Most Interesting Attractions for Visitors to the Philippines

The Philippines are a complex of more than 7,100 islands. Many of these are quite small; 11 of them comprise more than 90 percent of the country’s total landmass. Luzon and Mindanao are the largest islands. The country’s capital, Manila, is on Luzon. The city has a long history, but the European influence dates from the 16th century. The Spanish influence is most evident in the Intramuros district, where buildings represent different eras in Filipino-Hispanic architecture. Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral, and San Augustin Church are all located here. Culturally, the Philippines are different from many areas of Asia, as the main religion is Catholicism, and there is a close relationship between church and state. On Visayas is Boracay in Aklan, and Roxas City in Capiz known as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines. On Mindanao is Mount Apo, an active volcano that is the tallest peak in the Philippines. Mount Apo, meaning “grandfather of all Philippine,” dominates a remarkable natural landscape that has geysers, sulfur pillars, a steaming blue lake, swift-flowing rivers, and waterfalls cascading almost 300 feet into a deep gorge. The Philippine Eagle Nature Center is located at Pag-asa, in the foothills of Mount Apo. It is a breeding center for the endangered bird known as the monkey-eating eagle. Mount Pinatubo, on Luzon, is the Philippines’ most famous mountain due to its recent volcanic eruptions, which have caused thousands of people to be moved from their homes over the last decade. The country’s four major rice-terrace sites, which are included in the World Heritage Sites list, are a living cultural landscape. The rice terraces of Ifugao and their irrigation systems date from as early as 1000 bc. The rice terraces are an awesome sight, climbing from the base of the mountains like massive green stairways. It is said that their length, put end to end, would encircle half the globe. The Philippines also have many underwater attractions that are of special interest to divers, including shipwrecks. Tubbataha Reef Marine Park is also a World Heritage Site, because of its abundant marine life. It consists of two islets with soft corals and small caves where divers can see white-tip and nurse sharks, turtles, rays (devilfish), and many other reef fish and sea creatures.

Festival hopes to put an end to IP’s tag as 2nd-class citizens

ROXAS CITY – The Dungog: Indigenous Peoples (IP) Festival 2009, which the Capiz provincial government and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) will jointly mount here on Oct. 2-6 this year, hopes to put an end to the unfair tag on the indigenous peoples as second-class citizens. This was stressed by Capiz provincial tourism officer Alphonsus “Al” Tesoro during a dinner talk with the local press last week. Tesoro said he also hopes that through the festival, the problem on discrimination, which has hounded the indigenous peoples for years, will soon become a thing of the past. This year’s festival, which is part of the IP Month Celebration, is envisioned as a celebration of peace, bringing together representatives of more than 100 ethno linguistic groups of which 16 major cultural communities will feature their traditional houses, cultural resources, practices/rituals, chants, music, songs and dances, stories, traditional arts and crafts and indigenous games. Explaining further the main rationale behind the staging of this year’s indigenous peoples festival, Tesoro said the event recognizes the indigenous peoples’ rights not only toward self-preservation but, more importantly toward boosting their self-worth and self-esteem. “The festival is all about the indigenous people’s totality as a human being. Thus, the word “Dungog” which literally means “dignity,” Tesoro said. Tesoro said the festival is one effective way of uplifting the plight and morale of the indigenous peoples…that they may become productive members of and be a part of mainstream society. The two most recent indigenous people’s festivals were hosted by Davao for Mindanao in 2007 and Santiago City, Isabela in Luzon in 2008. This year, it’s the Visayas’ region turn to host the event, with Capiz in particular as a host province. Adel Suenith, chief, Project Monitoring and Evaluation Division of NCAA, explained that Capiz was chosen as this year’s IP Festival venue mainly because of the interest and enthusiasm shown by its officials led by Gov. Victor Tanco Sr. and Tesoro. Tesoro, she said, is also an active national executive council member of the NCAA Board Suemith said the NCAA has shelled out P6-million for the event while Capiz came up with a P2.1-million counterpart fund. The local tourism officer, meanwhile, disclosed that local officials from Kalinga province headed by Gov. Floydelia R. Diasen and from Anilao in Iloilo have confirmed their participation to the festival as part of their Lakbay Aral programs. Some 40 delegates from the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN), including a representative from UNESCO, are also coming for the festival. Meanwhile, in her letter to Governor Tanco, NCAA executive director Cecile Guidote-Alvarez said that during the festival, traditional artists and cultural masters will be recognized , and discussion fora for IP rights and other concerns on preservation, promotion and development of traditional culture will also be included. Also during the festival, Alvarez said communities will have inter-active activities such as performances, exhibitions, fora, lecture-demonstrations and workshops on traditional crafts and cuisine, and indigenous games. At the same time, Alvarez said, a particular tradition of a community will be highlighted for the appreciation and understanding of other communities and of the students from various schools, colleges and universities as well. Likewise, she said, traditional arts and crafts produced by cultural masters will also be available at designated booths/houses. Alvarez disclosed that a special feature of the festival is the initiative to link our own to the international community of indigenous and the new union indigenous broadcasters.

IPs to voice out concerns in fora

Roxas City – A series of fora has been set for this year’s Dungog: Indigenous Peoples (IP) festival from October 2 to 6 here to discuss the various concerns of different IP communities for appropriate course of action. The fora dubbed “Hinun-anon” will be held simultaneously with other festival activities will tackle eco-cultural tourism and heritage preservation, cultural education and livelihood, and cultural diversity. ”This intends to uplift the IPs well-being as the recommendations from the forum will become the talking points for concerned national government agencies and policy makers,” said festival director and Provincial Tourism Officer Alphonsus Tesoro.

Tesoro also noted that case studies on best practices will be presented during the fora for learning and possible adoption of other IP groups. Some of the resource persons for the forthcoming discussions will include IP Broadcaster President from New Zealand and experts from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and national government agencies. The Hinun-anon participants will include IPs, cultural masters, community elders, local government units (LGU) and national leaders, educators and students, environmentalists, tourism officers, cultural workers, non-government organizations, IP Committee members, and officers and members of Tourism, Cultural and Heritage Councils, among others. (Dungog Publicity and Promotions Committee)

The CAPRISA Meet 2009

The Capiz Private Schools Association (CAPRISA), Inc. will it’s CAPRISA MEET 2009 from September 22-26, 2009, Villareal Stadium, Roxas City.

Baybay Seafood Grills

Roxas City Tourist Attractions

Roxas City – Philippines are known as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines. With its 80-kilometer coastline and wide expanse of swampy lands easily converted into fishponds. It holds one of the richest fishing grounds and a major contributor in the aquamarine industry of the Philippines. When you visit Capiz and if you want to eat seafoods there is one place in Capiz where all seafoods can find. Located at Baybay beach in Roxas City is a stretch of stalls serving the freshest seafood in town. These establishments offer a laid-back atmosphere where one can simply dine and relax to the refreshing sea breeze, sparkling fine gray sand, serene blue waters and pristine shoreline. It specializes in “talaba” steamed in hot boiling water or broiled over charcoal for P25-P35 pesos per basket. It also offers other mouth-watering dishes like chicken and pork barbecue, pantat, hito, squid, and other grilled delicacies at affordable prices. It is a perfect venue for an intimate dinner for 2 or lively family gatherings.