Using his small boat, fisherman Cristino Estrada goes around Tubajon Aquamarine Park’s 22 hectares of mangrove plantation and bamboo cottages to check if there are no pieces of garbage left behind by resort goers. The aquamarine park has won the cleanest coastline last year and will be one of the stops of the delegates attending the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines to be held in Cagayan de Oro and hosted by the provincial government of Misamis Oriental and the Department of Tourism-10 on Oct. 3-6. (Jigger J. Jerusalem/davaotoday.com)
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – After it gained recognition as the cleanest coastline last year, the Tubajon Aquamarine Park in Misamis Oriental will once again be put on the spotlight as tourism officials from all over the country will visit it when they converge here for a convention on Oct 3-6.
The aquamarine part, located in Barangay Tubajon in the town of Laguindingan, has been slated as one of the stops for the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (Atop) delegates who are scheduled to attend its 19th national convention to be held in a mall here.
The country’s tidiest coastal area, located on the western part of the province, won the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) awards, besting dozens of contestants from around the country, in 2017.
The aquamarine park is known for its white sand, its expansive 22-hectare mangrove plantation, and its cottages and foot bridges made of and connected by bamboo poles.
Lawyer Jeffrey Saclot, the provincial tourism officer, said the visiting delegates will spend a few hours at the aquamarine park as part of their immersion. The immersion is part of the activities of the convention attendees.
The aquamarine park covers the villages of Mauswagon, Tubajon, and Moog. Apart from that, the attendees will also visit the different tourist destinations in the province such as its beach and mountain resorts, shrines, dive spots, and parks.
Saclot has also identified others areas where the delegates can immerse in, among them the silk-making in Laguindingan, the famous “bibingka” (glutinous rice cake) of Manticao, the cheese-making and winery of El Salvador, and the handmade paper in Salay.
“The delegates will go there to see how these products are being made,” he said, adding that it will be an investment for the host towns as they will be recognized for their trademark industries.
Saclot said preparations have already been made weeks before the convention such as security, logistics, transportation and other needs.
In fact, he said, Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano has assigned the Misamis Oriental Department Heads Association (Modha) to take charge of the various committees created for the convention.
Saclot said every department head in the Provincial Capitol has a role to play in the ATOP convention.
“This is not the event of the provincial tourism office, this is the event of the whole provincial government, although we are the lead office,” he added.
As the host of the event, Saclot said Emano’s “Explore MisOr” tourism campaign has paid off.
“It’s the aggressiveness of the governor in his tourism program that we are now recognized nationwide,” he said.
The province’s tourism department, he said, has just been recently created and yet it has already been given a huge task as the lead office in ensuring that the convention will go smoothly. (davaotoday.com)
