Purely Filipino travel, trade expo opens in Taguig

MANILA-- A purely Philippine-travel and trade expo opened on Friday at the Central Square Mall, Taguig City where local tourist destinations, farm tours and Filipino-made products are showcased for a three-day sale.

Department of Tourism (DOT) Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said the exhibition is to increase the public's level of awareness on existing farms sites that can be an ideal travel spot.

"That's the idea, to increase the level of awareness and also to make it even more inclusive and sustainable. The fact that we are featuring the local products is the best proof that we would want the farmers to benefit from whatever initiatives that we have," he told reporters in an interview.

"By showcasing the unique and high quality produce from the countryside, hopefully we'll be able to increase the revenue, strategically, to also make people appreciate farm tourism even more," he added.

The Philippine Harvest, now on its 2nd edition, is themed "Sustainable Living, Food, and Travel," with emphasis on farm tourism and local food.

The event paved way for the countryside to present their products to a wider audience.

For Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), most of the region's products have been so far exposed only to the local markets, Tourism Regional Director Marie Elaine Unchuan said.

"This exhibit will really give us an opportunity to tap more markets," she told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

"Even a lot of people here in Manila and ambassadors have been going around. Hopefully, we'll be able to open more markets for our farmers," she added.

There is an array of products that can be found from the region, such as their heirloom grain, the Adlai from Bukidnon, known internationally as Job's tear, and the Ulam pineapple, which is possibly one of the sweetest pineapple variant there is. It was first developed by Dr. Juan Acosta.

"

Although it is small, the taste is very good and you can actually eat the whole thing," Unchuan said.

But aside from fresh produce, the region's Philippine Harvest booth offers more than a dozen of organic products, like the mangosteen tea and others, perfect for health buffs at the venue.

"We also have suman from Misamis Occidental, which is very unique because in their suman house, there are 16 flavors. We also have dried herbs, organic peanuts and coco sugar," Unchuan said.

In line with the DOT's bid to level up promotion of farm tourism, the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) booth presented products all produced from accredited farm tourism sites, such as Kale powder and Amadeo coffee from Cavite.

Out of 26 DOT-accredited farms, five farms from the region showcased their products at the expo, Marites Castro, chief tourism operations officer of the region, said.

The trade and travel fair, which brings together DOT-accredited farms sites across the different regions together with selected travel agencies and 30 local food exhibitors, will run from August 24 to 26. (By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora /PNA)

The day we saw them flying: A Dapitanon soldier's diary

1Lt.Francisco "Iko S. Hamoy,

By Gualberto Laput   

DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte – Their hit and run tactics waged against the Japanese occupation forces was going on for more than two years. The guerrilla unit in Dapitan – “Bravo Company” of the 1st Battalion, 107th Infantry Regiment – composed mostly of Dapitanons under 1st Lieutenant Francisco “Iko” S. Hamoy - were exhausted and at times hungry, but still fighting and hoping against hope that someday the Philippines would be free from the invaders.

It was just another Friday morning, September 15, 1944, and Lt. Hamoy wrote in his diary that all was well. There was no radio broadcast or news because of “statics” and “bushier interference” from the much stronger communication station at a Japanese camp in nearby Sicayab, Dipolog City.

At 10:30 that morning something unforgettable happened. Lt. Hamoy wrote in his diary: “… suddenly… airplanes (with engine sound) much different from (that of the Japanese planes that) we used to hear, was heard from the south. Two planes came at high altitude and close to each other, but later they gradually separated from each other. Both threw white and milky ribbon of smoke forming the biggest letter V. (These are) the first American planes I saw after a period of two and a half years.”

The fighters of Bravo Company were jubilant and for the first time since the Japanese invasion, got a feeling of relief seeing the two fighter planes with stars on the fuselage, indicating the aircraft were American.

The civilians also felt the same, Lt. Hamoy said in his diary: “Everybody was rejoicing – shouting, clapping their hands… with their own eyes (they saw) American planes hovering over… it seems to show that liberation from the Japanese yoke is on sight… Governor (Matias Castillon) Ranillo (Sr.) celebrated it by buying all the tuba, cigarettes and slaughtered a pig worth P25 for the soldiers, officers and civilians… one of the planes returned and again released smoke forming letter I after V which gave us the idea of victory."

“We give thee thanks oh Lord for the coming liberation of our land from the Japanese tyranny. We also give thanks for sparing our lives and we may be given long lives to see again a peaceful Philippines,” Hamoy wrote in his diary.

Lt. Hamoy was 2nd Lieutenant commanding the Philippine Constabulary Company in Tagbilaran, Bohol, when war in the Pacific broke out with the bombing of the United States 7th Fleet at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 8 (7 in the United States), 1941. A few hours later, Japanese planes attacked Clark Airfield in the Philippines.

In the face of the mighty Japanese Imperial Forces, the defense of the Philippines slowly collapsed and on May 30, 1942, Bohol surrendered. But Lt. Hamoy did not.

He escaped alone towards Baliangao in Misamis Occidental on a small sailboat known as “binigiw.” He then walked his way through the jungle in Baliangao to his hometown in Dapitan.

