Sulu Tourism: Wow Patikul

A shower of lights fill the coastal town of Patikul as the sun sets in the southern Philippine province of Sulu. Provincial Governor Sakur Tan says they are pursuing an ambitious

tourism program that will put Sulu in the map of world-class tourist destination.

(Mindanao Examiner Photo / Mark Navales)

Sarangani's Malungon town celebrates 40th year; festival attracts tourists

A Blaan “Kamlung Banwe” (defender) rides his battle horse during the Fye Kura (Best Horse) competition and students from the Malalag-Cogon High School also took part in a street dance drawing interest from thousands attending the 2nd Slang Festival, marking the 40th Foundation anniversary of Malungon town in Sarangani province in the Southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Mark Navales)

Photo: Sarangani And The B'laans

Michelle Solon, president of Sarangani Tourism Industry Association, mingles with B’laan children during the weekend in the village of Datal Tampal in Malungon town. The rich culture and traditions of the B’laan are passed on to children in Sitio Lamlifew where the pilot School of Living Traditions has been established. And master weavers of the Tribal Women Association of Sitio Lamlifew show their skills in making B’laan clothes. Abaca is the main raw material and pigments used in the weaving are from roots of Kanalum and Lagu trees. Malungon is also famous for its bamboo cottages located at the back of the municipal hall. (Photos by Bon-Bon Quiño / Sarangani Information Office)

South Cotabato's T'nalak Festival Draws Thousands In Mindanao

Philippine dancers perform in Koronadal City on Friday, July 18, 2008 during the 9th T'nalak Festival, an annual celebration showcasing South Cotabato's ethnic and cultural tradition. At least 18 groups of dancers joined this year's weeklong celebration that drew thousands of people to South Cotabato in Mindanao. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Mark Navales)

SOUTH COTABATO, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 18, 2008) - The celebration demonstrates the importance and significance of the T'nalak cloth as part of the cultural image of South Cotabato, according to the travel site hoparound.net.

It said the T'nalak cloth traditionally woven by the T'boli has become the symbol for South Cotabato as a province where there is “unity in diversity”, the area being home to several indigenous groupings among who are the B'laans, Maguindanaoans or Ikat, and the T'boli.

Weaving one T'nalak cloth by hand is a long process and can take several months, starting with the weaver's self-evaluation and critical analysis of her life followed by a "dreaming" of the design of the fabric. Each piece of cloth is therefore a personal journey documented.

Only natural vegetable dyes are used and each color has a meaning - red for bravery, commitment and love, black for strength of character and endurance through struggle and hardship. The cloth is then subjected to heat and a beating process also significant of the personal journey of the indomitable South Cotabatenos. (Mark Navales)

Photo: Zamboanga City's Paseo Del Mar

Ito ang reclaimed area sa Zamboanga City sa Mindanao na planong gawing baywalk ni Mayor Celso Lobregat ng tulad sa Maynila na kung saan ay maaring mamasyal at mamasdan ang takip-silim. Tinawag itong "Paseo del Mar" ngunit sa kabila ng malaking pondo Zamboanga City ay halos hindi naman matapos-tapos ang proyekto at kakapiranggot ang siyang nasimulan, ngunit todo pagmamalaki naman ang mga lokal ng opisyal sa naturang baywalk. Makikita rin ang harapan ng Paseo del Mar sa hiwalay na larawan sa ibaba. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Giant Bats, Tarsiers And More...And Maitum Town

Thousands of fruit bats or the “Golden Crown Flying Fox and Giant Flying Foxes” (Pteropus vampyrus) fly Tuesday, March 04, 2008 in the village of Ticulab in Maitum town in Sarangani province. The village is a known habitat of these bats and has become a tourist attraction in southern Philippines. Considered as the world's largest bat, the animal’s wing-span is about 6 feet and it weigh more than one kilogram. Other flora and fauna found in Ticulab are wild orchids, horn bill, eagles among others species.

Maitum is known for the discovery of very old cave artifacts called Maitum Anthropomorphic Potteries in one of the caves nearby. It is bordered on the west by the province of Sultan Kudarat, on the east by the municipality of Kiamba, on the north by the province of South Cotabato, and on the south by the Celebes Sea.

