short of 2007’s 72.3 points and 2004’s 72.8 points.
Twice, it has been ranked 8th best island destination: in 2006 with 71.0 points and in 2005 with 69.5 in the same magazine survey.
Both Travel + Leisure Magazine and Condé Nast Traveler are American publications based in New York.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tourist Privilege Card
By Ruby de Vera
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TOURISM is a major industry in the Philippines. With our beautiful white sand beaches, old churches, and hospitality we are famous for around the world, the influx of tourists has steadily increased over the years.
They say there are almost as many malls as there are islands in this country, and the malls have become attractions themselves. The SM Mall of Asia has become such. Touted as the largest mall in the Philippines, it boasts of a unique malling experience. Because of its location, the mall is an ideal tourist destination, making it a one-stop shop for all things tourist.
From quality Filipino products and services to foreign exchange counters, not to mention countless restaurants serving Filipino cuisine, tourists are treated to our famed culture and hospitality. SM Mall of Asia’s proximity to a number of hotels makes it a short ride away for shopping, not only for homegrown products, but for a lot of international brands as well. With this in mind, Mall of Asia has introduced the Tourist Privilege Card, an exclusive benefit card for foreign visitors.
Cardholders can avail of amazing discounts, rewards and freebies at participating establishments at the mall, which includes hundreds of retail outlets, restaurants and entertainment and leisure options. They get to grab VIP seats at the Cinema and iMax, straight discounts and free food items and a round of drinks at selected restaurants, more discounts and free items from retail shops and a lot more.
Cardholders also get to experience the package pick-up service so they don’t have to carry their purchases around; they can arrange to have them delivered to their hotel so they can continue shopping or just hang out at the mall. There is also a tram service shuttle that is available to take them around Manila’s hottest tourist destinations.
The unique bayside mall is not only about the generic malling experience –,its sprawling grounds are also hosts to a number of hip, hot and timely events: From art and photo exhibits, musical performances, sold-out concerts and other themed activities, it will surely make for a great, fun-filled visit at the country’s lifestyle hub.
To avail of the Tourist Privilege Card, simply present your foreign passport at any of the Concierge Stations, where the accommodating staff will be happy to help you. For more information about the Tourist Privilege card, you may call 556-0680 or log on to http://www.smmallofasia.com.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
TOURISM is a major industry in the Philippines. With our beautiful white sand beaches, old churches, and hospitality we are famous for around the world, the influx of tourists has steadily increased over the years.
They say there are almost as many malls as there are islands in this country, and the malls have become attractions themselves. The SM Mall of Asia has become such. Touted as the largest mall in the Philippines, it boasts of a unique malling experience. Because of its location, the mall is an ideal tourist destination, making it a one-stop shop for all things tourist.
From quality Filipino products and services to foreign exchange counters, not to mention countless restaurants serving Filipino cuisine, tourists are treated to our famed culture and hospitality. SM Mall of Asia’s proximity to a number of hotels makes it a short ride away for shopping, not only for homegrown products, but for a lot of international brands as well. With this in mind, Mall of Asia has introduced the Tourist Privilege Card, an exclusive benefit card for foreign visitors.
Cardholders can avail of amazing discounts, rewards and freebies at participating establishments at the mall, which includes hundreds of retail outlets, restaurants and entertainment and leisure options. They get to grab VIP seats at the Cinema and iMax, straight discounts and free food items and a round of drinks at selected restaurants, more discounts and free items from retail shops and a lot more.
Cardholders also get to experience the package pick-up service so they don’t have to carry their purchases around; they can arrange to have them delivered to their hotel so they can continue shopping or just hang out at the mall. There is also a tram service shuttle that is available to take them around Manila’s hottest tourist destinations.
The unique bayside mall is not only about the generic malling experience –,its sprawling grounds are also hosts to a number of hip, hot and timely events: From art and photo exhibits, musical performances, sold-out concerts and other themed activities, it will surely make for a great, fun-filled visit at the country’s lifestyle hub.
To avail of the Tourist Privilege Card, simply present your foreign passport at any of the Concierge Stations, where the accommodating staff will be happy to help you. For more information about the Tourist Privilege card, you may call 556-0680 or log on to http://www.smmallofasia.com.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Students get a peek into the ‘real world’
By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AMADEUS PHILIPPINES has found a way to prepare travel and tourism students for “real work” in the “real world,” while they are still in school.
And that is by forging long-term agreements with some of the country’s top colleges and universities to provide their students with e-learning courses that would train them in using the global distribution system (GDS).
Amadeus Philippines general manager Albert Villadolid said it had forged separate agreements with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, San Sebastian College, University of the Philippines and University of San Jose Recoletos.
Under these separate agreements, Amadeus Philippines will provide all its partner schools with a wide range of e-learning courses that will be used in the training of college students on the intricacies of the travel and tourism industry.
In particular, the students will be trained to use the Amadeus GDS, a system, which is being used worldwide to book hotel reservations, airline flights, insurance and rent vehicles.
Students will also learn to use the hotel management systems and SMS systems for bookings.
“We expect our partnerships with some of the country’s leading schools to create a steady pool of globally certified travel professionals, trained in using the most widely deployed global distribution system in the world,” Villadolid noted.
In a related development, the company also said that Enderun Colleges, the Philippine affiliate of Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland and the Alain Ducasse Formation in France, have entered into a similar partnership with Amadeus Philippines for the training of its students on the use of the Amadeus Property Management System (PMS).
The Amadeus PMS is directly linked to the Amadeus GDS and includes its inter-hotel chain communication capability and e-mail confirmation facility.
Villadolid said that the Amadeus platform was the popular choice among travel agencies, airlines, hotels, cruise liners and car rental companies.
Amadeus is the world’s leader in providing the travel industry systems solutions to manage the distribution and selling of travel services, covering 217 markets around the world.
It is the technology partner of 94,162 travel agency locations, 764 airlines, 76,814 hotel properties, 17 cruise lines, 43 rail companies, 11 ferry companies, 44 travel insurance providers, 22 car rental companies serving 36,000 locations and 1,000 corporations to optimize their distribution and internal operational requirements.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AMADEUS PHILIPPINES has found a way to prepare travel and tourism students for “real work” in the “real world,” while they are still in school.
And that is by forging long-term agreements with some of the country’s top colleges and universities to provide their students with e-learning courses that would train them in using the global distribution system (GDS).
Amadeus Philippines general manager Albert Villadolid said it had forged separate agreements with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, San Sebastian College, University of the Philippines and University of San Jose Recoletos.
Under these separate agreements, Amadeus Philippines will provide all its partner schools with a wide range of e-learning courses that will be used in the training of college students on the intricacies of the travel and tourism industry.
In particular, the students will be trained to use the Amadeus GDS, a system, which is being used worldwide to book hotel reservations, airline flights, insurance and rent vehicles.
Students will also learn to use the hotel management systems and SMS systems for bookings.
“We expect our partnerships with some of the country’s leading schools to create a steady pool of globally certified travel professionals, trained in using the most widely deployed global distribution system in the world,” Villadolid noted.
In a related development, the company also said that Enderun Colleges, the Philippine affiliate of Les Roches International School of Hotel Management in Switzerland and the Alain Ducasse Formation in France, have entered into a similar partnership with Amadeus Philippines for the training of its students on the use of the Amadeus Property Management System (PMS).
The Amadeus PMS is directly linked to the Amadeus GDS and includes its inter-hotel chain communication capability and e-mail confirmation facility.
Villadolid said that the Amadeus platform was the popular choice among travel agencies, airlines, hotels, cruise liners and car rental companies.
Amadeus is the world’s leader in providing the travel industry systems solutions to manage the distribution and selling of travel services, covering 217 markets around the world.
It is the technology partner of 94,162 travel agency locations, 764 airlines, 76,814 hotel properties, 17 cruise lines, 43 rail companies, 11 ferry companies, 44 travel insurance providers, 22 car rental companies serving 36,000 locations and 1,000 corporations to optimize their distribution and internal operational requirements.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Airline to invest $10M in Subic
By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines - A private airline offering domestic and foreign chartered flights is spending $10 million to set up its home base at the Subic Bay International Airport.
Pacific Pearl Airways aims to start operating out of SBIA in December this year, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza said in a phone interview. Arreza signed the memorandum of agreement last week with PPA president Kristoffer Jimenez.
Pearl Pacific is set to start operations with two Boeing 737-200 aircraft capable of seating 114 passengers for international flights, and turboprop aircraft for initial domestic flights from Subic to Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Davao.
Local flight destinations will expand as the company establishes its presence in the local airline industry, according to Pearl Pacific’s Jimenez.
Jimenez said that the airline would be offering competitive rates without sacrificing quality service costs. He said this was made possible by tax incentives and other perks offered by the free port.
Jimenez added that Pearl Pacific would eliminate stopover hassles with its direct flights, enabling passengers to gain more savings and more quality holidays as it significantly cuts travel lag time.
Pearl Pacific also plans to fly to other destinations like Taiwan.
Jimenez noted that Subic has a “very strategic location.”
“A lot of tourists come here—foreigners and locals alike. It is also a booming place in terms of businesses,” he said.
Pearl Pacific was organized in September 2006 and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with necessary permits from the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board and the Air Transportation Office.
“[Pearl Pacific is] just waiting for approvals from abroad. They want to fly to Taiwan and are awaiting government permits for that,” Arreza said.
Arreza said the investment proved that Subic was still an investment attraction despite the current global crisis.
“What we have witnessed now proves that there’s still life after FedEx,” said Arreza, referring to the US courier giant which used the free port as its Asia-Pacific hub. Last February, FedEx transferred to China, where domestic cargo volume alone exceeds that of Asia’s.
Arreza said that being an international airport, the SBIA can host just about any kind of air transport requirements, singling out Subic’s cargo-sorting capability as its edge over other airports in the country today.
Arreza said he expected more flights to and from Subic in the near future as the SBMA aggressively promotes business and tourism establishments.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines - A private airline offering domestic and foreign chartered flights is spending $10 million to set up its home base at the Subic Bay International Airport.
Pacific Pearl Airways aims to start operating out of SBIA in December this year, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza said in a phone interview. Arreza signed the memorandum of agreement last week with PPA president Kristoffer Jimenez.
Pearl Pacific is set to start operations with two Boeing 737-200 aircraft capable of seating 114 passengers for international flights, and turboprop aircraft for initial domestic flights from Subic to Boracay, Bohol, Cebu and Davao.
Local flight destinations will expand as the company establishes its presence in the local airline industry, according to Pearl Pacific’s Jimenez.
Jimenez said that the airline would be offering competitive rates without sacrificing quality service costs. He said this was made possible by tax incentives and other perks offered by the free port.
Jimenez added that Pearl Pacific would eliminate stopover hassles with its direct flights, enabling passengers to gain more savings and more quality holidays as it significantly cuts travel lag time.
Pearl Pacific also plans to fly to other destinations like Taiwan.
Jimenez noted that Subic has a “very strategic location.”
“A lot of tourists come here—foreigners and locals alike. It is also a booming place in terms of businesses,” he said.
Pearl Pacific was organized in September 2006 and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, with necessary permits from the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board and the Air Transportation Office.
“[Pearl Pacific is] just waiting for approvals from abroad. They want to fly to Taiwan and are awaiting government permits for that,” Arreza said.
Arreza said the investment proved that Subic was still an investment attraction despite the current global crisis.
“What we have witnessed now proves that there’s still life after FedEx,” said Arreza, referring to the US courier giant which used the free port as its Asia-Pacific hub. Last February, FedEx transferred to China, where domestic cargo volume alone exceeds that of Asia’s.
Arreza said that being an international airport, the SBIA can host just about any kind of air transport requirements, singling out Subic’s cargo-sorting capability as its edge over other airports in the country today.
Arreza said he expected more flights to and from Subic in the near future as the SBMA aggressively promotes business and tourism establishments.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tourism execs push for CamSur as tour site
Philippine Daily Inquirer
PILI, Camarines Sur—With the province earning its niche in tourism as an extreme sports site in the country, officials of the Department of Tourism (DoT) came here Tuesday to see for themselves the prospects of intensifying the promotion of Camarines Sur (CamSur) in the international market.
Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” H. Durano said DoT officials were going around top tourist destinations in the country to prepare a marketing package to increase tourist arrivals.
Durano pledged to continue providing financial support to major tourism-related activities in CamSur like international wakeboarding, dragon boat and Ironman competitions.
Governor Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jr. said the DoT initiative will help push the provincial government’s continuing tourism programs.
He said next year the provincial government is again holding an international marathon that targets 20,000 participants.
Villafuerte said the success of CamSur in its tourism program is also the result of close coordination with Durano.
He said revenues from tourism have placed CamSur in the top 10 richest provinces from its 39th place two years ago.
Durano said he will push for the upgrading of the Naga Airport through the installation of modern lighting to allow night flights and extending the length of the runway to accommodate bigger planes.
Durano said CamSur’s network must be expanded by connecting it to major airports in top tourist destinations like Cebu, Davao, and Boracay.
He said the next step after packaging the top tourist destinations in the country is to sell them to ranking tourism operators abroad.
The DoT has recently ranked CamSur as the top tourist destination in the country.
PILI, Camarines Sur—With the province earning its niche in tourism as an extreme sports site in the country, officials of the Department of Tourism (DoT) came here Tuesday to see for themselves the prospects of intensifying the promotion of Camarines Sur (CamSur) in the international market.
Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” H. Durano said DoT officials were going around top tourist destinations in the country to prepare a marketing package to increase tourist arrivals.
Durano pledged to continue providing financial support to major tourism-related activities in CamSur like international wakeboarding, dragon boat and Ironman competitions.
Governor Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jr. said the DoT initiative will help push the provincial government’s continuing tourism programs.
He said next year the provincial government is again holding an international marathon that targets 20,000 participants.
Villafuerte said the success of CamSur in its tourism program is also the result of close coordination with Durano.
He said revenues from tourism have placed CamSur in the top 10 richest provinces from its 39th place two years ago.
Durano said he will push for the upgrading of the Naga Airport through the installation of modern lighting to allow night flights and extending the length of the runway to accommodate bigger planes.
Durano said CamSur’s network must be expanded by connecting it to major airports in top tourist destinations like Cebu, Davao, and Boracay.
He said the next step after packaging the top tourist destinations in the country is to sell them to ranking tourism operators abroad.
The DoT has recently ranked CamSur as the top tourist destination in the country.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Iloilo, Guimaras eye P25B in tourism receipts
By Amy R. Remo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE PROVINCIAL governments of Iloilo and Guimaras target to increase their tourism receipts to P25.18 billion by 2012 from an estimated P18.24 billion in 2010, following a push to make the two provinces the country’s next investment and tourism hubs.
