Ferliza
C. Contratista
BANTAYAN,
February 28 (PIA)--- Bloggers and media from Cebu went home with inspiring
stories from the two-day ecovoluntourism event held in the island of Bantayan
recently.
Around 20 selected members of Cebu’s press and the Cebu Blogging
Community (CBC) went back to the mainland with pictures and stories of the
island’s beauty, people’s resiliency, and how the Bantayanons
rose victorious after being hit by typhoon Haiyan, so far the
most devastating storm to batter the Philippines.
During the event, the group were able to engage with municipal
officials of Bantayan and Madridejos and some also interviewed officials
of Santa Fe town.
They were first toured to the various resorts and accommodations
of the island, which is known as a summer getaway in the Visayas specially
during the Holy Week.
During the first day’s dinner hosted by Bantayan Local Government
Unit which was the coordinating host of the event, the group learned updates on
typhoon Yolanda rehabilitation from the officials.
After the dinner and info sharing session, the group were led to a
barangay fiesta to experience the usual Filipino leisure in the form of
“pirya” (mini fair) and “baile” (community benefit dance).
Early morning on the second day, the Bantayan Chamber of
Commerce and Industry shared initiatives from their end to recover the huge
loss on income specially in poultry, fishery and tourism.
The group also visited people’s organizations for women like the
Women’s Association of Basawon in Bantayan town who are now concentrating
on making fashion bags out from sacks of rice and feeds.
Another budding alternative livelihood for fisherfolks is candle
making by the Paraiso Candle Makers Association.
And then for lunch, the group was treated to a sumptuous “budol”
fight, with sea foods and adobo eaten with bare hands, prepared by the Gawad
Kalinga village residents in Bantayan town.
It was then followed by a show of force as they painted, cleaned
and do other carpentry works, in helping in the construction of houses in the
Gawad Kalinga site.
The town-owned relocation site is located in an eight-hectare lot
with 300 units for those who lost their homes or living near danger zones.
Final activity was dinner in the last town, Madridejos, a fishing
community.
Philipp Dukatz, a German travel blogger who was able to join the
event, said the the activity was a great venue for bringing together social
media influencers and media.
“What I liked about the concept of #iBlogforBantayan is that it
combined classical aspects of tourism with social side of it all, which often
tend to be neglected,” Dukatz said.
He said that becoming aware of all these and putting it all
into perspective and even getting first-hand statements and explanations by
government officials was what made the event special.
Dukatz, who has more than 6,000 followers in his
ESCapology.Eu Facebook page, wrote about rare opportunities of doing
manual labor for the housing relocation site as well as getting inside the
cockpit area in his side trips. He took a lot of pictures of sunsets, beaches
and the locales.
“Travel writing and especially blogging should not only depict all
those fluffy things we see in glossy magazines. It should also ask critical
questions and shine the light on those hidden aspects of it. #iBlogforBantayan
provided the perfect platform for that,” he said.
Jeph Flores, of kiatcebu.com, said he is inspired with the thought
that tourism industry in Bantayan is back. The beaches in Sta. Fe are fully
operational to serve local tourists and foreign.
Andres Robin of ElroyRobin.com said he is delighted to know that
the business group is coming up with an initiative in granting seed money to
local groups.
The event #iBlogforBantayan is jointly initiated by the Philippine
Information Agency Cebu, Department of Environment and Natural
Resources, Cebu Blogging Community and Bantayan LGU through Vince Escario,
the town consultant on tourism and cultural affairs.
PIA Cebu and CBC have been vigilant in their partnership to
push for utilizing citizen media for social good and promoting Cebu.
Bantayan was chosen being one of the worst-hit islands in the
Philippines by Yolanda two years ago, and because of its high vulnerability to
the effects of climate change. (rmn/FCC/PIA-Cebu)