World Tourism Day Run Highlights Tourism and Water

The Philippines Department of Tourism – Centraluzon, together with the Alliance of Travel and Tour Agencies of Pampanga (ATTAP) and the Pampanga Agents Travel Society (PATS), will lead the celebration of WORLD TOURISM DAY on September 29, 2013, Sunday, with a massive FUN RUN at the Clark Parade Grounds starting at 5:00 in the morning. This was the announcement made by Regional Director, Ronaldo Tiotuico in a press statement issued recently. The two agencies are represented by their presidents, Marcia Hernandez and Roelson Ferry, respectively. The forthcoming event will usher in the coming of age of the travel and tourism industry of Central Luzon as it now begins to evolve to greater stature due to the forging of a stronger partnership between the government and the private sector. It symbolizes the achievements of the private sector in bringing about a good number of foreign and local tourists and travelers into the region as it begins to hit the 2M mark in visitor arrivals since 2012. Central Luzon has joined the ranks of millionaires’ row in the realm of attracting visitors to the various regions all over the country. More importantly, the event represents the industry’s collaboration and adherence with the UN General Assembly’s declaration of the year 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation focusing on tourism’s significant role and contribution to worldwide water conservation efforts. As a trillion-dollar economic sector, tourism is a powerful force capable of tackling this challenge by offering effective solutions geared towards a more sustainable water future. With over one billion people traveling all over the world each year, tourism can also be an important vehicle of raising awareness and changing behaviors. (source: untwo.org) With this year’s World Tourism Day theme focused on “Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common future”, the tourism department hopes to gather some 1,000 local and foreign runners in a single event with each one being reminded of the need to underline one’s responsibility and commitment to preserving the world’s vital water resources. This year’s WTD Run will have four (4) distance categories, namely 21K, 10K, 5K and 3K with their corresponding registration fees: P850, P650, P450 and P300, respectively. More than P80,000 worth of cash prizes, medals and certificates are at stake. Each participant will receive free jersey, race kit, race bib and race map. Part of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Special Education Center of the Department of Education in Angeles City where some 200 children and adults with special needs are cared for throughout the year. The donation will be utilized to convert part of their facilities into barrier-free environment for the persons with disabilities. For further details and registration for the event, please contact any of the member travel agencies of either ATTAP or PATS. Or call the Department of Tourism – Central Luzon Office at Marlim Mansions Hotel Bldg., Diamond Subd., Balibago, Angeles City, Tel. No. (045) 625-8525 or Mobile 0917-506-2221 / 0939-904-5231. Emailcast by: Department of Tourism - Region III (Central Luzon) Paskuhan Village, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines Ronaldo P. Tiotuico - Regional Director Phone: (63 45) 961-2612 / 5617 / 625-8525 Email: tourismregion3@gmail.com / support@visitmyphilippines.com Recipient (Best Ecotourism Project - Mt. Pinatubo): PATA Gold Intl Award 2001, Kalakbay Natl Award 2001, ASEANTA Intl Award 2002 Log on: www.visitmyphilippines.com MORE THAN 13 MILLION ONLINE GUESTS HAVE VISITED THIS SITE SINCE 2007. FIND OUT WHY!

Lumad yes; Foreigners NO!

Lumad yes; foreigners no!

HAVE MY SAY

By Klaus Doring

I AM BACK. 11 days time out. Relax, unwind. I stay on my veranda, just had a glass of wine, check all old newspapers. And suddenly this headline caught my attention: Lumad yes; foreigners, no! Foreigners?

I am an expatriate living in the Philippines since 1999 for good. Foreigner’s, no?

But after checking the first paragraphs, I got happy. Mining is the topic. And our good vice Paolo Duterte voiced out: “Never!” Never on the applications of foreign groups to mine in the hinterland of Paquibato. Paquibato is one of Davao’s remote mountainous districts. From the nearby Panabo City, one can reach Barangay Mapula after a little less than two hours.

Vice Paolo made it very clear, and I must confess, I strongly agree with him. Don’t allow any foreign mining in Paquibato. The land rightfully belongs to the Lumad. And they will say they will themselves undertake mining there – fine! Yes, Vice Palo is so very right in saying, that he doesn’t want the landlords, the rich AND the foreigners to dip their fingers in the ancestral lands and make the people their laborers, ostensibly provide them houses to pretend that they are people and supportive of the people.

Kudos Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte. And, it’s known: Mayor Rody Duterte, his father also has been consistent about his anti-mining stance for the city.

*****

Email: doringklaus@gmail.com. The author is Professor for German Language at the University of Southeastern Philippines.

Also published today in  Mindanao Daily News/Mindanao Business Week.

Kadayawan Festival 2013 in Davao City

Rain, rain, rain - more then enough...

... in Mindanao. Indeed, Mindanao floods worsen!

Floods caused by intermittent heavy rains and incessant atrocotoes are swelling the number of evacuees in Maguindanano, with inudation alone affected a total of almost 46,000 families.

The city goverment of Cotabato City, meanwhile, declared a state of calamity after floods swelled to almost 20 percent of barangays, while North Cotabato Governor Emylou Talino Mendoza convened her Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Managament Council to address worening floods in Tulunan, Kabacan, Pikit and Mlang, among other towns.

Other flooded towns are Shariff Saidona, Datu Salibo, Shariff Aguak, Rajah Buayan, - just to mention some among many others.

Dozens of families were displaced in villages of Matalam and Kidapawan City, but, not because of rain - due to intermittent fighting between field members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Moro National Liberation Front over territoral or land control.

Seven-hours Daily Blackouts in Zamboanga...

.... for, at least 45 days. Wow. Good, I am residing in Davao City. Bad for those in Zamboanga City... .

The Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) has announced that this city will again experience at least seven hours rotational blackouts daily.

Zamcelco president Omar Sahi said, this is due to the maintenance shutdown of STEAG State Power, Inc. power plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental and Agus 2 in Lanao del Norte.

Sahi said the two power plants supply a total of 28 megawatt (MW) for Zamcelco. The ccoperative's daily peak demand is pegged at 87 MW.

The implementation of the rotational blackout (or brownout, as said in the Philippines) per feeder would be three hours in the morning, three in the afternoon and one hour in the evening.

Zamcelco has a total of 24 feeders serving a total of 114,504 member consumers.

Vacation - Ferien

 

Yes, I am still in vacation.

Ja, ich bin immer noch im Urlaub.

Where? Wo?

Of course: in the Philippines!

Natuerlich: auf den Philippinen!

 

Beach, sand, sun, good food, relax...

Strand, Sand, Sonne, gutes Essen, ausruhen...

I will be back soon with a lot of new posts and impressions of my life as an expat in the Philippines.

Ich bin bald wieder zurueck mit vielen neuen Artikeln und Impressionen von meinem Leben als Auswanderer auf den Philippinen.