JORDAN, Guimaras – Boracay Island located in Malay, Aklan continues to be the most-sought after destination in Western Visayas with some P16.7 billion in tourist receipts recorded in 2011.
Capiz Governor Victor Tanco Sr. made the disclosure in his State of the Region Address before the Regional Development Council here.
Tanco, the RDC chairman, lauded Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez for making Boracay “number one in tourist arrivals and receipts” likewise for pushing for more projects that lure tourists not only in his province but also other areas in Panay.
The rise in tourist arrivals was noted in the number of passengers recorded at the Caticlan Jetty Port using the roll on-roll off (RORO) mode of transportation and the increased number of commercial and chartered planes that landed at the Kalibo International Airport (KIA) and the Godofredo Ramos Airport also known as the Boracay Airport.
The tourist receipts recorded from Boracay Island represent almost 50 percent of the preliminary amount generated for tourism in Western Visayas that reached P38.5 billion. In 2010, the tourist receipts amounted to P38.4 billion.
The tourism preliminary report, according to Tanco, showed that in 2011, Western Visayas was able to lure some two million tourists reflecting a 26 percent increase against 2010 figures.
 Tanco also noted the initiatives of the province of Guimaras as it gears to become an “exceptional tourist destination.” 
He cited among others the ongoing upgrading of the province’s port and road network.
“Guimaras is not just an island of beautiful beaches and world-renowned sweet mangoes but also of breathtaking landscapes that either calm the senses or challenge ones adventuresome spirit,” he said.
Tanco added that already investors are eyeing Guimaras for their investments thus contributing to the efforts of the province to “lure visitors to stay a bit longer by adding more facilities and attractions.”
Guimaras played host to the one-day meeting last week that capped with a tour of the Lombija Wildlife Park and Heritage Hotel in Nueva Valencia, Guimaras. 

BUTUAN CITY – Travel site of U.S. based international cable TV news network CNN has chosen Cloud 9 in Siargao Island, Province of Surigao del Norte, as number 8 in CNNGO’s 50 best surf spots in the World.

Cloud 9 in General Luna. Siargao Island has also been known as the country’s surfing capital recognized by different international surfing organizations.
Posted last Friday at CNNGo’s website, Cloud 9 in General Luna town Siargao Island placed the Philippines as the second Southeast Asian country, next to Indonesia, that was included in CNNGO’s top 10 surfing spots.
Indonesia’s Uluwatu and Kuta surfing spots shared the top 3 spot.
CNNGo was launched in September 2009 with a homepage connecting independent websites in eight cities, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo that covered travel, lifestyle, personalities and latest trends in the most fascinating and vibrant places in the world.
In its website content it explained that CNNGo is different from CNN.com or the CNN one is watching on TV or cable news as it is a separate division of CNN who has its own regional staff — a much smaller operation than CNN’s global team of 4,000 news professionals.
By boat from Surigao City wharf which is three hours land trip from here Butuan City, Caraga Region’s capital, one can reach Cloud 9 in General Luna town via Dapa town, another Siargao Island municipality,through a motorboat which is about three to four hours sail from Port of Surigao City.
From the Port of Dapa, Cloud 9 is only 20 to 30 minutes land trip via General Luna town.
By plane, one will reach Cloud 9 from Manila through once or twice a week Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines flights about two or one and a half flight hours and will land at Del Carmen Airport in Del Carmen municipality which is about twelve kilometers from Cloud 9.

VIGAN CITY – The provincial government is creating an adventure zone at the premises of the historic Abra River located in-between Barangays Banaoang in Santa and Bantay town to attract more tourists to the province.

