Tourists flock to Hundred Islands even during rainy days

ALAMINOS CITY, Aug. 16 (PNA) -- Tourists continue to flock to the Hundred Islands in droves notwithstanding the rainy season.

This was disclosed by Alaminos City Administrator Wilmer Panabang who estimated the daily arrival in the province's number tourist spot to 200 and more than 1,000 during weekends.

In fact, he said, the number of tourist arrivals in the Hundred Islands improved this year as compared to last year and in 2008 and 2009 which were marked by down trend in tourism due to the effects on the industry wrought by Tyhoons "Ondoy" and "Pepeng".

Thus, even during the rainy season, tourists--mostly domestic, are arriving in droves, he added.

The number of foreign tourists arriving has not increased though but there was no downtrend in their number too. Most of the foreign tourists are Koreans and Japanese and a few Americans and Europeans.

Panabang said that more tourists will come to the Hundred Islands if they can cut their travel time in going to Alaminos from Manila which is five hours to only 40 minutes by means of air travel.

This can only be realized, he said, if the Pangasinan Airport, which is now undergoing construction, will soon be completed.

The project, initiated by Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, has the backing of President Benigno S. Aquino III and Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas.

To date, land acquisition and earth movement are now ongoing at the proposed Pangasinan Airport using initial P200 million released by DOTC.

Panabang said of the amount, P50 million formed the first trance and the second trance amounted to P150 million. All these were used to acquire 80 hectares of land that will form part of the airport's runway of 150 hectares.

"Hopefully, the third trance of another P60 million will be released in the next few weeks, good for another 60 hectares of land to be acquired," Panabang said.

If completed, the Pangasinan airport will first serve domestic tourists and later expanded to an international airport. With a 150-hectare runway, excluding its access roads, the Pangasinan Airport will be bigger than the Laoag International Airport which is only 70 hectares.

He said a foreign investor is also keen on building an 18-hole golf course in Alaminos to complement the airport project. (PNA)

Alaminos City, now certified tourism center in Pangasinan

ALAMINOS CITY, Oct. 11 (PNA) -- The city of Alaminos is now a certified tourism center in Pangasinan, only five years after it took over the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP) from the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA).

This was disclosed by Mayor Hernani Braganza who worked for the turn-over of the facility to the city and the Alaminos people who rightfully owned the facility given them by nature.

He said since the turn-over of the tourist spot, by virtue of an executive order signed by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on September 29, 2005, Alaminos City continues to enjoy tremendous influx of foreign and local tourists.

Turned over by virtue of Arroyo's Executive Order No. 436 was the management, administration and maintenance of the HINP, previously exercised by the PTA.

Since the turnover, Braganza took several giant strides to promote the HINP marine park to tourists, domestic and foreign, through the media, which include television, radio, print, and the internet.

The city government established a welcome (tourist assistance) center and parking area and put up an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and marine museum at Lucap wharf, jump off point to the Hundred Islands, with the help of benevolent and private entities.

It had improved the comfort rooms, transferred and re-designed the souvenir shops and refurbished a garden as well as the rehabilitation of the major islands at the national park.

At the same time, it stopped all forms of decades-old illegal fishing practices that destroyed the once healthy habitat of various marine species thriving in the area while, at the same time, providing sustainable and legal form of fishing outside the marine protected area.

The mayor cited statistics showing that the city was averaging for the last five years around 130,000 to 140,000 tourist arrivals yearly, a far cry from 50,000 a year it was raking several years before.

With more facilities already available, the yearly target had been increased to 150,000 or more.

Braganza said the Hundred Islands is not just a haven for tourists but it is where his constituents from 10 coastal villages derive their daily income and protein food for their families.

He revealed that they have to protect the HINP for it to last as a major source of fish. The mayor revealed that for the last six years under his watch, not a single dynamite was exploded inside and outside the national park.

Braganza said illegal fishing is banned in the city’s territorial waters not only because it is prohibited by law but it is definitely wrong that only few are getting richer while marginalized fishermen and marine ecosystem continue to be deprived of fish.

The mayor said that more tourists coming to Alaminos means "more job opportunities and better income "for our city mates”.

He said he envisions the city as the tourism capital of the province and the entire North Luzon Agri-Business Quadrangle considering the fact that the Hundred Islands is the country’s biggest marine sanctuary, the first to be declared national park and "one of a kind eco-tourism destination".

“Today we can say that while many of our guests appreciate the majestic beauty of our national park, majority of Alaminians and stakeholders greatly benefit from it."