Narzalina Z. Lim, president of tourism consultancy firm Asia Pacific Projects Inc., said that should the planned development programs for the two provinces push through, tourist arrivals were seen hitting 718,000 by 2012, up from the estimated 595,000 in 2010.
Last year, tourist arrivals in Iloilo stood at 396,134 with receipts of P7.3 billion, while Guimaras tourist arrivals stood at 39,391 with receipts of P724 million, Lim said in her presentation at the Iloilo-Guimaras Investment Forum.
To achieve the targets, the local governments of Iloilo and Guimaras are undertaking a massive “sustainable development” program for the two provinces, through a partnership between the government and private sector.
These projects included the development of the so-called priority tourism circuits in Metro Iloilo and Guimaras; diversification of urban tourism products; and pilot community-based tourism and livelihood programs.
The central business district of Iloilo is likewise being revitalized through the redevelopment of key areas.
With these in the pipeline, Iloilo and Guimaras now offer more and varied investment opportunities for interested firms, such as those in real estate and construction, beach resort and resort community development projects, tourist transport, local tour operations, aqua sports equipment rentals, adventure tours and spa and wellness clinics.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has also urged companies to look into these opportunities, adding that Iloilo was the next big thing for investments.
“Our strategic location, natural beauty, rich and unique island culture are assets in itself. Iloilo is in the center of the Philippines, accessible by air, land and sea transport networks,” he said.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE PROVINCIAL governments of Iloilo and Guimaras target to increase their tourism receipts to P25.18 billion by 2012 from an estimated P18.24 billion in 2010, following a push to make the two provinces the country’s next investment and tourism hubs.
Narzalina Z. Lim, president of tourism consultancy firm Asia Pacific Projects Inc., said that should the planned development programs for the two provinces push through, tourist arrivals were seen hitting 718,000 by 2012, up from the estimated 595,000 in 2010.
Last year, tourist arrivals in Iloilo stood at 396,134 with receipts of P7.3 billion, while Guimaras tourist arrivals stood at 39,391 with receipts of P724 million, Lim said in her presentation at the Iloilo-Guimaras Investment Forum.
To achieve the targets, the local governments of Iloilo and Guimaras are undertaking a massive “sustainable development” program for the two provinces, through a partnership between the government and private sector.
These projects included the development of the so-called priority tourism circuits in Metro Iloilo and Guimaras; diversification of urban tourism products; and pilot community-based tourism and livelihood programs.
The central business district of Iloilo is likewise being revitalized through the redevelopment of key areas.
With these in the pipeline, Iloilo and Guimaras now offer more and varied investment opportunities for interested firms, such as those in real estate and construction, beach resort and resort community development projects, tourist transport, local tour operations, aqua sports equipment rentals, adventure tours and spa and wellness clinics.
Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has also urged companies to look into these opportunities, adding that Iloilo was the next big thing for investments.
“Our strategic location, natural beauty, rich and unique island culture are assets in itself. Iloilo is in the center of the Philippines, accessible by air, land and sea transport networks,” he said.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Have flip-flops, will travel
By Irene C. Perez
Philippine Daily Inquirer
LIKE a pair of flip-flops, photography and travel always go together. It’s a match that makes us crazy.
We stay up late to book promo fares online, line up in airline offices if Plan A fails, plan itinerary and wardrobe changes, invest in cameras and gizmos, take a gazillion photos and upload them to Facebook, Multiply, blogs, ad infinitum – for all to see that we have been there, eaten these, seen those.
Cebu Pacific feeds your passion and lets you make the most out of your travel itch by launching the Wandering Juan Travel Journal Photo Contest – an online competition where you can showcase your best shots of your favorite travel destinations.
In Amorita
“Wandering Juan” is the travel-savvy, pack-and-go tourist. He’s a smart and sensible traveler who checks out travel reviews online even before buying a ticket. And oh, he takes lots of photos and is often seen wearing tsinelas – a staple footwear that’s comfy and casual.
The web-based photo contest was recently launched at Amorita Resort in Bohol.
Amorita is a luxury resort in Panglao, Bohol. It boasts of ocean-view villas, an infinity pool, a sun deck, good food and, for those of us who get jitters when offline for long hours, reliable WiFi.
The resort is perched atop a cliff and gives you a calming view of Alona Beach which has fine, white sand; clear waters that sparkle when hit by sunlight; and a soothing vibe that can only be found in not-so-busy beaches.
‘Tsinelas’ shoots
There are three categories for the Wandering Juan online photo contest, and all require a pair of tsinelas in the picture.
Sights. Landmarks, scenery and views featuring a pair of tsinelas. Write a caption of no more than six sentences.
People. Interesting individuals, locals, prominent personalities, kids – any characters you encounter during your trip. Don’t forget to incorporate the tsinelas. Include a short description of the person and, perhaps, a quote. Provide name and occupation. Limit is six sentences max.
Travelogue. For those who can’t just have one photo. Go click-happy and make a photo essay consisting of five photographs, using the tsinelas as a focal point of the story. Each photo should have a one-sentence caption.
Prizes. For newbies, here’s some inspiration: prizes include trips to Singapore; Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; and Bangkok, Thailand. Now there’s putting the travel lust to good use.
“We chose tsinelas as an inspiration because it’s very Pinoy. It’s something we always wear during travels,” said RG Orense, manager for corporate communications. “It symbolizes a very down-to-earth and carefree mood.”
To join, purchase Cebu Pacific tickets and register online at www.wanderingjuan.com. Take pictures from your destination until October 31. Upload your picks to the Wandering Juan website.
Photos must be at least 2MB in size, and please, no digital enhancement of any sort.
Entries must be original and not have previously appeared on print or online. Items will be judged according to creativity (20 percent); uniqueness of destination (20 percent), message/story/caption (40 percent); and overall impact (20 percent). Visit the website for complete requirements.
Multiple entries are allowed so you can showcase your terrific shots online!
“This is a good time to be a traveler and learn more about the world and our places in it, given all the affordable options and unique services that make travel dreams possible and more meaningful,” said Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution
If you want your pics printed, Cebu Pacific also offers the Fun Prints service operated by Mozcom.
There’s a comforting thought if you have a hard copy of your digital files. You could have it framed or mounted to make sure they last long, with every photo having a story of its own.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
LIKE a pair of flip-flops, photography and travel always go together. It’s a match that makes us crazy.
We stay up late to book promo fares online, line up in airline offices if Plan A fails, plan itinerary and wardrobe changes, invest in cameras and gizmos, take a gazillion photos and upload them to Facebook, Multiply, blogs, ad infinitum – for all to see that we have been there, eaten these, seen those.
Cebu Pacific feeds your passion and lets you make the most out of your travel itch by launching the Wandering Juan Travel Journal Photo Contest – an online competition where you can showcase your best shots of your favorite travel destinations.
In Amorita
“Wandering Juan” is the travel-savvy, pack-and-go tourist. He’s a smart and sensible traveler who checks out travel reviews online even before buying a ticket. And oh, he takes lots of photos and is often seen wearing tsinelas – a staple footwear that’s comfy and casual.
The web-based photo contest was recently launched at Amorita Resort in Bohol.
Amorita is a luxury resort in Panglao, Bohol. It boasts of ocean-view villas, an infinity pool, a sun deck, good food and, for those of us who get jitters when offline for long hours, reliable WiFi.
The resort is perched atop a cliff and gives you a calming view of Alona Beach which has fine, white sand; clear waters that sparkle when hit by sunlight; and a soothing vibe that can only be found in not-so-busy beaches.
‘Tsinelas’ shoots
There are three categories for the Wandering Juan online photo contest, and all require a pair of tsinelas in the picture.
Sights. Landmarks, scenery and views featuring a pair of tsinelas. Write a caption of no more than six sentences.
People. Interesting individuals, locals, prominent personalities, kids – any characters you encounter during your trip. Don’t forget to incorporate the tsinelas. Include a short description of the person and, perhaps, a quote. Provide name and occupation. Limit is six sentences max.
Travelogue. For those who can’t just have one photo. Go click-happy and make a photo essay consisting of five photographs, using the tsinelas as a focal point of the story. Each photo should have a one-sentence caption.
Prizes. For newbies, here’s some inspiration: prizes include trips to Singapore; Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; and Bangkok, Thailand. Now there’s putting the travel lust to good use.
“We chose tsinelas as an inspiration because it’s very Pinoy. It’s something we always wear during travels,” said RG Orense, manager for corporate communications. “It symbolizes a very down-to-earth and carefree mood.”
To join, purchase Cebu Pacific tickets and register online at www.wanderingjuan.com. Take pictures from your destination until October 31. Upload your picks to the Wandering Juan website.
Photos must be at least 2MB in size, and please, no digital enhancement of any sort.
Entries must be original and not have previously appeared on print or online. Items will be judged according to creativity (20 percent); uniqueness of destination (20 percent), message/story/caption (40 percent); and overall impact (20 percent). Visit the website for complete requirements.
Multiple entries are allowed so you can showcase your terrific shots online!
“This is a good time to be a traveler and learn more about the world and our places in it, given all the affordable options and unique services that make travel dreams possible and more meaningful,” said Candice Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and distribution
If you want your pics printed, Cebu Pacific also offers the Fun Prints service operated by Mozcom.
There’s a comforting thought if you have a hard copy of your digital files. You could have it framed or mounted to make sure they last long, with every photo having a story of its own.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Pagudpud beyond the beach
By Rene Guatlo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
FOR MOST people, Pagudpud is Saud Beach, the Blue Lagoon and Patapat Viaduct. But the town has more to offer the intrepid traveler.
I spent the day in Pagudpud some time back – a leisurely drive before noon, with lunch at a karinderya near the town plaza.
The paksiw na baraniti (local galunggong) cooked in native onions and tomatoes was just heavenly. The pork adobo was very dry but flavorful, while the adobong sili with saluyot was its perfect counterpoint. The imbaliktad (beef kinilaw boiled for a few seconds to half-cook the meat) was just kapritso.
From the town center, it’s a 20-minute drive to Barangay (village) Ayoyo – through the well-kept dirt roads of Caparispisan, with wonderful views of the surf and sea, a small promontory with sheep and goats grazing on the grass between crags and cracks, while the view from the hills reminds you of a savannah.
In the coming months, 40 new wind turbines will be built on these hills, which will generate 80 megawatts of power, complementing the 20 turbines already standing along Bangui Bay.
There’s a resort called Hidden Treasure on a beautiful cliff. The view of the sea and the waves crashing on the rock formations below are captivating, if only they would improve the cottages.
There are also a number of beachside homes and resorts along the way.
Main livelihood
Barangay Ayoyo’s main livelihood is fishing, but you must go very, very early in the morning as they bring the catch to the town market at dawn. They also make beautiful and sturdy sleeping mats from a hardy plant called budak, a spiny and thorny plant with pineapple-like fruits. They remove the thorns using nylon string, then cut the leaves into three long strands. The strands are then softened using a dull knife. The mats and walis tingting (broomstick) provide additional income to the community.
Beyond Ayoyo is a stretch of black pebble beach and the Stingray Memorial in the adjacent Barangay Caunayan. A monument for the series of submarine drops of men and matériel for the guerrilla operations in northern Luzon toward the end of World War II features the replica of one of the submarine anchors dropped while eluding Japanese patrol boats.
The view of seemingly unending surf is a fitting backdrop to the monument. More than 1000 ha of land in Caunayan is now being used to plant coconut trees for the production of biofuel in a processing plant in the nearby town of Pasuquin.
Pagudpud’s natural gifts – a beautiful coastline, a hardworking people – are the reasons for its being recognized as an exciting center for tourism. New technologies being adopted will also provide livelihood for its people and energy for the development of the countryside.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
FOR MOST people, Pagudpud is Saud Beach, the Blue Lagoon and Patapat Viaduct. But the town has more to offer the intrepid traveler.
I spent the day in Pagudpud some time back – a leisurely drive before noon, with lunch at a karinderya near the town plaza.
The paksiw na baraniti (local galunggong) cooked in native onions and tomatoes was just heavenly. The pork adobo was very dry but flavorful, while the adobong sili with saluyot was its perfect counterpoint. The imbaliktad (beef kinilaw boiled for a few seconds to half-cook the meat) was just kapritso.
From the town center, it’s a 20-minute drive to Barangay (village) Ayoyo – through the well-kept dirt roads of Caparispisan, with wonderful views of the surf and sea, a small promontory with sheep and goats grazing on the grass between crags and cracks, while the view from the hills reminds you of a savannah.
In the coming months, 40 new wind turbines will be built on these hills, which will generate 80 megawatts of power, complementing the 20 turbines already standing along Bangui Bay.
There’s a resort called Hidden Treasure on a beautiful cliff. The view of the sea and the waves crashing on the rock formations below are captivating, if only they would improve the cottages.
There are also a number of beachside homes and resorts along the way.
Main livelihood
Barangay Ayoyo’s main livelihood is fishing, but you must go very, very early in the morning as they bring the catch to the town market at dawn. They also make beautiful and sturdy sleeping mats from a hardy plant called budak, a spiny and thorny plant with pineapple-like fruits. They remove the thorns using nylon string, then cut the leaves into three long strands. The strands are then softened using a dull knife. The mats and walis tingting (broomstick) provide additional income to the community.
Beyond Ayoyo is a stretch of black pebble beach and the Stingray Memorial in the adjacent Barangay Caunayan. A monument for the series of submarine drops of men and matériel for the guerrilla operations in northern Luzon toward the end of World War II features the replica of one of the submarine anchors dropped while eluding Japanese patrol boats.
The view of seemingly unending surf is a fitting backdrop to the monument. More than 1000 ha of land in Caunayan is now being used to plant coconut trees for the production of biofuel in a processing plant in the nearby town of Pasuquin.
Pagudpud’s natural gifts – a beautiful coastline, a hardworking people – are the reasons for its being recognized as an exciting center for tourism. New technologies being adopted will also provide livelihood for its people and energy for the development of the countryside.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
In China’s Lijiang, heritage tourism sells
By Ino Manalo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE LANDSCAPE is one of wonder. Arriving in Lijiang airport, you immediately sense that there is something different in the surrounding terrain. The mountains are snowcapped, even in summer, the vistas broader than one can imagine.
I’ve had the good fortune of visiting Lijiang in the western Chinese province of Yunnan on three occasions. My first trip was almost a decade ago, for a Unesco conference on heritage resources management. At the time, I had already been so impressed with the streets of ancient houses over which towered the magnificent peaks of the sacred Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Streets were bordered by canals in which sparkling rivulets constantly flowed. I later learned that some cafés would simply keep their bottles of soft drinks cool by dipping them in the icy streams! Every now and then, the canals would even be rerouted to wash streets.
Lijiang was accepted in the Unesco World Heritage List because it represented the coming together of many cultures such as Naxi, Han Chinese and Tibetan. These cultures lived in relative harmony, creating a vibrant community. This was clearly illustrated in a small village where the painted murals in the temples showed the influences of different aesthetic schools.