On September 19, 1942, Lt. Hamoy organized and commanded the Bravo Company, a guerrilla unit composed mostly of Dapitanons like Antonio A. Balladares, Vicente Recamara, and Dodo Carreon.

Despite the uncertainty of General McArthur’s return after escaping to Australia, the Bravo Company continued to fight Japanese forces in Dapitan and Dipolog areas.

A month after those two planes appeared in the sky, General McArthur fulfilled his promise and returned to the Philippines - bringing with him a large liberation force that landed in Leyte.

About 76 years ago, the love for our country and freedom were the driving force strong enough for Lt. Hamoy and his guerrilla fighters to leave their families and put themselves in harm’s way to fight the Japanese - without a hint they would achieve victory.

It was their love of the country and freedom that they felt in their hearts the suffering of their struggling people, and they vowed to bear witness to their liberation.

There are people whom we look up for the money they have, the positions they hold or even just by their good looks. We believe that those who have a lot of money, those who are popular or the good-looking are the most capable of loving our society.

But ultimately, the persons we should look up to should be those who set aside their own safety and comfort for the love greater than themselves. And we will know them by the people they helped, the lives they saved and hearts they touched.

We cannot thank Dapitan’s guerrilla fighters enough. All we could do is to honor their sacrifices by imitating the love they had for their country, and live honorable lives.

God bless the men of the Bravo Company. (PNA)

Sinking tourist boat in El Nido rescued

EL NIDO TOURIST BOAT RESCUE. The Philippine Navy (PN) ship BRP Nestor Reinoso (PC 380) can be seen in this photo while towing tourist boat M/B Cleopatra from the vicinity of Helicopter Island, El Nido, early Monday afternoon. The tourist boat sank after it was hit by strong waves. All its passengers were safe as they were rescued by other tourist boats nearby. (Photo courtesy Navforwest/WESCOM PAO)

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- A sinking tourist boat with two crew onboard was rescued Monday off the vicinity of Helicopter Island in El Nido.

Captain Cherryl Tindog, chief of the Public Affairs Office of the Western Command (Wescom) said Monday night the Philippine Navy’s (PN) BRP Nestor Reinoso (PC 380) was dispatched around noon to help the sinking M/B Cleopatra by the Joint Task Force Malampaya (JTFM) and the Naval Forces West.

She said the JTFM, a special task force that takes care of the security of the offshore Malampaya Natural Gas Project MNGP), spotted the motorized banca around 12:25 p.m. near Helicopter Island and ws being helped by the crew of a speedboat owned by Miniloc Island.

“At around 12 noon, the JTFM received a telephone call from Capt. Lakanni Hidalgo, security officer of the El Nido Resorts, who reported the incident regarding the motor banca,” Tindog said.

When interviewed by rescue authorities, M/B Cleopatra skipper, Hayrone Sulayman, said they departed on the morning of August 6 from the shoreline of El Nido for a private island tour with 10 Filipino guests, a tour guide, and three crewmen to go to the Small Lagoon near Miniloc Island.

However, on their way to the site, their boat “encountered big waves causing its bow to crack and for water to start flowing inside.”

Tindog said Sulayman ordered his guests to go to the fantail of the boat, hoping for the bow to remain afloat but failed due to strong waves.

“Other tourist boats nearby provided them assistance. They managed to transfer all their guests to another tourist boat. 

The crew, however, remained on the sinking tourist boat which was quickly drifting towards Helicopter and Calaragnan islands,” she said.

Tindog added the Navy ship was able to tow M/B Cleopatra to the shore of El Nido at around 1:00 p.m. All its passengers were safe.

Four days ago, the Navy ship BRP Nestor Reinoso also figured in the rescue of 28 fishermen from their capsized boat 35 nautical miles off El Nido.

All from Caminawit, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, they were on their way to the West Philippine Sea fishing grounds when strong waves due to the southwest monsoon sank their motorized fishing boat. (PNA/By Celeste Anna Formoso)

DOT condoles with kin of 7-yr old girl killed by jellyfish sting

MANILA -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) on Friday sent condolences to the bereaved family of Gaia Trimarchi, the 7-year-old girl who died from jellyfish sting while on vacation in Caramoan, Camarines Sur

DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat has instructed the agency to extend full assistance and swift response to "urgent matters" related to the incident.

The DOT issued an advisory to all stakeholders in the region, seeking for a stronger measure to ensure the safety and security of tourists in the area.

Currently, all DOT regional directors are meeting to discuss ways in further improving engagement with all local government leaders in Philippine tourist sites in creating a safe environment for visitors.

"This is in constant pursuit of our mandate to act as the primary planning, programming, coordinating, implementing and regulatory agency in promoting and developing tourism in the Philippines," the DOT said in a statement.

Trimarchi, a Filipino-Italian swimmer, was wading through the shallow waters of Sabitang Laya Island, the last stop in their Caramoan island-hopping tour, when her mother heard her cry in pain. When her family got to her, part of the child's leg already turned violet.

Trimarchi was declared dead on arrival at the Caramoan Municipal Hospital. (PNA/By Joyce Ann L.)

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