The 50-foot Divine Mercy Shrine in El Salvador City,Misamis Oriental. (Photo by Ercel Maandig)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The provincial tourism of Misamis Oriental is set to host the 19th Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines (ATOP) national convention, seeing this as an opportunity to highlight the country's cleanest coastline located in the western part of the province.
Misamis Oriental Tourism Department head, lawyer Jeffrey Saclot, said they are expecting more than a thousand participants in the convention slated Oct. 3-6, to be held in this city.
He said they have already invited President Rodrigo Duterte as the keynote speaker, although there was no confirmation yet.
Among the speakers who confirmed to grace the affair are Senators Cynthia Villar and Nancy Binay and Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar.
"Digital media through social network has now a big role in tourism information in this digital age, and tourism officers must enhance its inclination in using responsible social media as a platform in informing the community," Saclot said, citing the convention's theme which gives importance to digital platforms like social media to boost tourism influx in the provinces.
Saclot said his office has already prepared an itinerary for said tourism to explore Misamis Oriental from Lugait to Sugbongcogon towns for their immersion on October 4. In this tour, the provincial office intends to bring guests to Tubajon Aquamarine Park and Fish Sanctuary Mangroves in the town of Laguindingan, which was adjudged as the "cleanest coastline in the country."
Using his small boat, fisherman Cristino Estrada goes around Tubajon Aquamarine Park’s 22 hectares of mangrove plantation and bamboo cottages to check if there are no pieces of garbage left behind by resort-goers. The aquamarine park has won the cleanest coastline award last year and will be one of the stops of the delegates attending the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines to be held in Cagayan de Oro, which is hosted by the provincial government of Misamis Oriental and the Department of Tourism-10 on October 3-6. (Photo by Jigger J. Jerusalem)
Saclot said the visiting delegates will spend a few hours at the aquamarine park as part of their immersion. The immersion is part of the activities of the attendees.
The Tubajon Aquamarine Park had won the Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) awards initiated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, due to its mangrove plantations that are being maintained by the local government unit and residents.
The aquamarine park covers the villages of Mauswagon, Tubajon, and Moog.
Attendees will also visit the different tourist destinations in the province such as its beach and mountain resorts, shrines, dive spots, and parks.
Saclot said preparations have already been made weeks before the convention, which include beefing up security, logistics, transportation and other needs.
In fact, he said, Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano has assigned the Misamis Oriental Department Heads Association (Modha) to take charge of the various committees created for the convention.
Saclot said every department head in the provincial capitol has a role to play in the ATOP convention.
“This is not the event of the provincial tourism office, this is the event of the whole provincial government, although we are the lead office,” he added.
As the host of the event, Saclot said Emano’s “Explore MisOr” tourism campaign has paid off.
“It’s the aggressiveness of the governor in his tourism program that we are now recognized nationwide,” he said.
The province’s tourism department, he said, has just been recently created and yet it has already been given a huge task as the lead office in ensuring that the convention will go smoothly.
For her part, Department of Tourism-10 (DOT-10) regional director Marie Elaine Unchuan said this is the best time for Misamis Oriental to host the annual convention due to a number of favorable factors, foremost of which is the showcase of the Laguindingan Airport, which has become an air travel hub for those flying to and from Northern Mindanao and nearby areas in the region.
Unchuan recalled that Misamis Oriental’s bid to host the ATOP event was unexpected. She and Saclot were in Iloilo City attending an activity in July when the bidding took place.
She said there were already other bidders, but the ATOP board of director still asked them to join the bidding process.
“I asked Atty. Jeffrey if Misamis Oriental is willing to host it. It took two minutes for Gov. Bambi (Emano) to say yes,” she recalled. Unchuan said Emano’s approval was important since “we (DOT-10) cannot host without a host province.”
She said the readiness of the province and the support of the municipal governments had made it possible for DOT-10 and Misamis Oriental to host the convention.
“Gov. Bambi said ‘to exceed the expectation’ because if we are successful in our hosting, this will open a lot of opportunities for the province,” Unchuan said.
Meanwhile, other destinations the provincial tourism office is planning here are popular religious sites in the eastern part of the province, which include the Binuangan Lourdes Shrine bay resort with a "healing pool," where its pool water is believed to heal sickness, and the Divine Mercy shrine is about 50-feet tall statue of Jesus Christ. The statue was built and completed in 2008 and is surrounded by lush gardens.
Included in the top spots are the Lagbas Ancestral House in the town of Sugbongcogon, which was constructed in 1917 by owner Don Benedicto Lagbas, wherein its old materials and interior and exterior designs and decors are being preserved; and the Mantianak Botanical Garden and Zoological Park, home of 80 kinds of animals including some variety of wild animals like tigers, wild boars, crocodiles and monkeys.
Also included in the tours are famous delicacies and local food products such as the famous bibingka in Manticao and Lugait; Laguindingan silk, and bricks made from waste materials in the town of Villanueva; the Mariculture Park and Boulevard in the town of Balingasag; the Sagpulon Falls and natural habitat of hundreds of sailfin lizards in the town of Jasaan; the oldest church of the province, the Immaculate Concepcion Church; and the Xavier University's museum in Cagayan de Oro City, which also includes the Bulua pottery and the famous Vjandep pastel.
“The delegates will go there to see how these products are being made,” he said, adding that it will be an investment for the host towns as they will be recognized for their trademark industries. (PNA)