The amazing variety of shops sold all kinds of colorful fabrics, scarves, bags, handmade paper, tea, leather goods. I bought a finely embroidered jacket and wore it proudly to a conference reception. Everyone was too polite to tell me that my new purchase was really for women. After I found out the truth, I gave the jacket to my sister.
Excellent cuisine
Lijiang’s traditional cuisine is excellent. At breakfast one can gorge on little pancakes laced with green onions. Street peddlers will tempt you with trembling puddings steamed in large round metal trays. Usually, one sits on tiny stools before low tables to feast on a delicious array of wild mushrooms, crisp river fish and purple rice. A memorable meal is of chicken in a sweet orange sauce, eggplants coated in batter then fried, and farm fresh eggs scrambled with chives. When all else fails, there is the famous Yunnan ham!
From the city, there are trekking expeditions through the wild country which gave birth to the great riverine trinity: the Yangtze, Ganges and Mekong. The outlying villages were also a joy to visit. Their charm lay in their dreamy Brigadoon-like quality, which proved so potent that a member of our party was left behind by the tour bus in the little hamlet of Shuhe. I had to return and rescue him.
Years later, when I returned to Yunnan on my third visit, I was quite shocked to see how things had changed. Shuhe was no longer a sleepy town. Long ago, I had taken a picture of the stone bridge and the ragtag bunch of houses around it. Now, the bridge was still there but the houses had been reincarnated as chic galleries and cafés. There were landscaped parks and plush establishments serving French and Korean food. The wheat fields had disappeared. In their stead were residential estates and resorts.
Lijiang’s new urban sector had become bigger. Skyscrapers had sprouted everywhere. Yet, the old quarter had been preserved and, amazingly, also expanded.
Whole districts have sprung up with neo-antique structures that are a cross between the styles of the Manchu Empire and the “Empire Strikes Back.” All these aim to give the ever-growing number of tourists their heritage fix. When I first went to Lijiang, visitor numbers were less than a million. In 2009, that number is expected to reach six million.
Up in arms
Conservationists are up in arms. They note that the free interpretation of traditional architecture can be confusing. The issue of authenticity is raised. More importantly, there is much concern about the fact that the original Naxi residents of the old town are selling their houses to entrepreneurs and moving out.
At the rate things are going, Lijiang will lose the ethnic character and cultural mix that catapulted it to the Unesco list in the first place.
There are also complaints about the noise. The music blaring from a string of bars is disturbing homeowners as well as guests of the beautiful boutique inns the town is so famous for.
To be sure, very few are complaining about the great mass of tourists that descends on Lijiang every year. The huge numbers spell prosperity. The shops and restaurants are thriving.
Tourism channeled properly can actually help conserve heritage resources. How else can a troupe of traditional musicians be able to perform to packed audiences every night of the week?
The local government is able to generate so much from tax revenues that it can afford to restore many of the magnificent old residences of Lijiang. I had the chance to visit a few of these with two members of the Protection and Management Bureau: the dynamic Rose Ding Wen and her colleague, Leo. They showed me several elegant houses that were to be integrated into a special tour.
I suggested a creatively designed circuit which could even include performances and food. We also discussed how Lijiang could serve as a central venue for heritage management, conservation and museum workshops catering to people from the surrounding provinces.
The town’s tourism earnings also help support an interesting municipal showcase: the Lijiang Naxi Dongba Museum. Its exhibits are very sophisticated and well-organized, with a children’s section in the works.
Standard fee
Entering one of the town parks, I was a little irritated to be chased by a guard who demanded I pay a heritage tax. It turns out this was a standard fee based on a proposal made during the workshop I had attended almost 10 years earlier. The tax is a one-time payment that’s valid for an entire stay at all major tourist sites.
The remarkable influx of visitors has allowed for the blossoming of quaint inns that incorporate traditional architectural features. Everywhere one looks, there are splendidly carved entrances that open into tranquil plazas. Among the most tasteful places I saw was Zen Garden Hotel operated by Yumei He.
Zen Garden stands on a hill with views of the whole ancient district. The rooms are set around a central garden filled with cane chairs, ponds and flowering plants.
Meanwhile, a budget option is Crescent Moon Inn just a porcelain tile’s throw away from the main shopping street. Lodgers are calmed by a glimpse of lovingly tended plants in a quiet courtyard. My room featured paper lined windows and an immaculate modern bathroom.
The proprietors were so gracious that when I told them I was leaving on a short trip and would be absent for a few days, they wouldn’t let me pay until my return.
It turns out that Crescent Moon’s owners were from northern China. Such was the booming tourism business in Lijiang that it has attracted people from faraway places. More importantly, the establishments that were being set up always respected the heritage context.
Then too, the great demand for artisans who were skilled in traditional techniques helped keep the old construction methods alive, together with the industries that produced time-honored materials such as tiles and bricks.
Good idea?
Tourism brings many problems: pollution, noise, displacement, exploitation. There is even discussion on whether it is a good idea to place entire communities on the Unesco list.
But surely a balance can be found between commercial interests and the need to preserve heritage values as well as the tranquility and integrity of place.
The jury is still out with regard to Lijiang. What I do know is that there are nights when one can stand on a balcony relishing the amber glow that comes from tiers upon tiers of ancient houses. Then it does not really matter whether the surrounding structures’ connections to the past are the result of pretence or privilege.
Walking around, one is greeted by a vendor who offers pancakes so fresh and warm and yielding that for a moment cares are forgotten. There are no more discussions on the meanings of heritage, of development, of authenticity.
There are only pancakes.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
THE LANDSCAPE is one of wonder. Arriving in Lijiang airport, you immediately sense that there is something different in the surrounding terrain. The mountains are snowcapped, even in summer, the vistas broader than one can imagine.
I’ve had the good fortune of visiting Lijiang in the western Chinese province of Yunnan on three occasions. My first trip was almost a decade ago, for a Unesco conference on heritage resources management. At the time, I had already been so impressed with the streets of ancient houses over which towered the magnificent peaks of the sacred Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Streets were bordered by canals in which sparkling rivulets constantly flowed. I later learned that some cafés would simply keep their bottles of soft drinks cool by dipping them in the icy streams! Every now and then, the canals would even be rerouted to wash streets.
Lijiang was accepted in the Unesco World Heritage List because it represented the coming together of many cultures such as Naxi, Han Chinese and Tibetan. These cultures lived in relative harmony, creating a vibrant community. This was clearly illustrated in a small village where the painted murals in the temples showed the influences of different aesthetic schools.
The amazing variety of shops sold all kinds of colorful fabrics, scarves, bags, handmade paper, tea, leather goods. I bought a finely embroidered jacket and wore it proudly to a conference reception. Everyone was too polite to tell me that my new purchase was really for women. After I found out the truth, I gave the jacket to my sister.
Excellent cuisine
Lijiang’s traditional cuisine is excellent. At breakfast one can gorge on little pancakes laced with green onions. Street peddlers will tempt you with trembling puddings steamed in large round metal trays. Usually, one sits on tiny stools before low tables to feast on a delicious array of wild mushrooms, crisp river fish and purple rice. A memorable meal is of chicken in a sweet orange sauce, eggplants coated in batter then fried, and farm fresh eggs scrambled with chives. When all else fails, there is the famous Yunnan ham!
From the city, there are trekking expeditions through the wild country which gave birth to the great riverine trinity: the Yangtze, Ganges and Mekong. The outlying villages were also a joy to visit. Their charm lay in their dreamy Brigadoon-like quality, which proved so potent that a member of our party was left behind by the tour bus in the little hamlet of Shuhe. I had to return and rescue him.
Years later, when I returned to Yunnan on my third visit, I was quite shocked to see how things had changed. Shuhe was no longer a sleepy town. Long ago, I had taken a picture of the stone bridge and the ragtag bunch of houses around it. Now, the bridge was still there but the houses had been reincarnated as chic galleries and cafés. There were landscaped parks and plush establishments serving French and Korean food. The wheat fields had disappeared. In their stead were residential estates and resorts.
Lijiang’s new urban sector had become bigger. Skyscrapers had sprouted everywhere. Yet, the old quarter had been preserved and, amazingly, also expanded.
Whole districts have sprung up with neo-antique structures that are a cross between the styles of the Manchu Empire and the “Empire Strikes Back.” All these aim to give the ever-growing number of tourists their heritage fix. When I first went to Lijiang, visitor numbers were less than a million. In 2009, that number is expected to reach six million.
Up in arms
Conservationists are up in arms. They note that the free interpretation of traditional architecture can be confusing. The issue of authenticity is raised. More importantly, there is much concern about the fact that the original Naxi residents of the old town are selling their houses to entrepreneurs and moving out.
At the rate things are going, Lijiang will lose the ethnic character and cultural mix that catapulted it to the Unesco list in the first place.
There are also complaints about the noise. The music blaring from a string of bars is disturbing homeowners as well as guests of the beautiful boutique inns the town is so famous for.
To be sure, very few are complaining about the great mass of tourists that descends on Lijiang every year. The huge numbers spell prosperity. The shops and restaurants are thriving.
Tourism channeled properly can actually help conserve heritage resources. How else can a troupe of traditional musicians be able to perform to packed audiences every night of the week?
The local government is able to generate so much from tax revenues that it can afford to restore many of the magnificent old residences of Lijiang. I had the chance to visit a few of these with two members of the Protection and Management Bureau: the dynamic Rose Ding Wen and her colleague, Leo. They showed me several elegant houses that were to be integrated into a special tour.
I suggested a creatively designed circuit which could even include performances and food. We also discussed how Lijiang could serve as a central venue for heritage management, conservation and museum workshops catering to people from the surrounding provinces.
The town’s tourism earnings also help support an interesting municipal showcase: the Lijiang Naxi Dongba Museum. Its exhibits are very sophisticated and well-organized, with a children’s section in the works.
Standard fee
Entering one of the town parks, I was a little irritated to be chased by a guard who demanded I pay a heritage tax. It turns out this was a standard fee based on a proposal made during the workshop I had attended almost 10 years earlier. The tax is a one-time payment that’s valid for an entire stay at all major tourist sites.
The remarkable influx of visitors has allowed for the blossoming of quaint inns that incorporate traditional architectural features. Everywhere one looks, there are splendidly carved entrances that open into tranquil plazas. Among the most tasteful places I saw was Zen Garden Hotel operated by Yumei He.
Zen Garden stands on a hill with views of the whole ancient district. The rooms are set around a central garden filled with cane chairs, ponds and flowering plants.
Meanwhile, a budget option is Crescent Moon Inn just a porcelain tile’s throw away from the main shopping street. Lodgers are calmed by a glimpse of lovingly tended plants in a quiet courtyard. My room featured paper lined windows and an immaculate modern bathroom.
The proprietors were so gracious that when I told them I was leaving on a short trip and would be absent for a few days, they wouldn’t let me pay until my return.
It turns out that Crescent Moon’s owners were from northern China. Such was the booming tourism business in Lijiang that it has attracted people from faraway places. More importantly, the establishments that were being set up always respected the heritage context.
Then too, the great demand for artisans who were skilled in traditional techniques helped keep the old construction methods alive, together with the industries that produced time-honored materials such as tiles and bricks.
Good idea?
Tourism brings many problems: pollution, noise, displacement, exploitation. There is even discussion on whether it is a good idea to place entire communities on the Unesco list.
But surely a balance can be found between commercial interests and the need to preserve heritage values as well as the tranquility and integrity of place.
The jury is still out with regard to Lijiang. What I do know is that there are nights when one can stand on a balcony relishing the amber glow that comes from tiers upon tiers of ancient houses. Then it does not really matter whether the surrounding structures’ connections to the past are the result of pretence or privilege.
Walking around, one is greeted by a vendor who offers pancakes so fresh and warm and yielding that for a moment cares are forgotten. There are no more discussions on the meanings of heritage, of development, of authenticity.
There are only pancakes.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Airlines in promo frenzy
By Abigail L. Ho
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:23:00 08/23/2009
MANILA, Philippines - Fly to local destinations for just one peso! Travel to the United States for less than $500!
As the global recession rages on, both the local and Asian travel industries are relying on attractive promotions and discounts by airlines to stay afloat.
According to the Abacus Travel Sentiment survey, released recently by travel solutions provider Abacus International, there were some “green shoots” in a number of markets, including the Philippines.
The study revealed that bookings in the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China, Pakistan, Nepal and Kazakhstan increased in the first half, vis-à-vis the same period last year.
“This is a positive indication that people are still traveling and that there are opportunities out there for businesses,” Abacus International president and chief executive Robert Bailey said in a statement posted on the company’s official website.
“Businesses must water the ground and tend these green shoots carefully by making the effort to understand local conditions so they can effectively influence consumers’ decision-making process,” he added.
Here in the Philippines, what mainly kept the travel industry afloat were the “attractive promotions and discounts” offered by airlines to stimulate travel, the survey revealed.
“Philippine Airlines’ appealing promotional fares to selected cities on its international network could have motivated Filipinos to take to the skies earlier this year,” it said.
Recession casualty
These promos included the offer of round-trip airfares to long-haul destinations such as San Francisco and Los Angeles for as low as $450.
But travel had been confined mostly to individuals in the first half, the study showed, as the corporate travel segment remained sluggish.
In China, for example, a third of the travel agents polled named the corporate travel segment as the biggest casualty of the economic downturn, with the negative impact estimated to range from 15-20 percent.
Only 16.7 percent of those surveyed said they still expected some growth from the sector, while a mere 6.7 percent believed the recession had little or no impact at all on the segment.
Travel agents in China were particularly affected by this drop in corporate travel, the Abacus study revealed, as most of them had a higher percentage of the corporate segment in their businesses.
“The financial pressures faced by companies have forced them to be more stringent about granting permission for staff travel. This has forced the corporate travel booking process to evolve and greater attention is now being placed on the pre-trip portion of the travel booking process,” Bailey said.
Airlines had also started to feel the pinch of the decline in corporate travel, he said, as this segment usually had the high-yield passengers.
Creative marketing would have to be employed to attract the fewer business travelers that were still taking to the skies, he said.
Still bullish
Despite this dampener, he remained fairly optimistic that the Asian travel industry would be able to weather the trials dealt by the global recession and the spread of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.
He said industry players in Asia had actually done a pretty good job of staying afloat.
“Without their efforts and determination, green shoots that have started to break through the parched ground would not have appeared. What it takes now is for industry members to unite, collaborate and together innovate to address the challenges the industry is facing so that they can be turned into future opportunities. By doing so, the industry will create conditions conducive for more shoots to spring up and thrive,” he said.
These opportunities for growth could be found in the intra-Asia and domestic travel segments, he said, as long-haul international travel continued to be on the downtrend.