The economy of Maitum is largely based on agriculture and is often called the "rice-granary" of Sarangani due to its high level production of rice. Aqua-culture is the second biggest income earner, notably the culture of milkfish (bangus), prawns (particularly giant prawns) and shrimps for export. Other agricultural products are coconuts, maize, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes, pork, eggs, beef, and fish. Maitum is also a food basket nationally famous for its dried fish.

The economy has accelerated in the past decade driven by advances in global communication technology and the finishing of a modern highway that tremendously improved trade and transport.

Another sensational event was the discovery of the existence of tarsiers in its mountainous areas. The presence of tarsiers has eventually attained official recognition.

Caves and the rainforest of Maitum are the natural habitat of a rare fruit bat species called Giant Golden-crowned Flying Fox (Acedoron jubatus). The rare Writhed-billed Hornbill and Tarictic Hornbill are also found in the surrounding rainforest. The Philippine Eagle (a monkey-eating eagle) also thrives in the area.

The endangered Hawksbill Turtles have their nesting grounds in Maitum's former main village called "Old Poblacion".

Other wild animals are wild boar, Bryan James, deer, monkeys, and various species of snake.

According to local folklore, "Maitum" refers to the black stones in Saub River. It is believed that the river stones turned black when the local native princess and her warrior lover passed through it as they eloped and escaped from the wrath of the princess' father who disapproved their marriage.

"Maitum" is a native word meaning black. In 1928, Maitum became part of the municipality of Kiamba. It became a separate municipality on May 7, 1959 through Republic Act 2189. (Photo by Afren de Guzman / Maitum Municipal Information Office, Wikipedia)

Sulu Gazette March 2008

The Sulu Gazette is the official newsletter of the Sulu Provincial Government.
For inquiries about trade, investments and tourism, please e-mail us at mabuhay.mabuhay@gmail.com

The Sulu Gazette is published monthly and advertised on the Mindanao Examiner newspaper and its website http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com and distributed in some areas in the Muslim autonomous region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao City, Cebu City and Manila.

Photo: The Beautiful Davao

Fishermen sail on vinta in the Davao Gulf and birds flock at the fish cage near Peñaplata pier in Samal City off Davao City in southern Philippines. Davao City is a favorite holiday destination of Filipino and foreign tourists in the Philippines and is one of the most safest place to go in Mindanao. (Ruby More/ AKP Images, Text by the Mindanao Examiner)

Zamboanga City's Paseo Del Mar

Construction of a bay walk area called the "Paseo del Mar" is ongoing in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines. City Mayor Celso Lobregat says the bay walk is a perfect place to watch the sun sets, a magnificent view in this part of Mindanao. Promenaders also frequent the Paseo del Mar, one of most beautiful park in Zamboanga, now branded as Asia's Latin City because of its dialect, which is a mixture of Spanish and other Filipino tongues.

(Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

Sulu Province – The Land Of Treasures

A diver examines his scuba gear at Ramos beach in Panglima Tahil town in Sulu province in southern Philippines. (Photo courtesy of Sulu Provincial Tourism Council)

SULU, Philippines - Far-flung Sulu is the southernmost part of the Philippines, lying between the Sulu Sea on the north and the Celebes Sea on the south. With fishing as its most important industry, it is classified as a First Class Province in terms of income.

The glorious Sulu Sea is dotted with coral reefs, such as the pearl farm at Marungas Island, and provides some of the world's best dive spots. Tubbataha Reef is its best known site, a 33,200-hectare underwater splendor drawing divers from all over the world with its marvelous marine wilderness and special ecosystem.

Because of its fabulous beauty, the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park was honored by UNESCO in December 1993 as the first natural site in the Philippines to be inscribed in the prestigious World Heritage List.
It is the best known site in the Sulu Sea, drawing divers from all over the world with its underwater splendor and the rich marine life that abounds in the reef. Snappers, sweet-lips, groupers, angel fish, and morays can be found amid huge fan corals and sponges.

Large schools of barracudas, jacks, rainbow runners, and surgeons pass by while tunas race about.

The Sulu provincial capital is Jolo town. Its walled city is the smallest in the world, with its historic brick walls that lay proof to the city’s historic past.

Another attraction of the city is the Provincial Capitol with its moorish-inspired architectural design.

