Bicol Tourism, Back on Track

The Department of Tourism – Regional Office V recently launched the Fiesta Bicolandia: Travel and Trade
Fair to formally mark the re-start of tourism in the Bicol region with the theme “Bicol Tourism: Back on
Track”.

Undersecretary Ferdinand “Cocoy” Jumapao, on behalf of Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, graced the
opening program of the three-day event in Ayala Malls Legazpi City. Regional Director Herbie B. Aguas
and Albay Provincial Governor Noel E. Rosal welcomed Usec. Cocoy Jumapao and the rest of the guests
coming from the public and private sectors. Other provincial governors were represented by their
provincial tourism officers.

The activity was aimed to bring under one roof the tourism-oriented stakeholders, both private and public,
to show to the general public and prospective domestic tourists as well as foreign visitors that the Bicol
region is now ready and open for tourism.

Each province showcased its traditional and new tourism products, initiatives at enhancing the
destinations, and cultural heritage with displays of local commodities for sale.

Albay province featured all-terrain vehicle tour product with an actual ATV unit onsite with an
Instagrammable blown-up photograph of the world-famous iconic perfect-cone Mt. Mayon as a backdrop
describing the province as the “Perfect Destination” to support its domestic tourism campaign, “Albay
Muna, Albay Naman”. With the Bicol International Airport by its side, the fate of the province becoming
the region’s foremost tourism hub is now sealed.

The island province of Masbate brought in a LED wall to brandish its best offerings that capture the tagline
“MasBetKo Masbate” like the Rodeo Masbateño, the panoramic view of the vast tract of grazing lands
that sustain the local cattle industry, the white-sand islets and beaches, visual arts, and leather crafts to
name a few. The multi-awardee in best mining practices, Filminera Resources Corporation, the mining
company that operates in Aroroy, Masbate, also joined with an exhibit of some ores of gold.

The peninsula province of Sorsogon, for its part, presented a rather more corporate image than the rest
of other provinces unveiling the 7K program of the new provincial administration—Kalinigan (cleanliness),
Kagandahan (beauty), Kalikasan (nature), Katrangkiluhan (peace), Kadunungan (education), Kalusugan
(health), and Kabuhayan (livelihood)—which is expected to help boost the local tourism industry and the
economy of the province. The life-size effigy of whale sharks, locally known as butanding, remains a
dominant feature in the booth of Sorsogon.

The island province of Catanduanes, east of the Bicol peninsula, dubbed as the Happy Island, emphasized
the surfing and abaca industry in its exhibit and the various attractions that can make the stay of visitors
happy and choose to come back for spiritual and physical rejuvenation punctuated by gastronomic
delights with the abundance of seafood and delicacies it offers like Kinis (mud crab), lobsters, prawns, and
Latik, a square-sized glutinous rice cake topped with thick sweet gravy.

Camarines Sur showed off its adventure and light sports offerings in CamSur Watersports Complex, the
white-sand beach of Caramoan, and a cornucopia of attractive tourism propositions for faith, thrills, and
spills from ridge to reef in this largest province of the Bicol region serviced by a domestic airport in the
town of Pili.

Camarines Norte, sharing a border in the north with Quezon province, has embraced its destiny as the
region’s gateway where the excitement begins. Its provincial tourism office, flaunting what the province
got from its heritage and the Divine Providence, donned its booth with a portable mini-replica of
Bantayog, the world’s first Jose Rizal monument; a carpet of real white sand for a fleeting experience of
its tourism crown jewel, the island of Calaguas; some of its Formosa pineapple, the country’s sweetest
variety, and other food products offering free taste that somehow makes the visitors wonder where and
how excitement would end in this part of Bicolandia as its tagline says “Go CamNorte, where excitement
never ends”.