“The complex economic, health and safety issues facing consumers have resulted in a shift in travel patterns. Travel agents responding to the Abacus Asia Travel Sentiment survey indicated intra-Asian travel will grow in popularity in the short term,” he said.
The Abacus study revealed that as many as 40 percent of travel agents in South Asia and 51.7 percent in China believed that short getaways within the region would be the most preferred travel category among travelers over the next three months.
Domestic travel, on the other hand, would be the main preference of travelers, according to 31.7 percent of agents in South Asia and 34.5 percent of those in China.
“Faced with decreased discretionary budgets for travel as well as concerns over health and safety issues, leisure travelers are cutting back on visits to international destinations. Travel preference has shifted toward domestic holidays as these trips cost less,” Bailey said.
“They also offer peace of mind as travelers may feel safer and more confident when they stay within the familiar environment of their own countries. These domestic tourists are now the lifeline of tourism businesses and their expenditures come as much needed revenue to airlines, hotels and others in the industry,” he added.
Only 25 percent of respondents in South Asia and 10.3 percent of those polled in China said long-haul travel to the US, Europe and the Middle East would be the strongest performing segment over the next three months.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:23:00 08/23/2009
MANILA, Philippines - Fly to local destinations for just one peso! Travel to the United States for less than $500!
As the global recession rages on, both the local and Asian travel industries are relying on attractive promotions and discounts by airlines to stay afloat.
According to the Abacus Travel Sentiment survey, released recently by travel solutions provider Abacus International, there were some “green shoots” in a number of markets, including the Philippines.
The study revealed that bookings in the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, China, Pakistan, Nepal and Kazakhstan increased in the first half, vis-à-vis the same period last year.
“This is a positive indication that people are still traveling and that there are opportunities out there for businesses,” Abacus International president and chief executive Robert Bailey said in a statement posted on the company’s official website.
“Businesses must water the ground and tend these green shoots carefully by making the effort to understand local conditions so they can effectively influence consumers’ decision-making process,” he added.
Here in the Philippines, what mainly kept the travel industry afloat were the “attractive promotions and discounts” offered by airlines to stimulate travel, the survey revealed.
“Philippine Airlines’ appealing promotional fares to selected cities on its international network could have motivated Filipinos to take to the skies earlier this year,” it said.
Recession casualty
These promos included the offer of round-trip airfares to long-haul destinations such as San Francisco and Los Angeles for as low as $450.
But travel had been confined mostly to individuals in the first half, the study showed, as the corporate travel segment remained sluggish.
In China, for example, a third of the travel agents polled named the corporate travel segment as the biggest casualty of the economic downturn, with the negative impact estimated to range from 15-20 percent.
Only 16.7 percent of those surveyed said they still expected some growth from the sector, while a mere 6.7 percent believed the recession had little or no impact at all on the segment.
Travel agents in China were particularly affected by this drop in corporate travel, the Abacus study revealed, as most of them had a higher percentage of the corporate segment in their businesses.
“The financial pressures faced by companies have forced them to be more stringent about granting permission for staff travel. This has forced the corporate travel booking process to evolve and greater attention is now being placed on the pre-trip portion of the travel booking process,” Bailey said.
Airlines had also started to feel the pinch of the decline in corporate travel, he said, as this segment usually had the high-yield passengers.
Creative marketing would have to be employed to attract the fewer business travelers that were still taking to the skies, he said.
Still bullish
Despite this dampener, he remained fairly optimistic that the Asian travel industry would be able to weather the trials dealt by the global recession and the spread of the Influenza A(H1N1) virus.
He said industry players in Asia had actually done a pretty good job of staying afloat.
“Without their efforts and determination, green shoots that have started to break through the parched ground would not have appeared. What it takes now is for industry members to unite, collaborate and together innovate to address the challenges the industry is facing so that they can be turned into future opportunities. By doing so, the industry will create conditions conducive for more shoots to spring up and thrive,” he said.
These opportunities for growth could be found in the intra-Asia and domestic travel segments, he said, as long-haul international travel continued to be on the downtrend.
“The complex economic, health and safety issues facing consumers have resulted in a shift in travel patterns. Travel agents responding to the Abacus Asia Travel Sentiment survey indicated intra-Asian travel will grow in popularity in the short term,” he said.
The Abacus study revealed that as many as 40 percent of travel agents in South Asia and 51.7 percent in China believed that short getaways within the region would be the most preferred travel category among travelers over the next three months.
Domestic travel, on the other hand, would be the main preference of travelers, according to 31.7 percent of agents in South Asia and 34.5 percent of those in China.
“Faced with decreased discretionary budgets for travel as well as concerns over health and safety issues, leisure travelers are cutting back on visits to international destinations. Travel preference has shifted toward domestic holidays as these trips cost less,” Bailey said.
“They also offer peace of mind as travelers may feel safer and more confident when they stay within the familiar environment of their own countries. These domestic tourists are now the lifeline of tourism businesses and their expenditures come as much needed revenue to airlines, hotels and others in the industry,” he added.
Only 25 percent of respondents in South Asia and 10.3 percent of those polled in China said long-haul travel to the US, Europe and the Middle East would be the strongest performing segment over the next three months.
New local carrier picks Clark as base
By Tonette Orejas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:01:00 08/22/2009
CLARK FREEPORT — FIVE months ahead of its operations to serve the Taiwan, Macau and Middle East routes, Spirit of Manila Airlines unveiled here recently its MD-83 plane.
Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Clark International Airport Corp. president Victor Jose Luciano led the rites at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark.
The MD-83 will be used for the Clark-Taiwan flights, Luciano said.
The firm will complete its Clark fleet—another MD-83, Boeing 747-300 and 747-400—by November, he said.
The Middle East flights to Qatar, Dubai, Bahrain and Kuwait aim to serve overseas Filipino workers in Northern and Central Luzon and draw in more tourists to the four regions north of Metro Manila.
Luciano said Spirit of Manila Airlines was the “first large local carrier” to set up base at the DMIA, a 2,500-hectare airport left by the United States military in 1991.
This is the first time that a Clark-based air carrier will serve the Clark-Taiwan route, a move that then President Fidel Ramos had been advocating since 1993, Luciano said.
Mendoza said the firm’s entry would boost local tourism and serve OFWs.
The airport hosts cargo forwarder UPS, Asiana Airlines and domestic and international budget carriers like Cebu Pacific.
Singapore Airlines and Cebu Pacific have partnered to build an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at the DMIA.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:01:00 08/22/2009
CLARK FREEPORT — FIVE months ahead of its operations to serve the Taiwan, Macau and Middle East routes, Spirit of Manila Airlines unveiled here recently its MD-83 plane.
Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and Clark International Airport Corp. president Victor Jose Luciano led the rites at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark.
The MD-83 will be used for the Clark-Taiwan flights, Luciano said.
The firm will complete its Clark fleet—another MD-83, Boeing 747-300 and 747-400—by November, he said.
The Middle East flights to Qatar, Dubai, Bahrain and Kuwait aim to serve overseas Filipino workers in Northern and Central Luzon and draw in more tourists to the four regions north of Metro Manila.
Luciano said Spirit of Manila Airlines was the “first large local carrier” to set up base at the DMIA, a 2,500-hectare airport left by the United States military in 1991.
This is the first time that a Clark-based air carrier will serve the Clark-Taiwan route, a move that then President Fidel Ramos had been advocating since 1993, Luciano said.
Mendoza said the firm’s entry would boost local tourism and serve OFWs.
The airport hosts cargo forwarder UPS, Asiana Airlines and domestic and international budget carriers like Cebu Pacific.
Singapore Airlines and Cebu Pacific have partnered to build an aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at the DMIA.
Guiuan the next Boracay?
Guiuan’s secrets revealed
By Tina Arceo-Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
THAT A top-class resort exists at all in the town of Guiuan at the southern tip of Eastern Samar causes many a raised eyebrow.
Guiuan, after all, is not exactly at the top of the list of favorite destinations of business and leisure travelers. The distinction still belongs to such cities as Baguio in the north, Cebu in the Visayas and Davao in Mindanao.
Lawyer Manuel Go of Cebu, however, firmly believes that it will only be a matter of time before the secrets of this quiet, laid back second class municipality are revealed and it gets its fair share of visitors.
This explains why he and some partners decided to invest in the multi-million The Surf Camp on Guian’s Calicoan Island, which is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean and Leyte Gulf on the west.
The Surf Camp on Calicoan’s ABCD Beach opened its large wooden doors to the public in 2006 and the exclusive resort –easily the best in Eastern Visayas – was designed with relaxation and romance in mind.
There are only seven cottages set far enough from each other to ensure utmost privacy, and these spacious and tastefully appointed villas inspired by Thai, Balinese and Filipino architecture are equipped with required modern conveniences such as a television, hot shower and air conditioner.
Complementing the topnotch accommodations are the high quality of service and the acceptable range of food and beverages.
Guests can choose to have their hot meals and snacks brought to their villas, or they can enjoy the company of their fellow guests at the main cottage. And if they feel like throwing a party for family and friends, The Surf Camp staff is ready and willing to prepare a feast.
But the real attraction of The Surf Camp is its access to the best waves in this part of the Philippines, which are perfect for novice and experienced surfers alike.
Summer months are ideal for beginners training on gentle two-to-three-foot waves, while the more seasoned surfers can come during the latter months of surfing season that runs from April to November for the bigger, more challenging waves.
Visitor arrivals reach their peak in October because of the Eastern Samar Surfing Crown, a competition first held in 2005.
Backing the competition, which is part of the Philippine Surfing Circuit, are the Department of Tourism, the provincial government of Eastern Samar, the municipal government of Guiuan and the Philippine Surfing Federation.
Many of The Surf Camp’s guests, however, prefer to just sit back and relax on their lounge chairs facing the sea. The sound of silence is just too soothing to be ignored.
Among the first visitors of The Surf Camp are honeymooners from Korea who are only too happy to take either the commercial flight to Tacloban and then the two-hour shuttle service to Calicoan or The Surf Camp’s private plane from Cebu to the Guiuan airport, which once saw the landing of bombers during World War II.
These days, The Surf camp is hosting more company outings and reeling in an increasing number of corporate travelers yearning for a break from their routine.
It is this anticipation of more travelers going to the Surf Camp and Guiuan that prompted Smart Communications Inc. to invest in the upgrade of the telecommunications system in the area so that visitors would still be able to stay in touch with their office or families through their mobile phone or laptops.
Smart already boasts of the most extensive mobile phone coverage for basic services such as text messaging and phone calls, thus its next step is to expand its mobile broadband services.
“We realize that many tourists and travelers are only able to go on vacation if they get to stay in touch, like check their email,” says Smart spokesperson Ramon Isberto,” That is why we are improving not just our GSM network but also our broadband services in tourist destinations like Guiuan.”
This should give travelers one more reason to get off the beaten path and take a break in rustic Guiuan.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
By Tina Arceo-Dumlao
Philippine Daily Inquirer
THAT A top-class resort exists at all in the town of Guiuan at the southern tip of Eastern Samar causes many a raised eyebrow.
Guiuan, after all, is not exactly at the top of the list of favorite destinations of business and leisure travelers. The distinction still belongs to such cities as Baguio in the north, Cebu in the Visayas and Davao in Mindanao.
Lawyer Manuel Go of Cebu, however, firmly believes that it will only be a matter of time before the secrets of this quiet, laid back second class municipality are revealed and it gets its fair share of visitors.
This explains why he and some partners decided to invest in the multi-million The Surf Camp on Guian’s Calicoan Island, which is bounded on the east by the Pacific Ocean and Leyte Gulf on the west.
The Surf Camp on Calicoan’s ABCD Beach opened its large wooden doors to the public in 2006 and the exclusive resort –easily the best in Eastern Visayas – was designed with relaxation and romance in mind.
There are only seven cottages set far enough from each other to ensure utmost privacy, and these spacious and tastefully appointed villas inspired by Thai, Balinese and Filipino architecture are equipped with required modern conveniences such as a television, hot shower and air conditioner.
Complementing the topnotch accommodations are the high quality of service and the acceptable range of food and beverages.
Guests can choose to have their hot meals and snacks brought to their villas, or they can enjoy the company of their fellow guests at the main cottage. And if they feel like throwing a party for family and friends, The Surf Camp staff is ready and willing to prepare a feast.
But the real attraction of The Surf Camp is its access to the best waves in this part of the Philippines, which are perfect for novice and experienced surfers alike.
Summer months are ideal for beginners training on gentle two-to-three-foot waves, while the more seasoned surfers can come during the latter months of surfing season that runs from April to November for the bigger, more challenging waves.
Visitor arrivals reach their peak in October because of the Eastern Samar Surfing Crown, a competition first held in 2005.
Backing the competition, which is part of the Philippine Surfing Circuit, are the Department of Tourism, the provincial government of Eastern Samar, the municipal government of Guiuan and the Philippine Surfing Federation.
Many of The Surf Camp’s guests, however, prefer to just sit back and relax on their lounge chairs facing the sea. The sound of silence is just too soothing to be ignored.
Among the first visitors of The Surf Camp are honeymooners from Korea who are only too happy to take either the commercial flight to Tacloban and then the two-hour shuttle service to Calicoan or The Surf Camp’s private plane from Cebu to the Guiuan airport, which once saw the landing of bombers during World War II.
These days, The Surf camp is hosting more company outings and reeling in an increasing number of corporate travelers yearning for a break from their routine.
It is this anticipation of more travelers going to the Surf Camp and Guiuan that prompted Smart Communications Inc. to invest in the upgrade of the telecommunications system in the area so that visitors would still be able to stay in touch with their office or families through their mobile phone or laptops.
Smart already boasts of the most extensive mobile phone coverage for basic services such as text messaging and phone calls, thus its next step is to expand its mobile broadband services.
“We realize that many tourists and travelers are only able to go on vacation if they get to stay in touch, like check their email,” says Smart spokesperson Ramon Isberto,” That is why we are improving not just our GSM network but also our broadband services in tourist destinations like Guiuan.”
This should give travelers one more reason to get off the beaten path and take a break in rustic Guiuan.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Utzurrum: Suroy Suroy goes westward
Chinggay V. Utzurrum
The scene
THIS time, the very successful Suroy Suroy Sugbo series stretched to Cebu’s Midwest, which is composed of six municipalities and one city. On a sunny June morning, June 12, Independence Day to be exact, four buses took the picturesque route, via Carcar.
Aloguinsan was the first stop, and amazing was the welcome accorded Gov. Gwen Garcia, who entered the vast seascape via a batel. Then the dancers performed under the scorching sun but enjoyed every bit of it, seeing how the visitors applauded!
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
Hectic was the itinerary, as barely had we “seen” Aloguinsan than we were whisked to Pinamungajan where the entertainment took place at Hidden Valley Resort in Lamac.