The province nurtures a harmonious coexistence of the two most dominant religions in the Philippines, Islam and Catholicism. There are beautiful Muslim mosques situated in each village, most notable being the majestic Tulay Mosque which now towers the Sulu skyline.

The existing churches of Christian faith in the province are the Jolo Parish Church, Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel, and Jolo Evangelical Church.

Geography

Sulu consists of over 400 scattered and almost isolated islands, stretching from the tip of Zamboanga southwestward towards Borneo.

It forms one of the three connections of the Philippines with Sabah. Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan is planning to convert some of these islands into world-class resorts because of their pristine and white sand beaches to help promote tourism.

Climate

Sulu is outside of the typhoon belt. Its climate is warm. Humidity is generally moist, but precipitation is constant throughout the year. February is considered the coldest month while May to August are the hottest, with mean relative humidity of 86%, one of the hottest in the country.

January to April is considered the dry period, with a monthly average of 7 to 9 inches of rainfall. The mean annual temperature is 26 degrees centigrade and the maximum is 27 degrees centigrade.

Language and Dialect

The principal dialect of the natives of Sulu is Tausug. The rest speak Samal and other dialects such as Visayan, Chavacano and Tagalog. English is widely spoken in Sulu.

Major Industries

While there is an absence of huge mineral deposits, Sulu nevertheless abounds in marine and timber resources and is believed rich in fossil fuel. Lying outside the typhoon belt, it is blessed with a year-round bounty from both land and sea.

Due to the character of the soil and climate, the province of Sulu grows a greater variety of products than any other part of the country. In addition to all the crops of the islands, which are abaca, coconut, and fruits like oranges, lanzones, and jacks, other fruits that do not grow in the northern islands are harvested here, such as the mangosteen berries and durian.

In September, some six tons of mangosteen and durian were shipped out to supermarkets in Manila and the fruits were completely sold out in hours. The shipment, Sulu Gov. Tan says, is part of the Fruits for Hope program. The international non-government organization, the Asia-American Initiative and Filipino Senator Richard Gordon also helped in the Fruit for Hope program.

Fishing is the most important industry. Sea turtles and fish of all kinds are caught. Otherwise the people engage in the industries of boat building, mat weaving, coffee processing, and fruit preservation (durian and mangosteen).

Trepang and pearls are extensively gathered in Sulu. Trepang, also called bêche-de-mer, is a sea cucumber of the genus Holothuria of the southern Pacific and Indian oceans, and is often dried or smoked for use as an ingredient in soup, especially in China and Indonesia. (Department of Tourism/Sulu Provincial Tourism Council)

Zamboanga, Asia's Latin City, Celebrates Hermosa Festival

A Muslim woman waits Sunday Oct. 07, 2007 for the start of the annual Regatta de Zamboanga, a race of Moro vintas, off Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines as Muslim and Christian boaters prepare themselves. The race of wooden boats with colorful sails is one of the highlights of the weeklong celebration of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival in honor of the Virgin Mary held every October 12. The festival draws thousands of people and tourists in Zamboanga City. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 07, 2007) – More than a thousand people flocked Sunday to Zamboanga City for the much awaited Regatta de Zamboanga, an annual sail boat race.

The race was one of the highlights of the week-long celebration of Mindanao's Zamboanga Hermosa Festival where Muslim and Christian boaters paddled their vinta, a traditional wooden boat fitted with colorful sails, off the Moro Gulf.

Zamboanga, now branded as Asia's Latin City, is celebrating Hermosa festival in honor of the century-old statue of the Virgin Mary, called Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza, brought here by the Spanish colonizers and believed by many locals to be miraculous.

Local festival songs and music played during the entire boat race. The winners were given awards and cash prizes.

Councilor Gerky Valesco said the city would also host Thursday a public feast, where locals will eat homemade Spanish sardines and steamed rice, in one single line in Zamboanga, perhaps the longest "boodle fight" in Philippine festival history or probably in the Guinness Book of World Records.

"This is something we will really be proud of. It will be the first in Zamboanga, perhaps in the country or we may even break the Guinness record of the longest 'boodle fight' with our delicious homemade (Spanish) sardines, " he told the Mindanao Examiner.

The festival also features week-long novena masses, cultural shows, agricultural fairs, art, photo and flower garden exhibits, torch parades, fireworks, and carnivals. It all ends with a solemn procession and a mass at the Fort Pilar, where the statue of the Virgin Mary is erected. With thousands of pilgrims converging in Zamboanga City, this is the peninsula's biggest, most-awaited, and entrancing fiesta.