This involves the construction of zip lines that cross the Abra River and other adventure activities at the site, like rappelling, climbing and kayaking.
Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Chavit Singson said that 15 celebrities participated in the recently concluded “Traverse Ilocos Sur Adventure Challenge: Discover the Wonders of Ilocos Sur.”
The event formed part of the launching activities of some of the events in the Ilocos Sur Adventure Zone.
Among the celebrity participants were Emilio Garcia, Tyrone Perez and Sam Pinto.
The celebrities explored the historic Vigan City’s Heritage Village, the “empanadahan”, the jar making factory (Pagburnayan), the Baluarte Zoo, Bantay Bell Tower and the Abra River.
At the Abra River, the celebrities swam and performed kayaking to signify the launching of this adventure zone’s activity.
Singson said the provincial government launched the development of an adventure zone to create additional tourist spot that would encourage more tourists to visit and stay in the province.
“The site of the Ilocos Sur Adventure Zone is historically significant as this was where the prominent President Quirino Bridge that connects Ilocos provinces to Cagayan Valley region and Metro Manila is,” Singson said.
“Thus, our adventure zone has unique scenic views that induce maximum relaxation and amusement,” he added.
For his part, Vice Governor Deogracias Victor “DV” B. Savellano said that the Ilocos Sur adventure zone is now open to the public while the fixing of the zip lines is still going on.
To ensure the quality services for the tourists, who would try to participate in these activities at the site, the Ilocos Sur provincial government trained selected persons on different safety measures to be adopted in all the events in the adventure zone.

KABAYAN, Benguet – Local tourist guides and mounted policemen here are now ready for the expected increase of visitors to the centuries-old mummy caves and Mount Pulag, the country’s second tallest mountain.
This was learned from Mayor Faustino Aquisio who said that the celebration of the town’s 111th anniversary on November 25 will signal the season of the increased tourists in the area.

Being one of oldest attractions in the Cordilleras, foreign tourists are among those who take interest in visiting the mummy caves which have guarded secrets of how the natives were able to mummify their dead similar to that of ancient Egypt.
Besides, adventurers who were able to climb Mount Pulag were able to see for themselves the unusual presence of two mountain lakes and mossy forests which are habitats to unique fishes and animals like the clouded rat.
Atop the mountain are the shortest bamboo-like grasses covered for some hours with frost in the early mornings of December, January and February.
Aquisio said the improved local tourism of Benguet encourages entrepreneurs to invest on tourism-related industries which include the production of souvenir items and delicacies.

BANAUE, Ifugao — The famous Banaue Rice Terraces, one of the wonders of the world, needs immediate rehabilitation.
Thus stressed Rep. Teddy Baguilat of Ifugao as he and the Ifugao provincial government appealed to Malacanang for the immediate release of P20 million as initial fund to rehabilitate the rice terraces which was heavily adamaged by typhoons “Pedring” and Quiel” lat September.
 Baguilat, who visited Nagacadan, Batud and Hungduan towns, said that large portions of the rice terraces in these towns were damaged at the height of the two typhoons and a big fund is needed to put them back into their original splendor.
“We need all the help that we can get to restore the rice terraces that are not just part of the Ifugao way of life and identity but are also a source of livelihood for the people,” he said.
Around P250 million is the latest estimate of the amount needed to bring the Banaue Rice Terraces, which was recognized as one of the world’s heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), back to their pristine condition.
The UNESCO had earlier declared the Banaue Rice Terraces as “endangered” heritage site due to its deteriorating state.
In 1994, then President Fidel V. Ramos issued Executive Order No. 158, which formed the Ifugao Terraces Commission (ITC), tasked to orient the management of the terraces toward enhancing their tourism potentials, instead of their importance to agriculture.
In 1999, then President Joseph Estrada dissolved the ITC and replaced it with the Banaue Rice Terraces Task Force (BRTTF) to oversea the rehabilitation and restoration of the centuries-old terraces.
Baguilat said the Ifugao government took over the maintenance of the rice terraces when former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo dissolved the BRTTF in 2002.
He said there is an urgent need to restore the terraces as they act as a giant water purifier that helps minimize soil erosion, and many of the Ifugao residents rely on the terraces for their livelihood.
During the three-day (Nov. 10-12) visit of Baguilat with some members of media, including the Philippines News Agency (PNA), we personally saw the extent of damages of the terraces in Nagacadan, Hungduan, especially in Batud area, brought about by the recent typhoons.
Besides landslides, the rice terraces also have been beset by the continued burrowing of giant earthworms and eels in the paddies, aggravating soil erosion.
Baguilat said the initial P20 million that the provincial government is requesting for immediate release will be used to rehabilitate damaged farm-to-market roads (P10 million); restoration of the Banaue Rice Terraces (especially in Batud area, P5 million); and P5 million for the rehabilitation of irrigation systems which were destroyed by the recent typhoons.
He said that although local governments and the communities themselves have undertaken self-help initiatives or “bayanihan” to restore the typhoon-damaged sections of the rice terraces, fund is needed to restore one of the country’s top tourist attraction back to its pristine condition.
Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala is set to visit the Banaue Rice Terraces on Nov. 25 and conduct dialogue with the farmers there.
He also ordered the DA-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to make assessment on the extent of damages on the terraces and make proposal for its rehabilitation and assistance for the affected farmers.