Perched atop a hilly terrain, the guests had to exercise their limbs to climb to the top. It was the fiesta in Toledo City and what better way to celebrate than to present a mini-Sinulog at the populated city plaza, where city mayor Arlene Zambo welcomed one and all.
It was a super-rainy evening when we touched Balamban and regretted we missed the fabulous dinner prepared by the town officials, headed by First Lady, Rosie Binghay. But we did get to tour the impressive Tsuneishi shipping facilities, of the Japanese-Filipino tandem the next day.
Asturias spread out the red carpet via a trek to Lake Buswang, the pride of the town. A colorful boathouse held a sumptuous buffet, with a carabao show for all to see!
The town of Tuburan got its name from the prevalent springs, which abound, creating a cool ambience. With this backdrop, the local maidens performed a number. We were pleasantly surprised to meet Val Sandiego in Barangay Maravilla of Tabuelan.
Here we were led to a quaint summerhouse, from where we watched the Sandagat – Santo Niño Sa Dagat festival, featuring dancers on a floating stage!
Our final night was spent at the town plaza, where the Sandiegos once more, regaled us with an after dinner extravaganza! Wow!
DOT uses adventure reality shows to promote eco-tourism destinations
By Nancy R. Cudis
THE Department of Tourism (DOT) is on the lookout for potential sites of international reality adventure shows.
The DOT plans to present these areas to producers of international reality adventure shows. Show producers want areas that are far from urban zones or cities but still have the facilities to accommodate a 200-member production crew.
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano admitted the DOT has yet to pick a new site.
He said Caramoan Islands in Camarines Sur was the preferred location to shoot versions of reality TV series, Survivor.
“Caramoan is like an exclusive location for Survivor and there is no need for the local government unit to promote the island on its own,” he said.
The successful filming of the eighth season of Survivor Koh Lanta, the French version of the reality game show, in Caramoan has led other international producers to consider the Philippines a good site for adventure shows, noted Durano.
A previous season of Survivor Koh Lanta was filmed in El Nido in Palawan.
The DOT expects arrivals of tourists from Europe to increase as the French version of Survivor begins airing this month until September.
This year, the DOT is supporting five adventure reality shows with producers from Bulgaria, Israel, Turkey, Serbia and Sweden. Except for Sweden that is doing a different adventure reality show, the rest are Survivor versions that are filmed in Caramoan.
Every production lasts for about three months, during which the DOT provides transportation for the show’s crew.
Durano said media mileage, as well as the revenue potential of these shows for a local government unit (LGUs) where the filming was done, is huge. He cited Israel’s $7-
million budget for the production and use of location for the show.
Durano is urging LGUs to develop eco-tourism products, which are popular among foreign tourists.
The move to create more eco-tourism products is one of the current thrusts of the DOT.
Seven adventures in one Cagayan cave
By Katherine Evangelista
INQUIRER.net
PEÑABLANCA, Cagayan, Philippines -- Despite its searing hot weather, Cagayan province is home to some of the coolest adventure destinations in the country.
With over 300 known caves (97 of which have been documented while only 37 have been explored in the past three decades) and countless river systems, this northern province is a must-go-to place for adventure and travel junkies.
Tucked away in the mountains of the unassuming town of Peñablanca, a 30-minute drive from Cagayan’s capital Tuguegarao City, is Callao Cave, one of the province’s most popular.
The cave was named after the Kallaw bird, which used to thrive in the area, but whose numbers have dwindled due to hunting.
Visitors need to climb up 187 steps up the side of the mountain before reaching the entrance of Callao Cave, but it the majestic limestone formations make it worth the effort.
A viewing deck is set up halfway up where tourists can rest and enjoy a picturesque view of the Pinacanauan River below.
Callao Cave’s seven chambers are filled with centuries old stalactites and stalagmites and it also features several magnificent domes and skylights.
The first chamber of Callao Cave known as the “Aviary Room” is home to several species of birds. In a corner right at the entrance of the first chamber is a cordoned-off site where archaeologists from the University of the Philippines discovered human remains and ancient tools dating back to the Neolithic era.
The second chamber, which is the main attraction of the “Callao Cave,” is the Divine Room which the locals have turned into a cathedral due to the natural formation of grottos on the wall and a 160-foot high natural skylight.
Wedding ceremonies can be held in the chapel but locals say that the groom must carry the bride all the way up the 187 steps into the Callao cave before the ceremony.
After the Divine Area is the “Dark Room,” which is named so because it is pitch black inside. Caretakers use incandescent bulbs to guide visitors.
Known as the “Cream Room, the fourth chamber features a large rock formation which looks like three scoops of ice-cream. On the other side of this chamber are the “Three Kings” and the “Elephant Mother and Child” formations while on the side of the ceiling are the “Wings of an Angel” and “Head of St. Joseph” formations.
The next chamber is called the “Jungle Area” since it is home to several animal-shaped rock formations like the “Hornbill,” “Maya,” “Giant Turtle,” and a rock shaped like monkey’s head hence the name “King Kong.”
The sixth room is called the “Adventurous Area” since it features another cave within the chamber. However, adventure-seekers need to make use of another entrance on the other side of the mountain to be able to access the second cave situated halfway up the ceiling.
Lastly, the seventh and last chamber of the Callao Cave is called the “Sun Room”. If tourists come early in the morning preferably between 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., they will be treated to a spectacular view of the chamber as sunrays peek through a sky light on the wall.
When touring the Callao Cave for the first time, it’s advisable to request for a guide. Not only are they helpful for pointing the various limestone formations within the various chambers, they will also tell you which paths to take since muddy areas can be slippery.
Visitors are asked not to litter within the park’s premises and vandalism is strictly prohibited.
INQUIRER.net
PEÑABLANCA, Cagayan, Philippines -- Despite its searing hot weather, Cagayan province is home to some of the coolest adventure destinations in the country.
With over 300 known caves (97 of which have been documented while only 37 have been explored in the past three decades) and countless river systems, this northern province is a must-go-to place for adventure and travel junkies.
Tucked away in the mountains of the unassuming town of Peñablanca, a 30-minute drive from Cagayan’s capital Tuguegarao City, is Callao Cave, one of the province’s most popular.
The cave was named after the Kallaw bird, which used to thrive in the area, but whose numbers have dwindled due to hunting.
Visitors need to climb up 187 steps up the side of the mountain before reaching the entrance of Callao Cave, but it the majestic limestone formations make it worth the effort.
A viewing deck is set up halfway up where tourists can rest and enjoy a picturesque view of the Pinacanauan River below.
Callao Cave’s seven chambers are filled with centuries old stalactites and stalagmites and it also features several magnificent domes and skylights.
The first chamber of Callao Cave known as the “Aviary Room” is home to several species of birds. In a corner right at the entrance of the first chamber is a cordoned-off site where archaeologists from the University of the Philippines discovered human remains and ancient tools dating back to the Neolithic era.
The second chamber, which is the main attraction of the “Callao Cave,” is the Divine Room which the locals have turned into a cathedral due to the natural formation of grottos on the wall and a 160-foot high natural skylight.
Wedding ceremonies can be held in the chapel but locals say that the groom must carry the bride all the way up the 187 steps into the Callao cave before the ceremony.
After the Divine Area is the “Dark Room,” which is named so because it is pitch black inside. Caretakers use incandescent bulbs to guide visitors.
Known as the “Cream Room, the fourth chamber features a large rock formation which looks like three scoops of ice-cream. On the other side of this chamber are the “Three Kings” and the “Elephant Mother and Child” formations while on the side of the ceiling are the “Wings of an Angel” and “Head of St. Joseph” formations.
The next chamber is called the “Jungle Area” since it is home to several animal-shaped rock formations like the “Hornbill,” “Maya,” “Giant Turtle,” and a rock shaped like monkey’s head hence the name “King Kong.”
The sixth room is called the “Adventurous Area” since it features another cave within the chamber. However, adventure-seekers need to make use of another entrance on the other side of the mountain to be able to access the second cave situated halfway up the ceiling.
Lastly, the seventh and last chamber of the Callao Cave is called the “Sun Room”. If tourists come early in the morning preferably between 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., they will be treated to a spectacular view of the chamber as sunrays peek through a sky light on the wall.
When touring the Callao Cave for the first time, it’s advisable to request for a guide. Not only are they helpful for pointing the various limestone formations within the various chambers, they will also tell you which paths to take since muddy areas can be slippery.
Visitors are asked not to litter within the park’s premises and vandalism is strictly prohibited.
Bohol town earns P1M a month from adventure tourism park
By Nancy R. Cudis
THERE is huge revenue potential in eco-tourism projects.
The newly inaugurated Danao Adventure Park in Danao, Bohol is proof of this. The park earns about P1 million a month since January 2009 when it started operating a zip line facility.
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
The Danao Adventure Park had an annual revenue target of P3 million.
“We have not earned and seen this much money before,” Danao, Bohol Mayor Louis Thomas Gonzaga told reporters during the park’s launch last July 9.
The P25-million Danao Adventure Park—a 60-hectare eco-tourism, adventure and education facility—is co-managed by the Municipality of Danao and several people’s organizations.
Danao, Bohol is a fourth class municipality with about 20,000 residents. It is located 72 kilometers from Tagbilaran City and 35 kilometers from Tubigon, Bohol.
The local government applied for loan from the World Bank in 2006 to develop the park. The town received a soft loan amounting to more P15 million, which was used to finance the park’s development.
The facility soft-opened in the middle of 2007, offering eco-tourism activities, such as root climbing and spelunking.
When the Office of the President donated P1 million for the establishment of a zip line facility that the park termed as “suislide,” the park’s revenues went up. For the zip
line alone, the park earned P300,000 on the first month and P1 million every month in the next four months.
The facility’s cable equipment was supplied by Minda-nao-based Asolo Cable and Wires.
Danao Adventure Park offers 15 activities, including organic farm visitation, historical tour, river kayaking, river trekking, wall climbing, river tubing, village tour, bouldering, rappelling, sky ride, camping and caving.
Most of the visitors, Gonzaga noted, are locals—mostly from Cebu.
“We want to continue targeting the domestic market because it is more reliable than the foreign market, which is vulnerable to several (incidents) like the influenza A(H1N1) virus,” he said. The park, however, received foreign tourists from Cebu.
As the park plans to come up with four new activities every year and intensify its marketing promotions, it is eyeing to be declared as an economic zone.
The park generates employment for the sedate town. It employs 60 people.
Gonzaga said the park adopts the “Danao First” policy, which means its staff and supplies come from the town to support the local economy.
Future attractions in the park include eco-lodge project, a campsite, a 1.5 kilometer zip line, and a sanctuary for Dagohoy, the legendary Boholano who led the longest revolt against the Spaniards.
The Danao Adventure Park received P600,000 from Bohol Vice Gov. Julius Herrera for the development of the eco-lodge. Rep. Edgar Chatto (Bohol, 1st district) also promised P1 million for the Dagohoy sanctuary
THERE is huge revenue potential in eco-tourism projects.
The newly inaugurated Danao Adventure Park in Danao, Bohol is proof of this. The park earns about P1 million a month since January 2009 when it started operating a zip line facility.
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
The Danao Adventure Park had an annual revenue target of P3 million.
“We have not earned and seen this much money before,” Danao, Bohol Mayor Louis Thomas Gonzaga told reporters during the park’s launch last July 9.
The P25-million Danao Adventure Park—a 60-hectare eco-tourism, adventure and education facility—is co-managed by the Municipality of Danao and several people’s organizations.
Danao, Bohol is a fourth class municipality with about 20,000 residents. It is located 72 kilometers from Tagbilaran City and 35 kilometers from Tubigon, Bohol.
The local government applied for loan from the World Bank in 2006 to develop the park. The town received a soft loan amounting to more P15 million, which was used to finance the park’s development.
The facility soft-opened in the middle of 2007, offering eco-tourism activities, such as root climbing and spelunking.
When the Office of the President donated P1 million for the establishment of a zip line facility that the park termed as “suislide,” the park’s revenues went up. For the zip
line alone, the park earned P300,000 on the first month and P1 million every month in the next four months.
The facility’s cable equipment was supplied by Minda-nao-based Asolo Cable and Wires.
Danao Adventure Park offers 15 activities, including organic farm visitation, historical tour, river kayaking, river trekking, wall climbing, river tubing, village tour, bouldering, rappelling, sky ride, camping and caving.
Most of the visitors, Gonzaga noted, are locals—mostly from Cebu.
“We want to continue targeting the domestic market because it is more reliable than the foreign market, which is vulnerable to several (incidents) like the influenza A(H1N1) virus,” he said. The park, however, received foreign tourists from Cebu.
As the park plans to come up with four new activities every year and intensify its marketing promotions, it is eyeing to be declared as an economic zone.
The park generates employment for the sedate town. It employs 60 people.
Gonzaga said the park adopts the “Danao First” policy, which means its staff and supplies come from the town to support the local economy.
Future attractions in the park include eco-lodge project, a campsite, a 1.5 kilometer zip line, and a sanctuary for Dagohoy, the legendary Boholano who led the longest revolt against the Spaniards.
The Danao Adventure Park received P600,000 from Bohol Vice Gov. Julius Herrera for the development of the eco-lodge. Rep. Edgar Chatto (Bohol, 1st district) also promised P1 million for the Dagohoy sanctuary
Utzurrum: Suroy Suroy goes westward
Chinggay V. Utzurrum
The scene
THIS time, the very successful Suroy Suroy Sugbo series stretched to Cebu’s Midwest, which is composed of six municipalities and one city. On a sunny June morning, June 12, Independence Day to be exact, four buses took the picturesque route, via Carcar.
Aloguinsan was the first stop, and amazing was the welcome accorded Gov. Gwen Garcia, who entered the vast seascape via a batel. Then the dancers performed under the scorching sun but enjoyed every bit of it, seeing how the visitors applauded!
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
Hectic was the itinerary, as barely had we “seen” Aloguinsan than we were whisked to Pinamungajan where the entertainment took place at Hidden Valley Resort in Lamac.
Perched atop a hilly terrain, the guests had to exercise their limbs to climb to the top. It was the fiesta in Toledo City and what better way to celebrate than to present a mini-Sinulog at the populated city plaza, where city mayor Arlene Zambo welcomed one and all.
It was a super-rainy evening when we touched Balamban and regretted we missed the fabulous dinner prepared by the town officials, headed by First Lady, Rosie Binghay. But we did get to tour the impressive Tsuneishi shipping facilities, of the Japanese-Filipino tandem the next day.
Asturias spread out the red carpet via a trek to Lake Buswang, the pride of the town. A colorful boathouse held a sumptuous buffet, with a carabao show for all to see!
The town of Tuburan got its name from the prevalent springs, which abound, creating a cool ambience. With this backdrop, the local maidens performed a number. We were pleasantly surprised to meet Val Sandiego in Barangay Maravilla of Tabuelan.
