 The majestic Biri Rock Formaton in Biri, Northern Samar.
Biri rock formation cited as among Top 10 Philippine Gems TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines, Oct. 11 -- Northern Samar’s amazing rock formation has been included in the Top 10 Philippine Gems, a project undertaken by Isla Lipana & Co. to entice more tourists and encourage possible investments. Located in the island town of Biri facing the Pacific Ocean, the formations are said to be carved and shaped by nature for millions of years. The Biri Islands Rock Formation ranked fifth in the online voting, according to Mayor Antonio B. de los Reyes Jr. It is the only tourist destination in Eastern Visayas that vied for the search. He expressed elation that Biri was chosen by the organizer as cover of the brochure “Philippine Treasures Revealed” as revealed during Wednesday’s announcement of winners. The awesome and breathtaking rock formation in Biri has attracted local and foreign tourists at the onset of the search. “Biri is a protected area and seascape since 2000 as declared by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It has not only magnificent rock formation, but also rich diverse marine life with expansive coral reef, beach forests and mangrove cover,” said Corazon Horca Makabenta, division chief of Coastal and Marine Management Division of DENR. This island with 11,000 residents as of 2010 census is the location setting of three movies, the latest of which is the movie “Badil” of award-winning director Chito Roño who is from Calbayog City. The search was launched to highlight the 91st anniversary celebration of Isla Lipana & Co. It also forms part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) project. According to Allan M. Cao, assurance director of Isla Lipana & Co. the company started with a list of 175 destinations gathered from their employees and online travel bloggers and trimmed down to 50. The screening committee agreed on a shortlist of 25 destinations, which were opened to online voting until middle of September. Also included in the Top Ten Philippine Gems are Calaguas Island in Camarines Norte; Lake Sebu, South Cotabato; Tubbataha Reef Natural Park Palawan; Caramoan Island, Camarines Sur; Biri Islands Rock Formation; Mt. Kanlaon, Negros; Danjugan Island, Negros Occidental; Panglao Island, Bohol; Apo Island, Negros Oriental and Batanes. “The Philippine Gems steers awareness and appreciation for the country’s pristine and natural sites, even the underdeveloped ones. In our modest way, we aim for these places to gain local and international attention, and in due course, greater economic activity,” Cabrera said during the announcement of the top ten in Manila Hotel. The project was made pos FleishmanHillard Manila, travel blogger James Betia and media personalities Love Añover, Jing Lejano and ace direcsible with the help of the Philippine Tourism and Promotion Board of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the University of the Philippines-Asia Institute of Tourism. The
screening committee is composed of the Management Association of the
Philippines andtor,
Jose Javier Reyes. (PNA) |
 DOT 8 seeks improvement of tourism facilities TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines, Oct 25 -- Local stakeholders in Eastern Visayas were told to improve tourism facilities and services in destinations or else the region will be the least priority in the national government’s promotional effort. Department of Tourism regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes said the region has been “shifting its paradigm” from promotion to “preparing the house.” “Before, the regions did so much promotion. We even have our own promotional fund. Now, it will be the job of the Promotions Tourism Board (PTB) who will be doing the promotion for the Philippines and the different destinations,” Tiopes said. The tourism department is stepping up coordination with local government units and private sector. This is to raise the capability of local stakeholders to prepare their tourism products, destinations, and dealing with visitors. “We have to bring out the best of your place. We have to look at tourism from the economic point of view. If you are an investor, you won’t put your money into something without assurance of return of investment” she stressed. Preparing the tourism workforce is a big factor according to her. “If those tourism-related service providers are not good, it will reflect of what you are as a host. There’s a need for tourism front liners to be able show that they are ready to cater to the needs of our tourist through quality service.” Under Republic Act 9593, PTB is responsible for marketing and promoting the Philippines domestically and internationally as a major global tourism destination, highlighting the uniqueness and assisting the development of tourism products and services, with an end view of increasing tourist arrivals and investment. “PTB will ensure that there’s regular advertisement abroad of the country’s tourism destination and other tourism products. If we are not prepared, we won’t be highly considered for marketing,” she said. The national government is also stepping up its assistance to regions in preparing destinations. One strategy, she said is financing of infrastructure projects listed in the National Tourism Development Plan with the rolling out of the Department of Tourism (DOT) – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) convergence program this year. Under NTDP, all the tourism development areas in the region have listings of required infrastructure projects. She is hoping that in annual validation, Region 8 sites will be considered for prioritization until 2016.
She pointed out that access to tourism sites is one of the major challenges in the region but proposed infrastructure development will only get funding if it passed the criteria drafted by DOT and DPWH. (PNA) Tour guiding seminar up in Calbayog City CALBAYOG CITY, Philippines, Oct 11 -- A four-day tour guiding training is now going on in this city facilitated by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the local government unit of Calbayog to boost the promotion of its various destinations. At the end of the training participants who pass the examination to be given by the DOT will already serve as accredited “regional tour guides,” according to DOT-8 Consultant Mr. Antonio Cinco. The training that will culminate Saturday with a “mock tour” to potential destinations in the city gathered more or less 30 participants from the LGU offices, Ciriaco Hotel and Resort staff, tourism students of the Northwest Samar State University and few selected residents of Tinaplacan and Malajog villages. City administrator Rosario Gonzaga, who represented Mayor Ronald Aquino, expressed high hopes that the tour guides will become engines of tourism in Calbayog. This city aspires to become Eastern Visayas’ eco-agri-tourism hub in 2010. The training, the first of its kind in Samar province, is also graced by Tourism Development Area Manager Brett delos Santos. (PNA) |
