Extreme adventure tourism spurs jobs

by anyajulia | Apr 29, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita

(DANAO,BOHOL) TOURiSM means jobs, and this time Tourism secretary Ace Durano doesn’t have to be the spokesperson.

Danao Mayor Thomas Louis Gonzaga is now quite convinced and has self appointed himself as speaker after his town has largely funded a program that pays for 44 casual workers to keep the activities in Magtangtang running.

The workers, hired by the Municipal Government which runs the facility at the extreme, educational adventure tour (EAT) Danao have been part of the “town’s liabilities” are now gainfully employed in at least ten outdoor activities Danao Eco-Adventure offers.

The new tourism stakeholders, from people’s organizations operating within the eco-park are now employed in the food and beverage services or as tour guides for rappel, suislide, caving, rubber tubing, kayaking, root climbing, bouldering, trekking, village tours and historical site tours, adds tourism officer Anna Loinda Saluan.

The workers also operate with a complement of regular government workers from the town who admits the job is an additional burden, but one lighter.

“It gives us exactly the opportunity to help our town move up and consequently serve our people more,” admits one regular employee who insists she should not be named.

Even then, the people in the nearby barangays have benefited, Gonzaga says as he added that people sell their produce to the facility restaurant and [the restaurant people] have been instructed to prioritize buying local products.

Danao operates an extreme eco-adventure facility which has also been claiming an entirely different tourism niche from the usual watch-and-see packaged by Bohol destinations.

The experience of trekking along mountain trails would never fail to allow one patriotic tourist the idea of retracing the steps of a revered Boholano hero who knew the place like the back of his hand.

In the place, which is now turned eco-park, was the heart of the Dagohoy rebellion which ran for more than a hundred years.

With the activities, the rampart of a revolution then has become the core of another revolution; that which should emancipate Danaoanons from poverty which had them at its grip since Dagohoy left them for good. (rachiu/PIA)

24,000 jobs to start May 1 : Bohol to ink jatropha MOA with PNOC-AFC

by anyajulia | Apr 29, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita

WHILE the government bundles job openings for the nationwide May 1 Labor Day fair, in Bohol, some 24,000 farmhand jobs would be opened in Governor Erico Aumentado’s single formal act.

On that day, the governor signs a memorandum of agreement with Philippine National Oil Company-Alternative Fuels Corporation (PNOC-AFC) that would seal the fate for Project Jatropha here.

Project Jatropha, one that had Capitol and the PNOC-AFC huddling for quite some time promises to make Bohol jatropha source by making use of its idle lands into productive green-fuel source.

The MOA signing with Governor Aumentado and AFC Chief Executive Officer, retired Lieutenant General Romeo Tolentino, along with Petrogreen Holdings managing Director Poch Lamug would be witnessed by mayors from towns pre-identified as sites for the initial 3,000 hectares of jatropha curcas plantation, says Capitol spokesman Antonieto Pernia.

Speaking during the weekly The Governor Reports, Pernia said the signing also signals good things for Boholano farmers who now need not shell out any amount for the project.

He explained that the May 1 signing would be the governor’s gift to the laborers on that day, with the 3,000 hectares computed to generate no less than 24,000 farm hands in the towns.

The best thing, Pernia stressed is that a farmer would be paid P1.25 per plant and after 8 years when the plant bears, he still owns everything he could harvest.

The recent agreement has the PNOC putting up P23,000 per hectare as mobility fund, one that would be the source for planting materials, labor component and inputs, the spokesperson said.

Before the recent agreement, Bohol was supposed to allot P30M for the labor component as it was agreed that every jatropha planted would be paid P1.25 cents. Petrogreen, the source of the planting materials would also give P10 for every planting material. Now, we don’t spend anymore, he said.

Immediately after the signing and after Petrogreen hands in the check, Bohol would start the project.

One of the MOA provisions, Pernia points out, calls for the PNOC to buy jatropha from Bohol farmers in the next 25 years while considering the escalation costs. (rachiu/PIA)

Sevilla plans to build exit “Hanging bridge”

by anyajulia | Apr 28, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita

SEVILLA local officials have contemplated on making the hanging bridge crossing at Sipatan one way.

That would also imply building another hanging bridge as exit from the display and activity area and back to the parking lot, says town information officer Walter Pondoc.

Many see the logical as it would assure tourist safety by decongesting traffic and lightening the carrying capacity of the bamboo bridge.

With two way traffic in a narrow foot bridge, people meeting at the center of the swaying bridge can be very difficult and make tourists uncomfortable, admits a tourist guide who think something should be done to avoid accidents.

Moreover, the town information officer said “We need to put up more worthwhile activities at the tourist center across the river and that should include cultural presentations, to make the stop more meaningful.

The move came after Sevilla started collecting P10 toll fees for tourists crossing the Sipatan Hanging Bridge since February 27 of this year.

The plan also incorporates a Tourists’ Holding Room where the local government can conduct briefings and activity orientation before letting them do the thrilling activity of crossing the swaying bamboo bridge, adds Pondoc.

The bridge, since the town started collecting toll fees averages P3T on an ordinary day, and has contributed a lot to the town income generation, he admitted.

The bridge, now reinforced with steel cables with the help of the Philippine Australian Community Assistance Program has become a teaser for the Bohol outdoor adventure.

It has also opened up employment opportunities for women and people’s organizations in the town while giving them additional income from selling native crafts, home decors and fashion accessories.

PACAP also helped finance a multi purpose building as display areas the local wares, performance venue and tourists’ resting station.

Wanting to regulate the operations of the tourist destination now, LGU Sevilla would also be building a restroom on the opposite bank to accommodate tourists, says Pondoc. (rachiu/PIA)