Here we were led to a quaint summerhouse, from where we watched the Sandagat – Santo Niño Sa Dagat festival, featuring dancers on a floating stage!
Our final night was spent at the town plaza, where the Sandiegos once more, regaled us with an after dinner extravaganza! Wow!
The scene
THIS time, the very successful Suroy Suroy Sugbo series stretched to Cebu’s Midwest, which is composed of six municipalities and one city. On a sunny June morning, June 12, Independence Day to be exact, four buses took the picturesque route, via Carcar.
Aloguinsan was the first stop, and amazing was the welcome accorded Gov. Gwen Garcia, who entered the vast seascape via a batel. Then the dancers performed under the scorching sun but enjoyed every bit of it, seeing how the visitors applauded!
For updates from around the country, follow Sun.Star on Twitter
Hectic was the itinerary, as barely had we “seen” Aloguinsan than we were whisked to Pinamungajan where the entertainment took place at Hidden Valley Resort in Lamac.
Perched atop a hilly terrain, the guests had to exercise their limbs to climb to the top. It was the fiesta in Toledo City and what better way to celebrate than to present a mini-Sinulog at the populated city plaza, where city mayor Arlene Zambo welcomed one and all.
It was a super-rainy evening when we touched Balamban and regretted we missed the fabulous dinner prepared by the town officials, headed by First Lady, Rosie Binghay. But we did get to tour the impressive Tsuneishi shipping facilities, of the Japanese-Filipino tandem the next day.
Asturias spread out the red carpet via a trek to Lake Buswang, the pride of the town. A colorful boathouse held a sumptuous buffet, with a carabao show for all to see!
The town of Tuburan got its name from the prevalent springs, which abound, creating a cool ambience. With this backdrop, the local maidens performed a number. We were pleasantly surprised to meet Val Sandiego in Barangay Maravilla of Tabuelan.
Here we were led to a quaint summerhouse, from where we watched the Sandagat – Santo Niño Sa Dagat festival, featuring dancers on a floating stage!
Our final night was spent at the town plaza, where the Sandiegos once more, regaled us with an after dinner extravaganza! Wow!
Caramoan lures more ‘castaways’ from Israel
By Volt Contreras
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—A piece of paradise in Bicolandia continues to draw an international cast of castaways.
Like the French and the Bulgarians before them, Israelis have shot their own version of the popular reality TV show “Survivor” on the Caramoan peninsula in Camarines Sur, opening this tropical Eden to a larger global audience and tourism market.
“For Israelis, it’s a view they won’t see anywhere else,” said Guy Hameiri, CEO of the production outfit Reif Hameiri, in an interview last month at the company offices in Tel Aviv.
“We were overwhelmed when we saw the location, and I’m sure it will be very tempting for our audience to go see it themselves,” Hameiri said.
Show producer Gregory Bekerman observed that “the Philippines has a certain kind of green that I haven’t seen anywhere [else].”
He said he would return to the Philippines in September to scout for another site for future “Survivor” seasons.
“It’s paradise” captured through 22 cameras and some 3,000 hours of raw footage, Bekerman said.
The challenge now is to squeeze those amazing shots into 40 hour-long episodes.
A popular TV reality game show produced in many countries, “Survivor” isolates its contestants in the wilderness to compete for cash and prizes. They are divided into tribes and they vote off other contestants until only one is left.
$7 million
The two production executives updated Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano and a number of Manila-based journalists on the project during Durano’s official trip to Israel late last month.
A dramatic, minute-long teaser of the Caramoan episodes featuring sweeping aerial shots of beaches, cliffs and lush forest hills, with cutaways to local wildlife and colorful flora, was shown during the briefing.
The Israeli production, which Hameiri said cost some $7 million, conducted the Caramoan shoot from March to April.
It brought from Israel 20 contestants and a crew of around 120, and hired some 300 Filipino support personnel (about 80 from Manila and the rest from Camarines Sur).
The show—the third Israeli season of “Survivor”—will premiere in Israel in October.
The first two, which were shot in the Dominican Republic and Panama, had between 700,000 and 1 million viewers, covering a 40-percent share of the TV audience, Hameiri said.
But unlike the first two seasons where the shows’ title cited only the name of an island or region (“Survivor Caribbean” for the Dominican Republic shoot and “Survivor Pearl Island” for Panama), the Caramoan episodes will recognize the host country itself.
‘Very big thing’
“This season will be called ‘Survivor Philippines,’ so there is no question where it was shot,” Bekerman said.
He said it was the first time the show would be named after the host country “because, as we said, the place is so unique and it was a very big adventure to go there.”
“So it must be a very big thing for you,” Bekerman said, turning to Durano during the meeting arranged by Philippine Ambassador to Israel Petronila Garcia.
The French were the first to “discover” Caramoan as an ideal “Survivor” locale early in 2008. They closed Gota Beach to the public for weeks under the guise of what the provincial government then called “massive developments” at the local resort.
Though officially a secret, the French project nevertheless started a buzz that would eventually boost Caramoan’s reputation as the “next Boracay.”
In May, the Bulgarians also started shooting their edition of “Survivor” there.
Unique balance
Bekerman offered an explanation why Caramoan seemed to have become a favorite:
“On one hand, [a ‘Survivor’ location] has to be isolated from tourists, from local villages. But on the other hand, it must have the facilities to accommodate all the [production] people.
“This balance is quite unique [in Caramoan].”
And apart from the breathtaking scenery, Bekerman said, “we were amazed by the generosity of the people—very professional yet always smiling, and thinking how things can be better done.”
The local hires included residents of nearby villages, including women who helped build the various structures needed on the set as well as maintain the lodgings for the Israeli crew.
“I also personally liked [the local dishes] laing and another that had green papaya in it,” Bekerman said, smiling.
Until he came to the Philippines, Bekerman thought of it as just the homeland of the foreign workers in Israel.
“The whole experience turned out to be a pleasant surprise,” he said. “When I first came to your beautiful country [to scout for locations, I discovered that] the farther you go from Manila, the more welcoming the people are.”
Tour packages
Secretary Durano said Caramoan’s debut on Israeli television in October should put the Philippines back among the top leisure destinations for Israeli tourists.
“We in the Department of Tourism will support this [exposure] by facilitating tour packages with our partners in and outside the Philippines and other promotional events on the ground, as what we’ve done after [the French shoot],” he said.
Before the Reif Hameiri briefing, Durano met with Israeli tour and aviation executives at the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, where he was told that some 100 Israeli teachers would be arriving in Manila for a congress later this year.
The embassy has since begun sending promotional materials to the teachers, according to Tourism Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines—A piece of paradise in Bicolandia continues to draw an international cast of castaways.
Like the French and the Bulgarians before them, Israelis have shot their own version of the popular reality TV show “Survivor” on the Caramoan peninsula in Camarines Sur, opening this tropical Eden to a larger global audience and tourism market.
“For Israelis, it’s a view they won’t see anywhere else,” said Guy Hameiri, CEO of the production outfit Reif Hameiri, in an interview last month at the company offices in Tel Aviv.
“We were overwhelmed when we saw the location, and I’m sure it will be very tempting for our audience to go see it themselves,” Hameiri said.
Show producer Gregory Bekerman observed that “the Philippines has a certain kind of green that I haven’t seen anywhere [else].”
He said he would return to the Philippines in September to scout for another site for future “Survivor” seasons.
“It’s paradise” captured through 22 cameras and some 3,000 hours of raw footage, Bekerman said.
The challenge now is to squeeze those amazing shots into 40 hour-long episodes.
A popular TV reality game show produced in many countries, “Survivor” isolates its contestants in the wilderness to compete for cash and prizes. They are divided into tribes and they vote off other contestants until only one is left.
$7 million
The two production executives updated Tourism Secretary Joseph Durano and a number of Manila-based journalists on the project during Durano’s official trip to Israel late last month.
A dramatic, minute-long teaser of the Caramoan episodes featuring sweeping aerial shots of beaches, cliffs and lush forest hills, with cutaways to local wildlife and colorful flora, was shown during the briefing.
The Israeli production, which Hameiri said cost some $7 million, conducted the Caramoan shoot from March to April.
It brought from Israel 20 contestants and a crew of around 120, and hired some 300 Filipino support personnel (about 80 from Manila and the rest from Camarines Sur).
The show—the third Israeli season of “Survivor”—will premiere in Israel in October.
The first two, which were shot in the Dominican Republic and Panama, had between 700,000 and 1 million viewers, covering a 40-percent share of the TV audience, Hameiri said.
But unlike the first two seasons where the shows’ title cited only the name of an island or region (“Survivor Caribbean” for the Dominican Republic shoot and “Survivor Pearl Island” for Panama), the Caramoan episodes will recognize the host country itself.
‘Very big thing’
“This season will be called ‘Survivor Philippines,’ so there is no question where it was shot,” Bekerman said.
He said it was the first time the show would be named after the host country “because, as we said, the place is so unique and it was a very big adventure to go there.”
“So it must be a very big thing for you,” Bekerman said, turning to Durano during the meeting arranged by Philippine Ambassador to Israel Petronila Garcia.
The French were the first to “discover” Caramoan as an ideal “Survivor” locale early in 2008. They closed Gota Beach to the public for weeks under the guise of what the provincial government then called “massive developments” at the local resort.
Though officially a secret, the French project nevertheless started a buzz that would eventually boost Caramoan’s reputation as the “next Boracay.”
In May, the Bulgarians also started shooting their edition of “Survivor” there.
Unique balance
Bekerman offered an explanation why Caramoan seemed to have become a favorite:
“On one hand, [a ‘Survivor’ location] has to be isolated from tourists, from local villages. But on the other hand, it must have the facilities to accommodate all the [production] people.
“This balance is quite unique [in Caramoan].”
And apart from the breathtaking scenery, Bekerman said, “we were amazed by the generosity of the people—very professional yet always smiling, and thinking how things can be better done.”
The local hires included residents of nearby villages, including women who helped build the various structures needed on the set as well as maintain the lodgings for the Israeli crew.
“I also personally liked [the local dishes] laing and another that had green papaya in it,” Bekerman said, smiling.
Until he came to the Philippines, Bekerman thought of it as just the homeland of the foreign workers in Israel.
“The whole experience turned out to be a pleasant surprise,” he said. “When I first came to your beautiful country [to scout for locations, I discovered that] the farther you go from Manila, the more welcoming the people are.”
Tour packages
Secretary Durano said Caramoan’s debut on Israeli television in October should put the Philippines back among the top leisure destinations for Israeli tourists.
“We in the Department of Tourism will support this [exposure] by facilitating tour packages with our partners in and outside the Philippines and other promotional events on the ground, as what we’ve done after [the French shoot],” he said.
Before the Reif Hameiri briefing, Durano met with Israeli tour and aviation executives at the Philippine Embassy in Tel Aviv, where he was told that some 100 Israeli teachers would be arriving in Manila for a congress later this year.
The embassy has since begun sending promotional materials to the teachers, according to Tourism Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque.
When in Cebu City, please visit gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs.
Green town called Bansalan
By Henrylito D. Tacio
SOME few years back, friends of Leila Rispens-Noel wanted to visit her hometown. But they had difficulty in finding the town on the Philippine map. "I have to describe to my friends where the town is geographically located and assured them not to worry because one day Bansalan will be placed on the map of the Philippines," said the native of Bansalan, Davao del Sur who left for the Netherlands in 1979.
Bansalan is a small town, with a total land area of only 20,770 hectares. It is subdivided into 25 barangays and is the boundary between the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. It is about 72 kilometers south of Davao City and is very accessible by land transportation. The town is sandwiched by two cities: Kidapawan and Digos.
"The Manny Pacquiao Blog". Click here for stories and updates on the Filipino boxing champ.
"This is probably the reason why progress in my former town is so slow," wrote Rispens-Noel in her column, "Roundtrip: Bansalan-Holland." "Vehicles do not linger long in Bansalan. Passengers from North Cotabato are eager to reach Digos or Davao City, while passengers bound for North Cotabato are rearing to reach Kidapawan City and further to Cotabato City. It has never been a place where passengers stay longer for one reason or the other. Business activities remain in the hands of the local enterprising people. And so the town remains largely rural and agricultural and still waiting for a miracle for the local economy to pick up."
There are always two sides of a coin. In a way, being a laggard in development can also be a blessing in disguise. As a matter of fact, Bansalan has been touted as a "green town" for being "environment-friendly."
For one, it is the birthplace of the internationally known Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (Salt). "The system is simple, low-cost, and timely method of tilling the fragile uplands, which comprise about 60 percent of the country's total land area," explained Roy C. Alimoane, the current director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, Inc.
The MBRLC is located in barangay Kinuskusan, just 10 kilometers away from the town proper. Actually, it's a training center for various sustainable farming systems. Considered the "Disneyland of agricultural lovers," people from all over the country travel to this place just to learn the modern technologies it offers.
At MBRLC, you can learn how to make Faith (Food Always In The Home) garden and to sustain your farm by adopting the Salt system and its three other modifications: Simple Agro-Livestock Technology (Salt 2), Sustainable Agroforest Land Technology (Salt 3), and Small Agro-Livelihood Technology (Salt 4).
You can also learn how to milk dairy goats, harvest tilapia, and graft fruit trees, among others.
For developing these technologies, the Department of Science and Technology awarded the center "in the area of agricultural production" in 1987. In 1991, the regional office of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recognized MBRLC with a World Food Day Silver Medal for its contribution in "mobilizing people's participation in tree planting and sustainable forest resources management." Earlier, in 1985, its former director, Harold R. Watson, was given the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace and international understanding for promoting the technologies in various parts of Asia.
The center houses its affiliate, the Asian Rural Life Development Foundation (ARLDF). "Our main purpose is to help develop and uplift the standard of living of the poorest of the poor in Asia," explains Alimoane, of the foundation which was launched in 1988.
A few distance walk from MBRLC is the Mount Carmel International Convention Center. Every year, thousands of students from nearby provinces flock to this convention center for any of the following activities: camping, learning, wedding, and parties. "The place is quiet, far from the madding crowd, and is conducive to learning," said Tito Felongco, the center's manager.
Just near these sites is the Lao Integrated Farm in adjacent barangay of Eman. If you love durian (described by a Westerner as a fruit that "smells like hell but tastes like heaven"), then you should not miss visiting this place. It is owned by Attorney Benjamin Lao, who planted 700 durians in his five-hectare farm. Other fruits you can find in the farm include mangosteen, rambutan, and lanzones. He also raises goats (purebred and upgraded). His fruits are grown organically as he uses goat manure as fertilizer for his fruit trees.