"This is really fun. We have been waiting for this festival and we make sure that we come to Zamboanga City every year to join the festival and enjoy the warm reception and hospitality of the Chavacano people," said Dennis Marano, a traveler.

A Spanish television crew was also spotted filming the boat race. Several foreigners were also enjoying the festivity. "It is nice out here. The sun is great and festival is great," one Caucasian said.

Mayor Celso Lobregat has been promoting Zamboanga City, about 460 nautical miles from Manila, as a major tourism area in southern Philippines, noting its rich culture and historical past and the use of the Chavacano language, a mixture of Spanish and local dialects, that gave Zamboanga its brand new moniker as Asia's Latin City, from its previous title as City of Flowers.

Chavacano is spoken by a majority of the people here, in Basilan and other parts of the Zamboanga Peninsula. The growth of Chavacano in Zamboanga can be traced to a concentration of Spanish nationals in Zamboanga at the height of the Spaniards colonization efforts in Mindanao that lasted for centuries until the late 1800.

Lobregat said the branding of Zamboanga as Asia's Latin City spearheaded by the League of Cities, the World Bank and the involvement of the different local sectors. Local officials said this would give the city a positive shift since it carries an international appeal and anchored on the rich Castilian influence and history of Zamboanga City.

The branding of Zamboanga will provide the city with a competitive global outlook instead of just comparing it with other cities in Mindanao, according to Lobregat.

Zamboanga City had been under Spanish rule in the past and was also used as a base for American soldiers. The city is also popularly known as "Zamboanga Hermosa."

The area around Zamboanga Peninsula has been occupied by indigenous people as early as 30,000 years ago. The first inhabitants were the Subanons and Lutaos and later, the Islamized ethnic groups of Samals, Bajaus, Tausugs, and Yakans. (Mindanao Examiner)

Photo: Sulu Dive Site

A diver inspects his scuba gear in the crystal clear water of Sulu province in southern Philippines. Governor Sakur Tan says the provincial government is promoting Sulu as one of southern Philippines tourism destination because of its pristine beaches and resorts. (Sulu Provincial Tourism Council)

Kano Nagbuhos Ng Proyekto Sa Sulu

Ang mala-paraisong beaches sa lalawigan ng Sulu ay maihahalintulad sa Boracay o mga resorts sa Phuket sa Thailand. Tatlong malalaking proyekto ang ilulunsad ng Estados Unidos sa lalawigan na patuloy sa pagunlad. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

SULU (Mindanao Examiner / 23 Sept) – Tatlong malalaking proyekto ng Estados Unidos ang ilulunsad ngayon sa Sulu bilang pagtugon at suporta sa patuloy na pag-unlad at katahimikan sa lalawigan.

Kabilang sa mga proyekto ay ibat-ibang infrastructure projects, patubig at kuryente. Inaasahang dadaluhan ng matatas na opisyal ng embahada ng Estados Unidos at maging sa embahada ng Britanya.

Isang opisyal ng Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) ang nagsabi sa Mindanao Examiner na ang proyekto ay bahagi ng pagtugon ng Estados Unidos, partikular ang United States Agency for Internatinal Development (USAID), sa katahimkan at pag-unlad ng Sulu.

Maganda umano ngayon ang kasiguruhan at pangangalakal sa Sulu kung ihahambing sa mga nakalipas na taon, kung kaya’t nabiyayaan ang lalawigan ng malalakign proyekto.

Natuwa naman si Gov. Sakur Tan at sinabi nito na ang patuloy na pagunlad ng Sulu ay sa kadahilanan ng pakikipagtulungan ng mga ahensya ng pamahalaan at mga bayan dito, gayun rin ang suporta ng mga business groups sa lalawigan at mga nongovernmental organizations at mamamayan at mga Ulama.

“Marami ang nagtatrabaho ngayon para sa ikauunlad ng Sulu at nais naming ipakita sa buong bansa at buong mundo na sa pagkakaisa ay may bagong pag-asa,” ani Tan sa hiwalay na panayam.

