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)