The travel trade fair, offering tour packages, was participated in by the Sorsogon Travel Organizers
Association (STOA), the Accredited Travel Agencies in Bicol (ACTA Bicol), the National Association of
Independent Travel Agencies (NAITAs) Bicol Chapter, the BHATTA Tourist Transport Cooperative, the Bicol
Association of Travel and Tour Operators (BATTO), and the Legazpi Tourism Stakeholders Council.

A segment of the Fiesta Bicolandia, the Farmaskuhan, a trade fair participated in by accredited farm
tourism camps, and some local government units, local food producers, and artisans is a showcase of farm
products, food and beverages, decorative items, fine ceramic, handicrafts, and cutlery for sale. The
exhibitors include El Miro de Shei Integrated Farm, Solong Integrated Farm, Camalig Kulinarya (Rains
Delicacies and JCharex), Juboken, Mayon Gold, Lola Sayong Eco Surf Camp, 2D Albay Young Farmers
Program, Albay Provincial Agricultural Office, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Municipal Government
Unit of Guinobatan, ELBP Women for Agriculture, Putsan Ceramic Manufacturers Association, Inc., JVS
Cutlery and Handicrafts, MikeLiz Integrated Farm and El Celebrantes (flower shop).

Every day, two provincial government units host the day with cultural presentations and entertainment.
While the artisans and weavers demonstrated their artistry and craftsmanship. The Kulinarya Bicolandia
with its theme “Siram: Istorya kan Kulinarya sa Bicolandia” featured Albay’s Ligao Macapuno and
Guinobatan Longganisa; Gubat’s Timitim and Bulusan’s Tabagwang, both of the province of Sorsogon;
Masbate’s Crispy Beef Kare-Kare; Camarines Sur’s Pancit Bato; Naga City’s Kinalas; Camarines Norte’s
pineapple and Dinailan dishes; and Catanduanes’ Latik.

On the second day, the tourism-oriented private stakeholders gathered for the Bicol Regional Summit to
discuss and address the pressing issues and concerns to enable the industry to recover from a precipitous
decline of 81.6% and get back on track not with the 2019 figure of 5 million but with 2018 showing of 6.1
million arrivals. By end of 2022, it is expected to surpass the gains of a 131% increase in 2021 from 2020’s
dismal figure of 920,856 arrivals considering that travel requirements have been eased up by both the
national government and the local government units.

During the tourism summit, RD Aguas bared the Bicol’s Top 10 Destinations for 2022, namely Ligao City,
Legazpi City, Naga City, Ticao Island, Calaguas Island, Virac, CamSur Watersports Complex, Donsol,
Sorsogon City, and Caramoan. He also presented the top 15 most visited sites for the same year, which
include Buntod Reef, Mayon Skyline, Cagsawa Ruins, Balud beach, Kawa-kawa Hill, Apuao Grande, Bulusan
Lake, Irosin Hot and Cold Springs, Puraran, Pasacao, Binurong Point, Deer Farm, Burias Island, Matnog and
Bato Church. He also said that the Bicol is now more accessible being serviced by a new international on
top of existing domestic airports, and seaports that can both cater to roll-on roll-off seacrafts and fast
crafts. As to accredited tourism enterprises, there are 524 primary establishments, 387 of which are
accommodations, and 82 secondary establishments, 62 of which are restaurants.

Street dancing and a showdown of festival dances representing the six provinces climaxed and wrapped
up the three days of the travel and trade fair. Kaogma Festival of Camarines Sur garnered the Best in
Showdown award; Magayon Festival (Albay), Best in Musicality; Abaca Festival (Catanduanes), Most
Disciplined Contingent; Pamasayan Festival (Masbate), Best in Concept (thematic interpretation);
Kasanggayahan Festival (Sorsogon), Best in Street Dancing, and Camarines Norte’s mixed selection of
festivals—Bantayog, Kadagatan, and Pinyasan—Best in Costume. All enthralled thousands of spectators.
The last known staging of a similar festival showcasing the different festivals of the six provinces of Bicol
organized by the regional office was four years ago.

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