Ang USAID ang siyang nasa likod ng AMORE – ito’y 7 taon na proyekto sa pakikipagtulungan sa pamahalaan at Department of Energy sa Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). (Mindanao Examiner)

Arroyo Praises Local Airline

PAGADIAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / 20 Sept) - President Gloria Arroyo praised local carrier South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) for its commitment to help increase commercial activity and tourism in Mindanao by opening up new routes in the region.

The President recently graced the inaugural flight of SEAIR's Cebu-Pagadian-Cebu route which would make traveling easier and at the same time promote tourism and trade, the Philippine News Agency said.

The Clark-based SEAIR now flies to Cebu-Pagadian-Cebu every Mondays and Thursdays. The new route is part of the airline's expansion plans for the year.

SEAIR president Avelino Zapanta said the airline reaffirms its commitment to help increase commercial activity and tourism in Mindanao.

Since the opening of a regional hub in Zamboanga City in 2002, SEAIR currently flies daily to Sulu and Tawi-Tawi provinces in southern Philippines and to Cotabato three times a week.

Zapanta said SEAIR aims to bridge the Philippine islands by offering secondary and missionary routes to complement the trunk line routes serviced by other major players in the domestic airline industry.

The airline now flies to 15 local tourist destinations -- Manila, Caticlan (Boracay) and Cebu in Visayas; Clark in Northern Luzon; Busuanga, Cuyo, El Nido, Puerto Princesa City and Rodriguez in Palawan province, Camiguin, Cotabato, Sulu, Pagadian City, Tawi-Tawi province and Zamboanga City in Mindanao.

"Our Cebu-Pagadian route will make traveling for tourists and businessmen easier. Pagadian City has become more accessible, now only 35 minutes away from Cebu via SEAIR," Zapanta said.

Pagadian City is a first class city of Zamboanga del Sur and is the regional center of the Zamboanga Peninsula, the largest province of Western Mindanao.

It serves as gateway to the cities of Ozamis, Iligan and Cotabato.

"As the only local commercial airline offering inter-Mindanao flights, we at SEAIR feel that we have been a factor in the growth of commerce in the region. Our future focus is to develop tourism and international routes out of Zamboanga and Davao," said Zapanta.

For its Cebu-Pagadian route, SEAIR uses its 32-seater Dornier 328 aircraft -- the latest in a long line of technologically innovative aircraft manufactured by Germany’s Dornier.

The Dornier 328 is one of the fastest and most advanced jet propulsion in the world.

Aside from local expansion, SEAIR is positioning itself to enter the international market after its appointment as one of the official carriers for the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia, Philippines East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) region.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano said 2007 is a milestone year for Philippine tourism as more than 1.5 million foreign tourists arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in the first semester alone, an almost eight percent growth over the same period last year.

With more local and national efforts to promote the Philippines, the rate of tourism influx can go higher in 2010, he said.

Sulu To Become Like RP's Boracay Resorts Or Thailand's Phuket

One of the many white sands beach in Sulu province. Sulu is embarking on an ambitious tourism program that will make it like world-famous resorts similar to Phuket in Thailand. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / 16 Sept) – Sulu province in the southern Philippines may soon become an island resort similar to Boracay in central Philippines or even Phuket in Thailand as part of a new tourism plan to lure Filipino and foreign visitors.

Governor Sakur Tan said they would convert some of Sulu’s islands and pristine beaches into resorts, complete with amenities and business centers and land and water vessels to transport holiday-makers.

“We wanted to develop Sulu into one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines and we are pursuing an ambitious program to promote tourism and also trade and investments,” Tan told reporters.

Tan said the plan to put up world-class resorts in Sulu would probably begin in 2008 and would take between one to two years to finish. “We are now working on this project,” he said.

Aside from Sulu’s white-sands beaches, Tan said the province also boasts of dive sites and is rich in marine resources.

Tan said Sulu would also begin shipping live marine products, such as groupers and lobsters and abalone to buyers in Manila and Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.

He said that there is plan to put up an air cargo and passenger airlines in Sulu to further help local fishermen and cooperatives sell their products, from coffee beans to live marine animals.

“This is a long-term plan that will help many people and cooperatives in Sulu and eventually the province will become a center of marine trade in the southern Philippines. We can supply huge marine products to buyers,” Tan said.

He said the province is also abundant in copra and exotic fruits, such as durian and mangosteen berries and has a steady supply of high-grade abaca ropes.