Tourism, he said, gave birth to new industries and activities at the Lucap Bay area and at the national park.

Among the major economic and eco-tourism activities that can now be enjoyed in the Hundred Islands are snorkeling, scuba diving, diving, kayaking and birdwatching.

“That is the main reason why our city government and some investors have put up different facilities to lure more tourists to visit our place,” he added.

The mayor said new hotels, apartelles and restaurants have sprouted in the city over the years and that the city government is also building its own two-storey Alaminos Hotel.

This is aimed to provide accommodation to tourists visiting the Hundred Islands so that they will extend their stay in the city.

He said the proposed hotel will have a convention that can accommodate 500 people and guests not only during weekend or holidays but every day regardless of the month.

“We hope to see soon guests, who, after attending conventions, can go to the Hundred Islands to experience an amazing eco-adventure,” he added.

He said new hotel now being erected by the city at Lucap Wharf is expected to bring new jobs and open up new business opportunities for Alaminians.

Three other projects were lined up to perk up tourism in Alaminos City.

These are the Alaminos Airport Development Project, Hundred Islands Medical Services Complex and the Pangasinan State University-Alaminos City Campus.


By Leonardo V. Micua

Pangasinan town puts up food strip for seafood

DAGUPAN CITY, April 23 (PNA) — Binmaley town will put up a unique seafood eatery strip along the road in Barangay Lomboy to serve exclusively seafood, like bangus, siganid (malaga), shrimps, prawns, crabs and others to tourists and visitors.

Binmaley Mayor Simplicio Rosario said each eatery would cook live seafood which the customers could buy from a common fish buying area nearby, to be cooked in their presence.

Speaking during the “Kapihan sa Lenox Hotel” here on Wednesday, Rosario said this was one way by which Binmaley could promote its rich harvest of aqua-marine products.

“I am looking for a lot where we can set up the area from where diners can buy their live fish to be cooked,” Rosario said.

The mayor lamented that though Binmaley produced more bangus than Dagupan, the latter beat his town in putting up the Bangus Festival and in proclaiming itself as the Bangus Capital of the World.

Nevertheless, Binmaley has its own "Malaga and Sugpo Festival" which is being held during the town fiesta first week of February each year.

Rosario said there were many eateries that were serving exclusively seafood along the Amado Espino Sr. Avenue in Barangay Lomboy that led towards the Agno River dike road, before exiting along the national highway leading to Bugallon town.

Binmaley is a first class town in Pangasinan just west of Dagupan City. The town is famous for its fishponds that produces the tasty bangus, malaga and shrimps, among others.

In setting up the seafood eatery strip, the municipal government would put up decorative lights along the road in front of the eateries as its part in promoting seafood to the Filipinos’ palate, Rosario said.

He said he had already talked to owners of existing eateries in that strip, including future entrepreneurs and exhorted them to clean their surroundings and establishments in preparation for the influx of diners. (PNA)

Durano says kayaking fastest-growing world recreational sport

By Lily O Ramos

MANILA, April 15 — Department of Tourism (DoT) Secretary Joseph Ace Durano on Wednesday said that kayaking is one of the world's fastest-growing recreational sports, aside from being a strong magnet for the Philippines' ecotourism projects.

"Kayaking is one of the country's nature-based products, like scuba diving, trailing and birdwatching which we must cultivate to the fullest for local and foreign tourism," Durano told newsmen in a late afternoon press conference at the SMX Center along the stretch of Asia Mall in Pasay City.

"We have natural assets for this ecosport because we are surrounded with different bodies of water like oceans, seas, rivers, marshes, mangroves and wonderful 30,000 coastlines," said Durano.

He added that with two million paddlers in the U.S. wanting to test other waters around the world, the Philippines should be a natural destination of at least 25 percent of these sportsmen-tourists.

Durano said the fact is the tourism department spends around two to three million pesos annually for the promotion of adventure or recreational projects overseas through participation in international trade missions, fairs, exhibits, booths and other forms of information.

Another P100 million is spent for travel operators who carry out tourism diplomacy here and abroad which is actually cost-effective in the end.

"We will tap the services of specialized tour operators to track down movement of tourists and recreational groups for us. Our tracking will be via the production of specialized operators or the private sector who have the necessary equipment since the DoT is more on the marketing side," he said.