Another place to visit in Bansalan is the training center of Salinta Monon, the last Bagobo weaver. In 1998, she was named one of the two Manlilikha ng Bayan awardees by the National Commission for Culture and Arts. Her citation reads: "For weaving traditional Bagobo textiles marked by quality workmanship and intricacies of designs and colors of her particular Bagobo community whose unique identity and creativity she has kept alive for the present and succeeding generations."
Other areas to visit while in Bansalan are the Mainit Hot Springs in barangay Managa, Balutakay (where vegetables like cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, and onions are grown), and Tinago and Angel Falls (which can be visited while on the way to Balutakay).
Every September, the town also celebrates its Bansaulog. A week-long celebration is observed and it culminates with street dancing. Participants come from various schools, both elementary and high school.
The good thing about Bansalan is that its new mayor, Edwin G. Reyes, is very supportive of the plan of making the town as a tourist destination. In fact, he has just appointed a tourism official and created a tourism council. "We have the potential of being one of the tourist destinations in the country," he said.
SOME few years back, friends of Leila Rispens-Noel wanted to visit her hometown. But they had difficulty in finding the town on the Philippine map. "I have to describe to my friends where the town is geographically located and assured them not to worry because one day Bansalan will be placed on the map of the Philippines," said the native of Bansalan, Davao del Sur who left for the Netherlands in 1979.
Bansalan is a small town, with a total land area of only 20,770 hectares. It is subdivided into 25 barangays and is the boundary between the provinces of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. It is about 72 kilometers south of Davao City and is very accessible by land transportation. The town is sandwiched by two cities: Kidapawan and Digos.
"The Manny Pacquiao Blog". Click here for stories and updates on the Filipino boxing champ.
"This is probably the reason why progress in my former town is so slow," wrote Rispens-Noel in her column, "Roundtrip: Bansalan-Holland." "Vehicles do not linger long in Bansalan. Passengers from North Cotabato are eager to reach Digos or Davao City, while passengers bound for North Cotabato are rearing to reach Kidapawan City and further to Cotabato City. It has never been a place where passengers stay longer for one reason or the other. Business activities remain in the hands of the local enterprising people. And so the town remains largely rural and agricultural and still waiting for a miracle for the local economy to pick up."
There are always two sides of a coin. In a way, being a laggard in development can also be a blessing in disguise. As a matter of fact, Bansalan has been touted as a "green town" for being "environment-friendly."
For one, it is the birthplace of the internationally known Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (Salt). "The system is simple, low-cost, and timely method of tilling the fragile uplands, which comprise about 60 percent of the country's total land area," explained Roy C. Alimoane, the current director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, Inc.
The MBRLC is located in barangay Kinuskusan, just 10 kilometers away from the town proper. Actually, it's a training center for various sustainable farming systems. Considered the "Disneyland of agricultural lovers," people from all over the country travel to this place just to learn the modern technologies it offers.
At MBRLC, you can learn how to make Faith (Food Always In The Home) garden and to sustain your farm by adopting the Salt system and its three other modifications: Simple Agro-Livestock Technology (Salt 2), Sustainable Agroforest Land Technology (Salt 3), and Small Agro-Livelihood Technology (Salt 4).
You can also learn how to milk dairy goats, harvest tilapia, and graft fruit trees, among others.
For developing these technologies, the Department of Science and Technology awarded the center "in the area of agricultural production" in 1987. In 1991, the regional office of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recognized MBRLC with a World Food Day Silver Medal for its contribution in "mobilizing people's participation in tree planting and sustainable forest resources management." Earlier, in 1985, its former director, Harold R. Watson, was given the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award for peace and international understanding for promoting the technologies in various parts of Asia.
The center houses its affiliate, the Asian Rural Life Development Foundation (ARLDF). "Our main purpose is to help develop and uplift the standard of living of the poorest of the poor in Asia," explains Alimoane, of the foundation which was launched in 1988.
A few distance walk from MBRLC is the Mount Carmel International Convention Center. Every year, thousands of students from nearby provinces flock to this convention center for any of the following activities: camping, learning, wedding, and parties. "The place is quiet, far from the madding crowd, and is conducive to learning," said Tito Felongco, the center's manager.
Just near these sites is the Lao Integrated Farm in adjacent barangay of Eman. If you love durian (described by a Westerner as a fruit that "smells like hell but tastes like heaven"), then you should not miss visiting this place. It is owned by Attorney Benjamin Lao, who planted 700 durians in his five-hectare farm. Other fruits you can find in the farm include mangosteen, rambutan, and lanzones. He also raises goats (purebred and upgraded). His fruits are grown organically as he uses goat manure as fertilizer for his fruit trees.
Another place to visit in Bansalan is the training center of Salinta Monon, the last Bagobo weaver. In 1998, she was named one of the two Manlilikha ng Bayan awardees by the National Commission for Culture and Arts. Her citation reads: "For weaving traditional Bagobo textiles marked by quality workmanship and intricacies of designs and colors of her particular Bagobo community whose unique identity and creativity she has kept alive for the present and succeeding generations."
Other areas to visit while in Bansalan are the Mainit Hot Springs in barangay Managa, Balutakay (where vegetables like cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, and onions are grown), and Tinago and Angel Falls (which can be visited while on the way to Balutakay).
Every September, the town also celebrates its Bansaulog. A week-long celebration is observed and it culminates with street dancing. Participants come from various schools, both elementary and high school.
The good thing about Bansalan is that its new mayor, Edwin G. Reyes, is very supportive of the plan of making the town as a tourist destination. In fact, he has just appointed a tourism official and created a tourism council. "We have the potential of being one of the tourist destinations in the country," he said.
Building a Balangay
By Juan V. Sarmiento Jr
Philippine Daily Inquirer
HOW DO you build a replica of a precolonial boat called The Balangay?
“Kaya ng Pinoy,” a group that wants to use a balangay to trace the migration route of the ancestors of Filipinos, enlisted the help of the National Museum and carpenters from Tawi-Tawi to build a copy of the ancient boat. The carpenters consisted of Sama Dilaut from Sitangkai, known for making lepa (houseboats) and for using dowels, and of Sama Daleya from Sibutu, famous for making kumpit, interisland boats for trading.
It took the Sama team and Rey Santiago of the National Museum’s archeology division more than a week to thresh out differences on the type of wood to be used, dimension of the new balangay and certain building techniques before actual work could start.
The result was not an exact copy of the ancient boat but one that incorporated the design and construction methods of both the Sama and the builders of the old balangay. As in the precolonial boat excavated in Butuan in 1978, the new one used the hull-first construction method, a practice still retained by the Sama. No nails were employed, just dowels, natural resin and string to hold the boat together.
The Sama carpenters spent 44 days until June 1 building the boat at the harbor side of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay.
The step-by-step process documented here was based on interviews with Jubail S. Muyong, a Sama Daleya and head of the extension classes of the Mindanao State University in Sibutu. The names of the tools and parts of the boat were based on interviews with Hadji Musa S. Malabong, a Sama Dilaut and a retired district supervisor, and Muyong. Santiago was also consulted for the building process.
1. Prepare wood materials.
• Set the length, width and thickness of the keel before harvesting trees. The keel’s length determines the boat’s dimension. (The trees -- lupanga, ubi-ubi, pisang-pisang and karuing -- were harvested in Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi.)
• Make bow and stern posts, the sizes of which depend on the number of planks needed.
• Prepare the planks. The thickness and length depend on the availability of wood. Note: These steps are done in the forest.
• Prepare ribs and rib extensions.
• Gather mata-mata or lingayan wood for dowels.
• Air dry the pieces of wood under a tree or shade by the beach for a couple of months so the wood won’t crack or warp.
2. Construct the shell.
• When properly dried, clean (planing) the keel, bow and stern posts, and planks. Make lugs.
• Lay the keel and lock it (a piece of wood was added to make the keel longer.)
• Fit the bow and stern posts, and connect to the keel.
• Fit the first plank.
Before doing so, it has to be twisted. This involves heating. For this project, a kerosene blow torch was used. In Tawi-Tawi, dried coconut leaves are used. Use sipat (a line marker) and sigu (a marking gauge) when fitting parts and making marks on the keel and first planks for dowels. Then use sasagan (also a marking gauge) for all intersections (same thickness and distance for the keel and the first planks). Drill holes for the dowels, which are planted on the keel.
3. Mount the frame.
• When the fifth planks are in place, fashion lugs and install the ribs. Use a string to tie the ribs to the lugs so the planks are tightened and not disturbed by carpenters walking on them.
• After the ribs are tied to the lugs, install the planks up to the last one.
• When done, place the rib extensions, and tie them to their respective lugs. Note: Do the tying when all the planks from the sixth to the last are in place. Every plank should have been fitted and must have dowels.
• Fit in the beams (bingkay). Then place the keelson to strengthen the keel.
• Install thwarts. Bore a hole in the bow’s thwart and in the keelson where a mast will be placed.
• Place splash boards.
4. Install utility structures.
• Prepare frames and install the floor at the stern and bow. Also prepare frames for the bamboo floor.
• Caulk the seams. Insert string in gaps and apply gaga (melted resin).
• Build a roof to be covered with nipa.
• Plane the planks for finishing touches.
• Make papag (slatted bamboo beds) and place them under the roof.
• Install pangengkutan lubid (Sibutu) or kalat (Sitangkai) where ropes are tied.
• Install pamatan naan haron (gangplank “holder”) at the bow and stern.
• Install bamboo footbridges between thwarts.
Note: The steps in No. 4 are not necessarily in order. The installation from the keel to the beams and splash boards must be in order.
‘The boat is buoyant, stable’
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (Soname) has conducted hydrostatic calculations and found that the new balangay has a water line of 0.46 meter (18 inches) and displacement of 6.56 tons, with fuel, supplies and a crew of 12 to 18 people.
Edward Cruz, head of Soname’s technical committee, says ‘‘the boat is buoyant, stable and can easily cross islands’’ in the country.
The Sama boat-builders
Sitangkai group:
Hadji Musa Malabong (overall head), Benjamin Hawari, Hadji Abidin
Barihati and Teguay Mommuh (nakura tukang [master carpenters]), Zandro Malabong, Apdali Tanjung and Edie Karani (assistant tukang).
Sibutu group:
Jubail Muyong (group head), Ibrahim Abdulla (nakura tukang),
Madnur Usman (tukang) and Torsina Usman (cook)
Philippine Daily Inquirer
HOW DO you build a replica of a precolonial boat called The Balangay?
“Kaya ng Pinoy,” a group that wants to use a balangay to trace the migration route of the ancestors of Filipinos, enlisted the help of the National Museum and carpenters from Tawi-Tawi to build a copy of the ancient boat. The carpenters consisted of Sama Dilaut from Sitangkai, known for making lepa (houseboats) and for using dowels, and of Sama Daleya from Sibutu, famous for making kumpit, interisland boats for trading.
It took the Sama team and Rey Santiago of the National Museum’s archeology division more than a week to thresh out differences on the type of wood to be used, dimension of the new balangay and certain building techniques before actual work could start.
The result was not an exact copy of the ancient boat but one that incorporated the design and construction methods of both the Sama and the builders of the old balangay. As in the precolonial boat excavated in Butuan in 1978, the new one used the hull-first construction method, a practice still retained by the Sama. No nails were employed, just dowels, natural resin and string to hold the boat together.
The Sama carpenters spent 44 days until June 1 building the boat at the harbor side of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay.
The step-by-step process documented here was based on interviews with Jubail S. Muyong, a Sama Daleya and head of the extension classes of the Mindanao State University in Sibutu. The names of the tools and parts of the boat were based on interviews with Hadji Musa S. Malabong, a Sama Dilaut and a retired district supervisor, and Muyong. Santiago was also consulted for the building process.
1. Prepare wood materials.
• Set the length, width and thickness of the keel before harvesting trees. The keel’s length determines the boat’s dimension. (The trees -- lupanga, ubi-ubi, pisang-pisang and karuing -- were harvested in Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi.)
• Make bow and stern posts, the sizes of which depend on the number of planks needed.
• Prepare the planks. The thickness and length depend on the availability of wood. Note: These steps are done in the forest.
• Prepare ribs and rib extensions.
• Gather mata-mata or lingayan wood for dowels.
• Air dry the pieces of wood under a tree or shade by the beach for a couple of months so the wood won’t crack or warp.
2. Construct the shell.
• When properly dried, clean (planing) the keel, bow and stern posts, and planks. Make lugs.
• Lay the keel and lock it (a piece of wood was added to make the keel longer.)
• Fit the bow and stern posts, and connect to the keel.
• Fit the first plank.
Before doing so, it has to be twisted. This involves heating. For this project, a kerosene blow torch was used. In Tawi-Tawi, dried coconut leaves are used. Use sipat (a line marker) and sigu (a marking gauge) when fitting parts and making marks on the keel and first planks for dowels. Then use sasagan (also a marking gauge) for all intersections (same thickness and distance for the keel and the first planks). Drill holes for the dowels, which are planted on the keel.
3. Mount the frame.
• When the fifth planks are in place, fashion lugs and install the ribs. Use a string to tie the ribs to the lugs so the planks are tightened and not disturbed by carpenters walking on them.
• After the ribs are tied to the lugs, install the planks up to the last one.
• When done, place the rib extensions, and tie them to their respective lugs. Note: Do the tying when all the planks from the sixth to the last are in place. Every plank should have been fitted and must have dowels.
• Fit in the beams (bingkay). Then place the keelson to strengthen the keel.
• Install thwarts. Bore a hole in the bow’s thwart and in the keelson where a mast will be placed.
• Place splash boards.
4. Install utility structures.
• Prepare frames and install the floor at the stern and bow. Also prepare frames for the bamboo floor.
• Caulk the seams. Insert string in gaps and apply gaga (melted resin).
• Build a roof to be covered with nipa.
• Plane the planks for finishing touches.
• Make papag (slatted bamboo beds) and place them under the roof.
• Install pangengkutan lubid (Sibutu) or kalat (Sitangkai) where ropes are tied.
• Install pamatan naan haron (gangplank “holder”) at the bow and stern.
• Install bamboo footbridges between thwarts.
Note: The steps in No. 4 are not necessarily in order. The installation from the keel to the beams and splash boards must be in order.
‘The boat is buoyant, stable’
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (Soname) has conducted hydrostatic calculations and found that the new balangay has a water line of 0.46 meter (18 inches) and displacement of 6.56 tons, with fuel, supplies and a crew of 12 to 18 people.
Edward Cruz, head of Soname’s technical committee, says ‘‘the boat is buoyant, stable and can easily cross islands’’ in the country.
The Sama boat-builders
Sitangkai group:
Hadji Musa Malabong (overall head), Benjamin Hawari, Hadji Abidin
Barihati and Teguay Mommuh (nakura tukang [master carpenters]), Zandro Malabong, Apdali Tanjung and Edie Karani (assistant tukang).