Just this month, Sulu shipped out about six tons of durian and mangosteen to markets in Manila as part of the so-called “Invest in Peace and Prosperity - Fruits of Hope program.”

The international nongovernmental organization, Asia-America Initiative, headed by Albert Santoli, has supported the program and promised to help even more by tapping other NGOs to help support the peace and development in Sulu.

Sen. Richard Gordon said the government is putting more efforts in Sulu and other areas in Mindanao to help farmers sell their products.

President Gloria Arroyo in August ordered a "humanitarian and development offensive" in Jolo island.

Sen. Loren Legarda has filed a bill proposing the creation of a special economic zone and free port in Jolo island to promote and hasten the industrial and economic development of the area.

The SSEZA shall be provided with transportation, telecommunication, and other facilities needed to attract legitimate and productive foreign investments, generates linkage with industries and create employment opportunities for the people of the province, she said. (Mindanao Examiner)

Wow Sulu!

Experience Paradise! Come and visit the exotic island of Sulu...pristine beaches...dive sites...nature retreat...fresh seafoods...rich culture...Wow Sulu!

Jolo Island Sheds Off Bad Image, Gets New Face

Clouds cover a mountain and the magnificent Tulay Mosque in Jolo island in the Sulu Archipelago in southern Philippines. Jolo Governor Sakur Tan is embarking on a massive tourism program aim at luring investors and visitors to the island, about 950 kilometers south of Manila. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)

JOLO ISLAND, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / 31 Aug) – Jolo is undergoing a major face-lift, literally, shedding its skin of bad news and putting on a new face to once more bring back its lost glory as one of the most beautiful island in southern Philippines.

Jolo Governor Sakur Tan said he is embarking on an ambitious tourism program that will lure travelers to the island, where dive sites, pristine beaches and virgin forest resorts are the main attractions, of course aside from its rich cultural heritage and exotic fruits and fresh seafood and mother-of-pearls.

“There is always this wrong impression that our place is dangerous or that there are fighting everywhere. Taosug or the local people are friendly and hospitable. There is no strife here, although operation to maintain peace and order is just but natural in any place.”

“We have a good and sound economy. We exports our famous coffee and exotic fruits and other products to other regions and provinces. Air and sea travel is not a problem. We want to be known as one of the best place to go in the Philippines,” Tan told the Mindanao Examiner.

Next week, a C-130 transport plane will pick up a cargo of mangosteen berries and durian fruits for shipment to supermarkets and agriculture and trade fairs in Manila.

Sen. Loren Legarda has filed a bill proposing the creation of a special economic zone and free port in Jolo island to promote and hasten the industrial and economic development of the area.

She said the bill allows foreign individuals and organizations to invest in the zone. Investors shall be granted fiscal incentives and tax exemptions.

“The bill answers the need for development in the area through the creation of a special economic zone and free port,” Legarda said.

Tan welcomed the proposal and said the zone will attract Filipino and foreign investors and give livelihood opportunity to many people.

“This is a good proposal. Put up an economic zone and turn the province into a trading hub that will open new gateway to Malaysia and neighboring countries to promote business and tourism,” he said.

Once approved, it shall be managed and operated by the Sulu Special Economic Zone and Free Port Authority (SSEZA) headed by a board of directors.

The SSEZA shall be provided with transportation, telecommunication, and other facilities needed to attract legitimate and productive foreign investments, generates linkage with industries and create employment opportunities for the people of the province, she said.

Tan said he would invite newspaper editors, television and radio reporters to Jolo and see for themselves that there is no truth to all the negative publicity journalists have written about the island.

“We are appealing to the Philippine media to be responsible and write only the truth about the island. We are not a war-torn island as depicted in news articles about Jolo. We are inviting every one to come and visit us and see the beauty of the island we call home,” he said.

Jolo island, known in the Philippines as Sulu province, was once under the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo. Although consisting of a mixed community of Muslims and Christians, the Taosugs dominate the Sulu Archipelago.

The Taosugs were among the first Filipinos to embrace Islam as a religion and a way of life. Their traditional religion-political structure is the sultanate. The sultan is the head of all ranks within the sultanate. (Mindanao Examiner)

Dapitan City Fast Becoming Major Tourist Destination In Mindanao

Gloria De Dapitan is fast becoming a famous entertainment converging place for both local and foreign tourists in the Shrine City of the Philippines – Dapitan, where the national government sets its eyes on in terms of developing Mindanao's next tourism potential.

ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, Philippines – More than P100 million have been poured in development projects in Dapitan City in the southern Philippines, where the country’s national hero Dr Jose Rizal was exiled by the Spaniards in 1982.

Known as the "Shrine City of the Philippines," Dapitan is now fast becoming a major tourist destination in the Philippines, a former Spanish colony.

Mayor Dominador Jalosjos Jr., said they are developing sites where Rizal had first landed and already spent more than P3 million for the project located along Sunset Boulevard. He said they still need P25 million more to complete the project.

While in exile, Rizal – who was implicated in a rebellion against the Spanish government in the Philippines -- built a school, a hospital and a water supply system in Dapitan.

Rizal spent his last four years in exile in Dapitan. His original estate in Dapitan has been declared a national shrine and is being administered by the National Historical Institute, hence, the city moniker, "Shrine City of the Philippines."

By the year 2020, Dapitan is poised to become the Dr. Jose Rizal Heritage Center of the Philippines, owing to the wealth of Rizal memorabilia and memorable places associated with the hero.

“We are planning to conduct a unique and the one and only activity about Rizal's life,” Jalosjos said, even as they have yet to decide whether to make the dates of Rizal's arrival or departure significant with the foreseen completion date of the project.

Jalosjos said it would be followed by the development of the famous boulevard and construction of a 20-kilometer road connecting it to the major thoroughfares in the city.

Owners of the “Gloria de Dapitan,” which stood on a three-hectare lot along Sunset Boulevard, have earmarked another P100 million fresh investments for the expansion of the commercial and a leisure park.

The prime commercial complex of Dapitan City, “Gloria de Dapitan” was opened on December 3, 2005. “Gloria de Dapitan” houses various business establishments including sports and recreational amenities.

It features among others a full air-conditioned 8-lane bowling center, a gym computer arcade, internet café, billiards and dart halls, disco pub, coffee shop and bakery, a high-salon, boutique, souvenir shops, pharmacy, foreign exchange and various food outlets.

It also boasts of side attractions like the carousels, bump cars and a carnival, all within the fenced perimeter with parking area monitored by 24-hour security.

Maria Consuelo Locop, general manager of the “Gloria de Dapitan,” said part of the expansion is the construction of two 300-seater cinemas with a huge supermarket at the basement. Locop said they would also add 10 more lanes to the Exodus Bowlodrome to qualify for the hosting of the duckpin bowling national tournament.

Emilio Ubando Jr., local tourism officer, said pension houses have began expanding their establishments to accommodate more visitors.

Vice Mayor Patri Chan has laid down the annual plan for the series of activities for the Kinabayo and Handuraw Festivals. Chan said these activities, observed annually from July 19-25, will lure tourists to stay longer in the city.

"Whenever tourists come, we have tour packages ready for them and so they stay longer in Dapitan and enjoy the serene beauty of the beaches, the good food and friendly people. Our place is truly a paradise,” Chan said.

He said the Kinabayo Festival, a revelry that attracts thousands of Catholic devotees, tourists and Filipinos abroad back home, is the most awaited of all the festivities in Dapitan because of its religious past.

Councilor Apple Marie Agolong, chairperson of the City Council’s tourism committee, oversees major events of the annual celebration in an effort to promote the local tourism industry.

Agolong said locals and tourists flock Dapitan yearly because of famous Christian festival “Patnunob” at St. James Church followed by the “Sinug” procession that goes around the city.

Dapitan is a 2nd class city with a population of 68,178, according to the 2000 Census. The largely Catholic city is politically divided into 50 villages.(Allan Gail Carlos)

Asian Bloc Works To Promote Regional Tourism

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / 14 Aug) - To offer alternative options to the more prominent tourist destinations in Asia, such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, travel agencies and tour operators in the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) will formally converge this year to develop and market innovative and competitive tour packages across the EAGA.

Focusing on Culture, Adventure and Nature (CAN), the establishment of the BIMP-EAGA Consortium of Tour Operators and Travel Agents is projected by the BIMP-EAGA Tourism Council (BETC) as a strategic arm that will seek ways to maximize the region’s potentials as an alternative to mainstream tourist destinations in Asia.