On the other hand, Val Camara, top gun in the Philippine Kayaking Series 2009 on April 24-26 in Bolo Beach, Alaminos, Pangasinan with DoT as the main sponsor, said that anyone can join the event but the minimum age would be 12 years, and provided that the candidate is big enough to handle a kayak paddle.

National athletes and those with vast experience in boating and whitewater rafting would be given a new category to distinguish them from the novices.

Camara said kayaking is a very safe sport since the boats have been designed with new bulges to stabilize them, complete with buoyancy chambers and provided with life jackets for a smooth glide.

Other sponsors are the Pangasinan Visitors bureau, the Alaminos City government and the Provincial tourism office of Pangasinan.

Just before the press conference ended, Durano said the DoT main office would take care of the transportation and accommodation of mediamen who will be covering the event. (PNA) scs/LOR

Source

Pangasinan's Pista'y Dayat grandest holiday ever

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, April 5 (PNA) -- The Pista'y Dayat celebration in the province to be held from April 25 to May 3, promises to be spectacular, fun-filled and the grandest holiday ever.

With heavy preparations now going on, the sea festival is expected to draw thousands of spectators who shall witness must-see events of the grandest festivity in Pangasinan.

Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. said this year's festivities will showcase his main advocacies -- environment and tourism -- in order to raise the level of awareness among Pangasinenses on the need to save, rehabilitate and promote the eco-tourism industry of the province.

With its theme, “Matuwan Pasimbalo: Gayaga na Luyag Tayo,” the sea festival is expected to serve as a showroom of the various accomplishments of the province notably on environment and tourism.

This also serves as a thanksgiving and unifying event among Pangasinenses in their march to prosperity and progress in order to realize the dawning of the Golden Era in Pangasinan.

The Pista'y Dayat 2009 will have its soft opening on April 17 featuring two exciting events to be sponsored by the San Miguel Brewery Inc. like the Dance Revolution and the Battole of the Band.

It will also feature a fluvial parade of colorful and aesthetically designed bancas which will sail along the Limahong Channel, and the conduct of On-the-Spot Essay and Painting competition.

The festival’s formal opening dubbed “Ilog Ko: Bilayen Ko, Aroen Ko,” will be held on April 25, with the launching of the ‘Pakar Awards’ or the search for the cleanest river and riverbanks.

Pangasinan tourism will take center stage with the holding of a Tourism and Trade Expo meant to exalt all native products thru a showcase, exhibit and sale of prime tourist destinations and other best prime and local produce of different towns and cities.

The 'Banda Parada' on April 26 is another activity worth watching as this will be participated in by multi-awarded Drum and Lyre and Drum and Bugle Corps for the delight and enjoyment of the viewing public.

Sports and native games will be offered on April 27 with “Pagalaw na Luyag” via native games like 'palosebo', 'culliot', coconut smashing, arm wrestling and arnis and beach volleyball, both for men and women.

Another highlight of the festival is the Grand Orchestra and Ballroom Dancing Showdown, a 12-hour non-stop music and dance entertainment that will feature the best orchestras of Pangasinan.

Made bigger this year, this electrifying showdown is expected to position the province as the Fiesta Orchestra Capital in the world and the Ballroom Dancing Capital of the country.

Younger generation will have a chance to enjoy the cozy ambiance of the Lingayen beach thru the ‘Doypuay Kalangweran’ (Youth Camp) slated from April 28 to 30 while beautiful maidens vying for the most-coveted title of 'Limgas na Pangasinan' will have a chance to show their skills and crafts via the Talent Competition on the night of the 28th.

The fairest of these beauties will be crowned on May 1.

Labi na Ligliwa Cultural Show is a night of talent and old traditions rolled into one that will display the singing prowess of talented amateur singers back-to-back with a lifestyle-drawn theatrical venue via zarzuela.

Skydiving, street dancing and employees night is a fun-filled respite to be featured on April 29.

The main day, May 1, will be highlighted with a thanksgiving mass and the awarding ceremony for the cleanest coastal municipality/city called Tambuyong Awards which is the banner program for this year’s sea festival.

The adrenaline of the viewing public will rise high with the conduct of the Lingayen Beach Woodstock featuring the finalists of the Battle of the Band and the Banda ni ATE as main performers.

The Coronation Night will cap the weeklong activities.

The celebration will be capped with the holding of different activities on May 2 at the Lingayen Beachfront by corporate sponsors.

Simultaneously, the Governor’s Cup shoot fest kicks off on May 3, while the Trade Fair will have its last day sale. (PNA)