Siargao's Del Carmen Town promotes Eco-tourism at the Agri-Tourism Expo

Mayor Alfredo "JR" Coro, mayor of Del Carmen town on Surigao del Norte’s Siargao Island, has confirmed his municipality’s participation as one of the exhibitors at the 1st International Agriculture and Tourism Expo on June 30 to July 2, 2011 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. He will lead his town’s drive to protect the mangrove areas in which his municipality is very rich in. He is also promoting his town as the next tourism destination.

Del Carmen’s eco-tourism push is the centerpiece of the “Siargao Adventure,” which the town will be launching to promote Siargao Island as a prime destination for eco-adventure and sports tourism.

Image taken from http://www.kalinawresort.com/

Mayor Coro hopes that by joining the Agri-Tourism Expo, his town will get the needed exposure locally and internationally in its quest to attract tourists and sports enthusiasts to his town.

The Expo intends to promote Philippine agri-tourism programs of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Tourism to the international and local markets, taking advantage of the amazing growth of travel and tourism industry worldwide, a phenomenon that is expected to boost our tourism. Del Carmen town will ride on the crest of this worldwide tourism boom by pushing not only travel but environmental protection as well.

The municipality boasts of a superb biodiversity and unique location being surrounded by both sea and forest lands, which are recognized by residents and the local government as the town’s treasures.

Mayor Coro said that the vast hectares of mangroves and swampy areas in the town accounts for 21 percent of Siargao Island’s total land area. It is a sanctuary for endemic crabs and endangered “Crocodylus porosus,” or the salt-water crocodile, as well as other marine resources highly regarded for their potentials as important assets in global investment and trade.

Del Carmen is one of the oldest settlements opened by the Spaniards in the cluster of islands in the Pacific Ocean which is east of Surigao del Norte's mainland. Surigao del Norte, also known as Siargao, comprises of nine municipalities. Del Carmen is one of its municipalities. The town is already adapting to the world of modernity from a conventional type of governance. The new leadership led by Coro is set to implement several infrastructure development projects and programs that will align the town with its eco-tourism drive and push it as one of the alternative tourist destinations in the country.

Mayor Coro is one of the early birds who reserved an exhibit booth way in advance for the 1st International Agri-Tourism Expo. He said, “It will be a big opportunity for our town, being part of Surigao del Norte, to be known in both the agriculture and tourism industry as the next prime destination.”

Ralph Balmaceda, one of Coro’s tourism consultants and the person who will be in-charge of Del Carmen’s exhibit booth, said, “Aside from educating the people about Del Carmen’s mangroves, we will also launch Siargao Adventure, the program that will promote Siargao Island as a prime destination for eco-adventure and sports tourism.”

According to Balmaceda, "Siargao Adventure packages will also be presented with special promotions and discounts for those who will book during the Expo."

The above news is from A-Linx Events, the organizer of the 1st International Agriculture and Tourism Expo. Please visit the exhibit booth of Del Carmen Town on June 30 - July 2, 2011 at the World Trade Center, Pasay City to get good deals to visit this beautiful place.

I have to admit I haven't visited the place but looking at the pictures of Siargao made me want to visit the place. From my research in Wikipedia, it states, "Siargao Island contains the largest mangrove forest reserves in Mindanao, at Del Carmen." It also describes, "The coastline is marked by a succession of reefs, small points, and white, sandy beaches." I have also heard from commercials that the place is a surfing paradise with its "Cloud 9" waves. I still do not know what "Cloud 9" means but it's probably the shape of the waves.

Just the mention of "white, sandy beaches" is already very tempting! I hope that someday I'll be able to visit this beautiful place in the south and write about my adventures there in this blog.