Tourism

Emata Returns

Pastor Emata at Wednesday's press conference (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)By Cheryll D. Fiel
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY ? More than anything else, the homecoming was a marketing event, with Erwin ?Pastor? Emata, the Davaoeno who recently conquered Mount Everest, the product.

It seemed that, on Wednesday, June 7, the organizers — companies who sponsored Emata?s historic ?summeting? of the world?s tallest mountain ? made sure that their investments in the mountain climber from Tagum were worth it.

A ?grand welcome? was prepared for Emata at the Davao International Airport in the morning. That same day, he rode to Tagum City, his home, with a motorcade behind him. There, at the town pavilion, a program attended by government officials was held.

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On Mount Apo, Trails of Waste and Destruction

Although the amount of garbage collected during this year?s clean-up drive has significantly decreased compared to the summer of 2000, trash left behind by irresponsible trekkers still accumulate on Mount Apo.

Trash collected on Mount Apo. (photo courtesy of MAFI)

By Keith Bacongco
davaotoday.com

KIDAPAWAN CITY — Despite the campaign by the local government and some nongovernment organizations to maintain cleanliness on the country’s highest peak, garbage continue to pile up at the Mount Apo natural park.

Although the amount of garbage collected during this year?s clean-up drive has significantly decreased compared to the summer of 2000, trash left behind by irresponsible trekkers still accumulate on Mount Apo.

Ermelo Libre, executive director of the Mount Apo Foundation Inc., told davaotoday.com that there is a big improvement in the collection of garbage on Mount Apo. “Way back in 2000, we hauled 1.5 tons at Venado lake and around 30 sacks of assorted garbage at the peak,? Libre said. ?Comparatively, the garbage and graffiti have decreased tremendously. I give credit to LGUs that religiously conducted pre-climb orientation and onsite monitoring of climbers activities.”

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Undaunted by Declining Job Prospects, Hundreds Troop to the Mall

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Story by Germelina A. Lacorte
Photos by Barry Ohaylan
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY — Lured by the promise of exciting jobs in travel and tourism, thousands of jobseekers trooped this week to a tourism jobs fair in a shopping mall here. Tourism secretary Ace Durano said the fair would create 33,000 jobs for the travel and tourism-related industries nationwide.

Among those who lined up was Peter Premallon, a 21-year-old BS Mathematics graduate from Sultan Kudarat, who has just ended his teaching contract with the Mati Polytechnic College in Davao Oriental in March. ?Private schools are no longer hiring regular teachers now, so, I’m trying my luck,? he said.

He could no longer afford to be choosy, Premallon said. He will look for a job here or abroad. He will even work as clerk for an oil company, if no other option comes his way.

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