BALER, Aurora — Tourist arrivals in this province facing the Pacific Ocean continue to rise as first half data this year already surpassed the whole year tourist arrival last year. 
This developed as a world-class resort hotel is now being constructed here to cater for the growing local tourism industry in the province.
Named as Costa Pacifica, the three-storey hotel with 78 rooms is located at a three-hectare site in Barangay Sabang, a favorite surfing destination of local and foreign tourists.
It is being built by the internationally acclaimed Raintree Company, a known builder of several high-end hotels and restaurants, food courts and food parks in the country.
Data from the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) showed that the number of tourists for the six months of 2011 already reached to 73,689, way above the 68,395 tourists registered in the whole year of 2010.
Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo said the growth of the local industry is remarkable and the tourism figures are considered phenomenal since the province does not have yet the requisite hotel and infrastructure facilities.
Michael Palispis, provincial tourism officer chief, said the tourism gains of the province over the last five years improve to 300 percent.
From a measly 8,774 in 2005, the PTO records showed that the province lured 11,534 tourists in 2006; 10,778 in 2007; 27,935 in 2008; and 52,316 in 2009. 
In recognition of the feat, the Department of Tourism (DOT) adjudged Palispis as provincial tourism officer for 2010.
“The tremendous arrivals of visitors recorded in the province were even a conservative estimate since this did not include those who checked in “home-stay” facilities, adding that the two of the major hotel facilities in this capital town are always fully booked because of the on-rush of in-bound visitors,” Palispis said.
Angara-Castillo said the provincial government is aggressively promoting tourism with the crafting of an Aurora Forest Recreation and Rest Area, Park Development (AFRRAPD), a provincial tourism blueprint which it submitted to the Department of Tourism (DOT) for inclusion in the National Tourism Master Plan.
Included in the AFRRAPD are the construction of a hotel, conference hall and recreational facilities for water sports activities such as wakeboarding, jet skiing, kayaking, rappelling and mountain trail.
Angara-Castillo said the tourism blueprint is one of her development priority agenda where they also launched its own “Balik-Aurora” campaign where “balikbayan” tourists are fetched at the airport and brought to various destinations in the province.
The move is in line with the declaration of the years 2011 to 2016 as the country’s “Homecoming Years for Pinoys.”
On the world class hotel, Raintree president Annabella Wisniewski  briefed Senator Edgardo J. Angara about the project, together with Raeana Cranbourne, who is the firm’s project director.
Wisniewski said the hotel will have a restaurant and cafeteria where meetings, conferences and socials can be held.
It will be completed in December 2012, with a soft opening a month earlier.
“This type of hotel is appropriate for Filipino hospitality. It’s a terrific industry because Filipinos are naturally hospitable. The project will also give many attributes to tourism industry,” Wisniewski said.
She said a prominent architect Ed Calma designed the hotel which construction has already generated 150 local jobs.
Wisniewski said their firm decided to build a world-class hotel in this capital town to cash in on the booming tourism industry and to spur countryside development.
“Besides, we want to showcase the beauty of Baler as a premier tourist destination and tourism can generate a lot of revenues,” she said.
“The hotel facility they are putting up in the province is very accessible from Manila and is located in the only beach area surrounded by the land-locked provinces of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya,” she said, adding that her firm is also taking care of the renovation of the adjacent Bahia 1 and Bahia 2 hotels which have a total of 33 rooms.
Angara said his sister Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo is working on having the area near the chain of hotels into a tourism enterprise zone, the tourism equivalent of a special economic zone with tax incentives for locators.
As a tourism enterprise zone, it will get state funding from the Tourism Industry and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) which will construct building, access road, water systems and related facilities.
The establishment of the hotel is expected to boost tourist arrivals in the province which registered a 300-percent jump over the last five years.
Provincial Tourism Office (PTO) records showed that visitor arrivals in the province reached a record-high of 68,395 in 2010 from a measly 11,534 in 2006.
The province lured 10,778 tourists in 2007, 27,935 in 2008 and 52,316 in 2009. 