This was one of the major results of the BIMP-EAGA Tourism Value Chain Seminar and the 4th BIMP-EAGA Joint Tourism Development Cluster Meeting held last month in Brunei Darussalam.

The consortium’s function in maximizing EAGA’s potentials as a tourist destination will be further explored on Wednesday's roundtable discussion on BIMP-EAGA CAN in Davao City, as part of an effort to establish joint tourism marketing and promotions for Mindanao and Palawan.

Mary Ann Montemayor, chairperson of the Philippine side of the BIMP-EAGA Tourism Council (BETC), said the meeting will identify major CAN destinations in Mindanao and Palawan that will be the major focus of marketing and promotion in BIMP-EAGA with Davao City, Zamboanga City and Palawan province as gateways.

As the consortium will be officially launched during the 3rd BIMP-EAGA TRAVEX in November 2007 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, BETC Chairs have now started tapping active travel tour operators and travel agents for membership.

For the Philippine side of the BETC, three tourism organization heads from the Davao Association of Tour Operators (DATO), Davao Tourism Association Agencies (DTAA), and the National Association Independence of Travel Agents (NAITAS), Davao, have already given their commitment to the consortium.

The DOT regional directors in Mindanao and Palawan, on the other hand, will identify their respective travel agents and tour operators for the consortium.

Montemayor said the identified consortium may be able to develop competitive tour packages on certain conditions.

First, commercial flights should be made available, as this will set the cost of the tour package. While travel agents can still develop tour packages without ready flights, the competitiveness will be in question, given the cost to be considered for connecting flights.

Second, should flights be available, acceptable arrangements would have to be undertaken by airline companies with tour operators and travel agents, particularly on promotional ticket rates.

And third is the presence of committed travel agents who could vigorously sell these tour packages in the market, should be secured. Once these conditions are met, the consortium will be able to develop competitive tour packages for BIMP-EAGA.

But with the threats of terrorism and kidnappings of foreigners and the constant travel warnings by Western and Asian embassies on their citizens in the troubled refion of Mindanao and Sulu Archipelago, tourists may be forced to skip the Philippines from their itinerary.

Traders To Promote Agri And Industrial Tourism In Zamboanga City

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / 23 May) – Local business leaders are pressing for the idea to aggressively pursue agricultural and industrial tourism in a bid to promote Zamboanga City in southern Philippines.

The calls were made after several members of the private sector-led Tourism Association of Zamboanga (TAZ) visited recently the 15,000 hectares eco-tourism park inside the Zamboanga City Special Economic Zone and Freeport Authority.

"There's really a need to look for other alternative. Agri-tourism and the industrial-tourism are just some of the possible tourist destination sites in the city. Tourists, for example can visit several organic farms here.”

“In addition, visitors can also tour the nine sardine factories here," Vicente A. Lim, president of the Insular Travel and Tours and a member of the organization.

Zamboanga City in Zamboanga del Sur province is host to at least nine major sardines companies in the country while Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte province has about 23 bottled sardines companies.

The sardine fishing and processing activities alone can generate an average of P 3 billion annually to the local economy.

”We can tap the existing farms and orchards in this city to add the tourist destination sites of the city. If a place lack scenic destinations for tourist, then it is incumbent for us to develop and promote places that are possible to lure more tourists.”

“Agri-tourism and the industrial-tourism should be part of tour packages of the travel and tour agencies," said Onofre T. Griño, president of the Menzi Agricultural Corp.

Ricardo A. San Juan, Tourism regional director, said: “Agri-tourism, in general, is the practice of attracting travelers or visitors to an area or areas used primarily for agricultural purposes. Very often, the idea of tourism stimulates images of mass-produced travel that attracts a large number of travelers.”

”Agri-tourism can be viewed much like eco-tourism, specifically focused on education purposes," he said, adding that a same idea applies to the industrial-tourism. We are now encouraging local businessmen and farm owners to develop their farms into a tourist destination site. Wherein, they can set up some farmhouse for overnight guests,” he said.

Agri-tourism and the industrial-tourism can be also seen as a marketing tool for the companies, he said.

”With tourists having around, local businessmen here can create direct trade linkages with the prospective foreign buyers,” San Juan said. (Darwin Wee)