REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
LOCAL government initiatives being implemented to develop the Agro-Tourism and Heritage Complex (AHC) in Dao, this city, has already produced good results and generated interest among visitors.
The AHC, a novel innovation by Rep. Antonio Cerilles and Gov. Aurora Cerilles, has been the customary venue for the annual Megayon Festival.
The AHC is said to be the harbinger of the ambitious promotion of the province as an eco-adventure tourism destination in Zambosur.
Within its grounds one can find the famous Butterfly Park, Canopy Walk and Zipline and other amenities for adventure-loving people to explore and venture.
Last April, the AHC hosted the 2nd Summer Youth Fest (SYF) and gathered together youths from as far as Jolo-Sulu and Misamis Occidental for an educational-cultural immersion on the dances and rituals of the Subanen people.
The Zambosur SYF was conceptualized by Provincial Tourism Officer Frederick Anthony Padayhag in accordance with the thrust of Cerilles for youth development in arts and sports.
The event was coincided with the celebration of the 1st League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Zambosur Week, led by Dumalinao mayor Ace William Cerilles.
Padayhag said the AHC was the center of attraction in their promotion to other areas like Ozamiz, Iligan, Cagayan, Dipolog and Dapitan cities, though the conception of “Laag Zamboanga del Sur.”
Padayhag reveals that the Provincial Government is [ayong attention to the promotion of tourism that will cater to adventure, escapades and exploration.
These adventure come-ons, Padayhag said, will be diverse and unique from other tourist destinations with the help of improved domestic transportation and the re-opening of this city’s airport in the coming months.
Provincewide, Zambosur boasts of pleasureable resorts and attractions like the Lapuyan Falls, Lakewood’s Biswangan Resort, Lake Dasay in San Miguel, Mount Timolan Protected Tourism Landscape in Tigbao, Sominot Cave and the Pulacan Falls and camping site.
Dive sites can also be found in San Pablo and Tabina, where white sand beaches abound along with giant turtles in the so-called Panikian Island.
In Pagadian City, one can visit Dao-Dao Islands, White Beach, Bomba Beach, Mt. Susong Dalaga, Lourdes Waterfalls, Mt. Pinokis in Lison Valley and Manga Falls, a two-layered cascading fall surrounded by huge trees which are home to white monkeys.
By itself, this city’s motorcab is already a tourist attraction, with its one-of-a-kind aerodynamic design—the sidecar tilted upwards.
Last June, during the 40th Araw ng Pagadian, the city government lined up 2,000 motorcabs in single file along F.S. Pajares Avenue, in its bid for a Guinness World Record for the longest motorcycle parade.
Based on raw data from the Department of Tourism, for 2007, total tourist arrivals in Zamboanga Peninsula accounts for 11.2 percent of the total arrivals in Mindanao.
LOCAL government initiatives being implemented to develop the Agro-Tourism and Heritage Complex (AHC) in Dao, this city, has already produced good results and generated interest among visitors.
The AHC, a novel innovation by Rep. Antonio Cerilles and Gov. Aurora Cerilles, has been the customary venue for the annual Megayon Festival.
The AHC is said to be the harbinger of the ambitious promotion of the province as an eco-adventure tourism destination in Zambosur.
Within its grounds one can find the famous Butterfly Park, Canopy Walk and Zipline and other amenities for adventure-loving people to explore and venture.
Last April, the AHC hosted the 2nd Summer Youth Fest (SYF) and gathered together youths from as far as Jolo-Sulu and Misamis Occidental for an educational-cultural immersion on the dances and rituals of the Subanen people.
The Zambosur SYF was conceptualized by Provincial Tourism Officer Frederick Anthony Padayhag in accordance with the thrust of Cerilles for youth development in arts and sports.
The event was coincided with the celebration of the 1st League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP)-Zambosur Week, led by Dumalinao mayor Ace William Cerilles.
Padayhag said the AHC was the center of attraction in their promotion to other areas like Ozamiz, Iligan, Cagayan, Dipolog and Dapitan cities, though the conception of “Laag Zamboanga del Sur.”
Padayhag reveals that the Provincial Government is [ayong attention to the promotion of tourism that will cater to adventure, escapades and exploration.
These adventure come-ons, Padayhag said, will be diverse and unique from other tourist destinations with the help of improved domestic transportation and the re-opening of this city’s airport in the coming months.
Provincewide, Zambosur boasts of pleasureable resorts and attractions like the Lapuyan Falls, Lakewood’s Biswangan Resort, Lake Dasay in San Miguel, Mount Timolan Protected Tourism Landscape in Tigbao, Sominot Cave and the Pulacan Falls and camping site.
Dive sites can also be found in San Pablo and Tabina, where white sand beaches abound along with giant turtles in the so-called Panikian Island.
In Pagadian City, one can visit Dao-Dao Islands, White Beach, Bomba Beach, Mt. Susong Dalaga, Lourdes Waterfalls, Mt. Pinokis in Lison Valley and Manga Falls, a two-layered cascading fall surrounded by huge trees which are home to white monkeys.
By itself, this city’s motorcab is already a tourist attraction, with its one-of-a-kind aerodynamic design—the sidecar tilted upwards.
Last June, during the 40th Araw ng Pagadian, the city government lined up 2,000 motorcabs in single file along F.S. Pajares Avenue, in its bid for a Guinness World Record for the longest motorcycle parade.
Based on raw data from the Department of Tourism, for 2007, total tourist arrivals in Zamboanga Peninsula accounts for 11.2 percent of the total arrivals in Mindanao.