BAAO, Camarines Sur -– Tribal communities here have joined promoting local tourism by staging their own festival attracting not only a thousand tourists but also two of the country’s leading lawmakers. 
The one-day festivity dubbed as “Katribo Ka (You Belong to the Tribe)” and the first of its kind in Bicol held in this highly agricultural town  was aimed at recognizing the rights and privileges of the indigenous peoples (IPs) and ensure their participation in the affairs of the local government. 
Katribo Ka was coined from the slogan “Kaburunyugan nin mga Tribong Agta-Tabangnon para sa Kauswagan (Union of Agta-Tabangnon for Development)” which drew the participation of seven local communities of cultural minorities represented by 300 tribesmen who conducted a parade at the main thoroughfares and converged at the town plaza here in their best tribal costumes for the merrymakings. 
About a thousand of delighted tourists and visitors came and joined the tribesmen who performed tribal dances, religious rituals, healing demonstrations and other cultural performances in celebrating the affair graced by House Deputy Speaker Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada and Congressman Teddy Baguilat, House Committee Chairman on National Cultural Minorities. 
A report of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Camarines Sur provincial office  said KATRIBO Ka is a federation of indigenous peoples comprising the Agta-Tabangnon communities in the upland barangays of Antipolo, Caranday, Sta. Teresa, Nababarera, Cristo Rey, Tapol and Iyagan here. 
In gracing the affair, Tañada said IPs should also be recognized as an important facet of local governance. “We will push for the recognition of these indigenous groups and we would like them to feel that the government is also doing something to address their appeals, particularly their needs in terms of education, livelihood and their need for a safe sanctuary. 
The festival can serve as a venue where lawmakers can evaluate whether the existing state rules are still appropriate to the IPs’ present condition, he said. 
“This celebration can lead us in reviewing some mechanisms to ensure that the rights of indigenous people are respected and fulfilled. We want to check various legislations that will justify their participation in governance and fine tune problems that will lead the creation of better and appropriate programs for them,” Tañada added. 
Baguilat  lamented the poor state of the IPs nationwide. He said that the IPs played a significant role in addressing problems of the country concerning the environment and peace process, yet these concerns are still in the fringes of the government’s attention. 
Baao Mayor Malquides Gaite said the celebration is the culminating activity of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PPRM) and Unity for the Advancement of Sustainable Development and Good Governance (USWAG)—Camarines Sur Project, in partnership with the European Commission. 
USWAG—Camarines Sur is a local citizen’s movement for good governance organized by PRRM to work with different social institutions and government bodies which aim, among others to push people’s agenda on human development and ecological sustainability, Gaite said. 
PRRM President Isagani Serrano expressed his full support in addressing the plights of the IPs and along with other stakeholders are working hard together “in order to increase their participation in elections and governance for sustainable development.” 
With the strong expression of support coming from the two solons, the local government unit here, USWAG-Camarines Sur, PRRM, KATRIBO KA and other stakeholders, this year’s theme of the festival: “Karapatan, Kapayapaan at Kasarinlan ng Katutubong Pilipino,” will be within reach of IPs, Serrano said.

DAVAO CITY -– The Davao Tourism Association (DATA) will be holding a bigger and grander Mindanao Culinary Festival on October 19 to 20 at the Abreeza Mall along J.P. Laurel Ave., Bajada, here.

DATA president Gene Bangayan said major component of the two-day event is the trade exhibition with more than 20 expected participants.
Bangayan said this year’s theme of the event is dubbed as “A Food Journey Beyond the Island’s Boundaries” will be conducted at a 100 square-meter activity area of Abreeza Mall.

“The trade exhibition will be participated by the major food companies and suppliers of the industry with the small and medium entrepreneurs of the region involved in food processing and manufacturing,” she said.

Mary Ann Montemayor, DATA past president and event organizer of the festival, said this year’s event would be a bigger and grander activity. It would be the 11th year to conduct the festival.

Montemayor said aside from the trade exhibition, tiangge and culinary competitions, there would be also Chefs in Fashion and Goudo’s Junior Chef Cupcake Decorating Contest. There would be also a cooking demo with Chef Ramon Victoria.