Sibutu group:
Jubail Muyong (group head), Ibrahim Abdulla (nakura tukang),
Madnur Usman (tukang) and Torsina Usman (cook)
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Kawasan Falls................Badiang
Trip to the province
Bobby Nalzaro
I ARRIVED in Cebu last Monday yet after covering the four-day working visit of President Arroyo in Tokyo, Japan. But a GMA 7 company memorandum requires all employees and talents arriving from abroad to go on at least five days self-quarantine.
I tried to stay home. But I tell you, it is boring to stay home for a couple of days doing nothing. I initially planned to go to my hometown in Dipolog City but I thought I wouldn’t enjoy seeing our old house and the things my beloved Nanay Doring left behind. I might end up being emotional once I recall the days when Nanay was still alive. She passed away almost a year ago.
So I packed up my things and drove around the province to be away from the maddening crowd. My first stop was Badian. I stayed in a rest house owned by a friend. Thursday morning, I walked for almost an hour to Kawasan Falls in Barangay Matutinao.
Kawasan has several big and minor falls. The famous one is the first falls where foreigners and local tourists congregate to enjoy the cool and refreshing water. Together with my guide, we climbed the second big falls.
I am not a stranger to climbing mountains as I used to do it when I was a kid. I grew up a remote barangay in Dipolog and playing in rice fields and climbing mountains was one of our past times.
But now that I am in my 40s, things are different. I have lost my energy and vigor. I rested several times while going up. The first and the second big falls are surrounded with cottages and restaurants.
Kawasan Falls is one of the province’s tourist destinations. But I don’t understand why Badian’s local government unit (LGU) or the Province cannot develop the road leading to the falls from the highway so that light and small vehicles can go near.
Vehicles are only allowed up to an area that is still far from the falls, after that visitors have to walk for about half an hour.
Light passenger vehicles like multicabs or habal-habal should be allowed to operate in the area. But bridges that can accommodate four-wheel vehicles should be constructed. What we have there now are only foot bridges. The LGU of Badian should negotiate with the lot owners to allow access.
I learned from my guide that tourists are complaining that some tour guides and their cohorts rob visitors of their valuables. Tour guides (locally known as haulers) are also charging exorbitant fees, especially from foreigners. But robbery incidents have been reduced after local officials met with and warned tour guides about this.
I also observed that the roads from Barili going to Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal and Badian are not well-maintained compared with those in the southern side. Repairs using asphalt were not done well. I also noticed that there is still a wooden bridge somewhere between Santander and Samboan.
I thought the entire province has been energized. But residents of a sitio in Barangay Malbago, Badian are complaining because until now they don't have electricity. Every election, politicians who campaign in their place always promise to work to provide them with electricity. But until now, nothing has been done. Mind you, the village is just several meters away from the highway. I don't know if Gov. Gwen Garcia can help the residents there.
Before returning to the city, I dropped by the miraculous Marian Shrine in Lindogon, Simala in Sibonga town.
Bobby Nalzaro
I ARRIVED in Cebu last Monday yet after covering the four-day working visit of President Arroyo in Tokyo, Japan. But a GMA 7 company memorandum requires all employees and talents arriving from abroad to go on at least five days self-quarantine.
I tried to stay home. But I tell you, it is boring to stay home for a couple of days doing nothing. I initially planned to go to my hometown in Dipolog City but I thought I wouldn’t enjoy seeing our old house and the things my beloved Nanay Doring left behind. I might end up being emotional once I recall the days when Nanay was still alive. She passed away almost a year ago.
So I packed up my things and drove around the province to be away from the maddening crowd. My first stop was Badian. I stayed in a rest house owned by a friend. Thursday morning, I walked for almost an hour to Kawasan Falls in Barangay Matutinao.
Kawasan has several big and minor falls. The famous one is the first falls where foreigners and local tourists congregate to enjoy the cool and refreshing water. Together with my guide, we climbed the second big falls.
I am not a stranger to climbing mountains as I used to do it when I was a kid. I grew up a remote barangay in Dipolog and playing in rice fields and climbing mountains was one of our past times.
But now that I am in my 40s, things are different. I have lost my energy and vigor. I rested several times while going up. The first and the second big falls are surrounded with cottages and restaurants.
Kawasan Falls is one of the province’s tourist destinations. But I don’t understand why Badian’s local government unit (LGU) or the Province cannot develop the road leading to the falls from the highway so that light and small vehicles can go near.
Vehicles are only allowed up to an area that is still far from the falls, after that visitors have to walk for about half an hour.
Light passenger vehicles like multicabs or habal-habal should be allowed to operate in the area. But bridges that can accommodate four-wheel vehicles should be constructed. What we have there now are only foot bridges. The LGU of Badian should negotiate with the lot owners to allow access.
I learned from my guide that tourists are complaining that some tour guides and their cohorts rob visitors of their valuables. Tour guides (locally known as haulers) are also charging exorbitant fees, especially from foreigners. But robbery incidents have been reduced after local officials met with and warned tour guides about this.
I also observed that the roads from Barili going to Dumanjug, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal and Badian are not well-maintained compared with those in the southern side. Repairs using asphalt were not done well. I also noticed that there is still a wooden bridge somewhere between Santander and Samboan.
I thought the entire province has been energized. But residents of a sitio in Barangay Malbago, Badian are complaining because until now they don't have electricity. Every election, politicians who campaign in their place always promise to work to provide them with electricity. But until now, nothing has been done. Mind you, the village is just several meters away from the highway. I don't know if Gov. Gwen Garcia can help the residents there.
Before returning to the city, I dropped by the miraculous Marian Shrine in Lindogon, Simala in Sibonga town.
Underground river tour needs improvement
By Linda Bolido
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:08:00 06/16/2009
FAME is good. But fame can also create problems—serious problems.
Caretakers of the wondrous Subterranean River National Park in Puerto Princesa City should start anticipating, rather than start reacting to problems, given the steadily increasing number of local and foreign tourists wanting to see what is currently the front runner in the global voting for the new Seven Wonders of Nature.
Our guide said a dramatic rise in the number of visitors started to be felt in 2007. The setup for park visits is actually efficient. Tours are well-organized (they even bring lunch for visitors) and rates for boat rides are fixed so you do not have to worry about overcharging.
Contingencies
But it seems park authorities are still not well-prepared for contingencies resulting from the capriciousness of Mother Nature.
We tried to visit the National Park on June 9. It had been raining hard, we were told, in Puerto during the weekend and until the day before. Rivers were swollen and currents were swift. Trips to the Subterranean River were cancelled.
But on Tuesday, June 9, word went out that visitors were again allowed to visit, but we had to hurry because there was only a small window of opportunity. Park caretakers might have to cancel trips by afternoon.
So, instead of the original departure time of 10 a.m., we left our hotel at 8 a.m., only to find out when we got to Sabang, where we were to take the boat to the underground river, that the visit was still very much up in the air. There were scores of people waiting for the go-ahead to board their boats when we arrived at a little past 10 a.m.
Park people could not decide if it was all right to explore the underground river, as it remained swollen and difficult to negotiate. So, everybody had to wait and wait and wait.
In the meantime, more tourists were arriving, nerves were getting frayed and children were getting bored. When asked why they were not telling those tourists who had not left the city yet to skip the trip to the river given the situation in Sabang, somebody said those people were issued permits for the visit.
Nothing to do
Huh? We had the necessary permit but they would not allow us to take the trip to the river?
Sabang was not exactly set up to calm frayed nerves. The park outpost in Sabang that coordinated trips to the river is small, able to accommodate comfortably only about half a dozen people. It has no air-conditioning. The area around it consists of a few “turo-turo” and snack bars and some stalls selling tie-dyed garments and souvenirs. You can take in everything in minutes.
It would have been great to go swimming as the water was clean and there was a nice beach nearby, but not knowing if and when we would be told to board the boats made us stay close to the outpost.
Our guide Alex Tribiana, who must have been the dean of tour guides in Puerto, kept suggesting that we just be allowed to go to the park, look at the river from outside, then explore the flora and fauna. After all, the park has monkeys and monitor lizards that are larger than what you would usually see. The indigenous peacock may even make a rare appearance.
The suggestion, seconded by everyone, was finally taken, so at about 12 noon, we boarded the boat for the park.
Some members of our group, a family consisting of a Filipino mother, a Caucasian father and mother-in-law and three children decided to skip the trip. The waiting and the uncertainty had completely dissipated the excitement and anticipation.
The mother-in-law in particular could not understand why we were just standing around and why nobody seemed to be able to make a decision in one way or the other.
I have seen the river and I knew the view from the boat was breathtaking enough to make the trip worthwhile, even if going inside the cave was not possible. We were lucky to be “met” by a three-meter-long lizard as we walked to the river entrance.
Whether or not it is voted into the new Wonders of Nature list, the Subterranean River is a must-see for everyone. The higher profile it is currently getting will no doubt bring in more people.
That is why it is important for park authorities to be better prepared to handle situations arising from nature’s unpredictability. People will understand if you tell them trips are cancelled for their own safety, rather than have them standing around, wondering what is going on.
Plane still late
Still on Puerto, our Philippine Airlines flight was delayed for about 20 minutes as it waited for late passengers. They must have been gods for the airline to delay its flight. It certainly would not do that for an ordinary mortal.
When I asked a stewardess what we were waiting for, she said only the ground crew knew but that it was a “usual occurrence” in Puerto. Well, delaying a flight to allow some local VIPs to board would not sit well with tourists whom the city is trying to attract.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 20:08:00 06/16/2009
FAME is good. But fame can also create problems—serious problems.
Caretakers of the wondrous Subterranean River National Park in Puerto Princesa City should start anticipating, rather than start reacting to problems, given the steadily increasing number of local and foreign tourists wanting to see what is currently the front runner in the global voting for the new Seven Wonders of Nature.
Our guide said a dramatic rise in the number of visitors started to be felt in 2007. The setup for park visits is actually efficient. Tours are well-organized (they even bring lunch for visitors) and rates for boat rides are fixed so you do not have to worry about overcharging.
Contingencies
But it seems park authorities are still not well-prepared for contingencies resulting from the capriciousness of Mother Nature.
We tried to visit the National Park on June 9. It had been raining hard, we were told, in Puerto during the weekend and until the day before. Rivers were swollen and currents were swift. Trips to the Subterranean River were cancelled.
But on Tuesday, June 9, word went out that visitors were again allowed to visit, but we had to hurry because there was only a small window of opportunity. Park caretakers might have to cancel trips by afternoon.
So, instead of the original departure time of 10 a.m., we left our hotel at 8 a.m., only to find out when we got to Sabang, where we were to take the boat to the underground river, that the visit was still very much up in the air. There were scores of people waiting for the go-ahead to board their boats when we arrived at a little past 10 a.m.
Park people could not decide if it was all right to explore the underground river, as it remained swollen and difficult to negotiate. So, everybody had to wait and wait and wait.
In the meantime, more tourists were arriving, nerves were getting frayed and children were getting bored. When asked why they were not telling those tourists who had not left the city yet to skip the trip to the river given the situation in Sabang, somebody said those people were issued permits for the visit.
Nothing to do
Huh? We had the necessary permit but they would not allow us to take the trip to the river?
Sabang was not exactly set up to calm frayed nerves. The park outpost in Sabang that coordinated trips to the river is small, able to accommodate comfortably only about half a dozen people. It has no air-conditioning. The area around it consists of a few “turo-turo” and snack bars and some stalls selling tie-dyed garments and souvenirs. You can take in everything in minutes.
It would have been great to go swimming as the water was clean and there was a nice beach nearby, but not knowing if and when we would be told to board the boats made us stay close to the outpost.
Our guide Alex Tribiana, who must have been the dean of tour guides in Puerto, kept suggesting that we just be allowed to go to the park, look at the river from outside, then explore the flora and fauna. After all, the park has monkeys and monitor lizards that are larger than what you would usually see. The indigenous peacock may even make a rare appearance.
The suggestion, seconded by everyone, was finally taken, so at about 12 noon, we boarded the boat for the park.
Some members of our group, a family consisting of a Filipino mother, a Caucasian father and mother-in-law and three children decided to skip the trip. The waiting and the uncertainty had completely dissipated the excitement and anticipation.
The mother-in-law in particular could not understand why we were just standing around and why nobody seemed to be able to make a decision in one way or the other.
I have seen the river and I knew the view from the boat was breathtaking enough to make the trip worthwhile, even if going inside the cave was not possible. We were lucky to be “met” by a three-meter-long lizard as we walked to the river entrance.
Whether or not it is voted into the new Wonders of Nature list, the Subterranean River is a must-see for everyone. The higher profile it is currently getting will no doubt bring in more people.
That is why it is important for park authorities to be better prepared to handle situations arising from nature’s unpredictability. People will understand if you tell them trips are cancelled for their own safety, rather than have them standing around, wondering what is going on.
Plane still late
Still on Puerto, our Philippine Airlines flight was delayed for about 20 minutes as it waited for late passengers. They must have been gods for the airline to delay its flight. It certainly would not do that for an ordinary mortal.
When I asked a stewardess what we were waiting for, she said only the ground crew knew but that it was a “usual occurrence” in Puerto. Well, delaying a flight to allow some local VIPs to board would not sit well with tourists whom the city is trying to attract.
Travel and tours.....................a way of survival.
The year 2008 was a big shock to all, when crisis after crisis have affected not only the USA but almost every country in the world. Big businesses have closed down not knowing what hit them. But many agree that it was the greediness of many so-called business or techno-savvy people which undermined the savings not only of retirees but small investors hoping to cash in on stocks, trust and and other investment papers.
A big number of Filipinos here and abroad are being retrenched in their jobs due to the financial crisis that have afftected not only the USA but the world over. After a year, nothing in sight is yet clear, but many says that now is the time to put in the money needed to stimulate the market. When stocks are in their all-time low, there is no way to go but up.
So don't hide your money in your cabinet. Rats and molds might eat them. Let us put our money in the market place, where it can be used for purposes that could stimulate the economy. Let us try to improve our local tourist destinations and make it attractive not only for foreign but also to local tourist. This is one way our economy would surely survive the slowdown in our economic activities.
Starting today, I will try to update everyone with the latest happenings in our tourism industry, particularly our local tourist industry.
A big number of Filipinos here and abroad are being retrenched in their jobs due to the financial crisis that have afftected not only the USA but the world over. After a year, nothing in sight is yet clear, but many says that now is the time to put in the money needed to stimulate the market. When stocks are in their all-time low, there is no way to go but up.
So don't hide your money in your cabinet. Rats and molds might eat them. Let us put our money in the market place, where it can be used for purposes that could stimulate the economy. Let us try to improve our local tourist destinations and make it attractive not only for foreign but also to local tourist. This is one way our economy would surely survive the slowdown in our economic activities.
Starting today, I will try to update everyone with the latest happenings in our tourism industry, particularly our local tourist industry.
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