“It would be bigger and grander this year compare last year when we conducted it with limited features. We try our best to have something new every year,” she said.

On the culinary competitions, Montemayor said the professional category has contests such as Unilever Food Solutions on the spot competition, food display and centerpiece arrangement.

Bangayan said some of the participating firms like Technolux that will showcase its latest trends on kitchen and coffee equipment and Global Pacific that would promote the ingredients of Orchids, Swiss Valley and Beryls.

Meanwhile, the student competitions will be participated by 18 schools. They will be competing in table skirting, table setting, centerpiece arrangement, gourmet banana deserts, bangus Chinese style cooking, mocktails, fondant cake decorating, napkin folding and bartending.

The event is also participated by Apo View Hotel, Barrio Bistro Davao, Chauteau del Mar, D’ Leonor Hotel, Grand Regal Hotel, Holy Cross of Davao, Garden Oases, Linmar, Metropolis Suites, MOST, Seafood Island Grill, Seagull Resorts, Paradise Nature Park and Resort, University of Mindanao (UM) Davao and Villa Margarita Hotel, she added.

ZAMBOANGA CITY - The cultural extravaganza, dubbed as “Wow Zamboanga,” presented every night by the different clusters of barangays since Saturday, continues to draw huge crowd of spectators from all walks of life at Paseo del Mar, with 17 barangays from the east coast taking the center stage during the 4th night.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said the night presentation is a fitting program for the city’s 98 barangays to showcase their talents and entertainment presentations in an atmosphere of competition, depicting their people and barangay’s cultural and traditions.
“Aside from making this show an added attraction for our Fiesta Pilar every year, this is also one way of exposing the barangays’ hidden tourist spots in our effort to promote Zamboanga’s eco-tourism potentials to spurring socio-economic development,” Lobregat said during the show’s second night last Sunday.

Sunday’s presentation by 10 barangays belonging to Cluster 4 led the night with songs and dances, to the delight of hundreds of spectators, young and old alike. It also had a raffle draw of surprise items, top of which was a cellphone unit.
It was held back-to-back with the Chabacano Battle of the Band, which drew a big crowd of young adults and the so-called “rockista,” at the nearby Plaza del Pilar.

Cluster 4 barangays are Pasonanca, Tumaga, Sta. Maria, Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3, Zone 4, Mariki, Rio Hondo and Sta. Barabara.
On Monday, “Wow Zamboanga” treated the crowd to songs of memories and dances presented by Cluster 5 barangays of Licomo, Tictapul, Limaong, Vitali, Mangusu, Ticbalabag, Tagasilay, Sibulao, Muti, Buenavista, Calabasa, Latuan, Taguiti and Tumitus.
For Tuesday night, “Wow Zamboanga” will feature the talents and attractions of officials and residents from the cluster of 17 barangays. These are Cacao, Lanzones, Mercedes, Taluksangay, Talabaan, Guisao, Bolong, Sangali, Cabaluay, Manicahan, Pasobolong, Salaan, Manalipa, Tictabon, Pangapuyan, Tumalutab and Lapakan.

As this developed, Lobregat invited the general public to unite and witness the different activities lined up for Fiesta Pilar celebration themed “Fiesta Hermosa… Vamos a Zamboanga.”

Also Oct. 4, the Miss Zamboanga 2011 pageant will be presented at Astoria Regency in Pasonanca.
Meanwhile, the AgriTrade Fair and Plants and Flowers show continues at Veterans Park, Rizal St. and Jardin Maria Clara in Pasonanca, respectively, so does the art exhibit “Solamente Zamboanga” at Garden Orchid Hotel.

KALIBO, Aklan – Filipinos in Canada are helping in the campaign for the entry of the Palawan Underground River as one of the new seven wonders of nature.

Jojo Quimpo of Altavas, Aklan, in his facebook page, wrote that they are campaigning for the Palawan wonder to help gather online votes.

“We are all proud to be Pinoys. Let us share and spread the word,” Quimpo said.

The Palawan underground river is considered as a subterranean natural world wonder. It is located 50 kilometers north of Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

It is now included in the remaining 28 finalists out of the original 77 sites around the world vying for the new Seven Wonders of Nature title. Those sites that would gain the seven highest votes will win the title.

It is only the sole entry of the Philippines in the international competition.