THURSDAY, 18 AUGUST 2011 19:49 ZOILO ‘BINGO’ DEJARESCO III / FREE ENTERPRISE
DOUBTLESS, tourism and its huge multiplier effect will be the flagship industry of the beautiful island of Bohol.
Bohol is about to embark on an equivalent of the “Great Leap Foward” anchored on its five mainstays: Panglao beaches and its new international airport, Carmen’s 1,236 Chocolate Hills, Danao’s New Adventure Trip, the Loboc Riverboat Cruise and the lovable tarsiers.
The New Panglao Bohol International Airport (P8.4 billion) is one of this year’s 13 priority projects under the Aquino administration’s PPP public and private investment partnership programs on infrastructure.
The Great Leap Foward will not happen with just the congested Tagbilaran City airport which currently hosts eight daily flights from Manila and the numerous interisland vessels to serve the burgeoning tourist industry.
The international airport will be able to accommodate the larger jets and chartered planes from abroad. Bellevue and the Maribago-Bluewaters Group had already pitched resorts in Panglao- and the likes of Marriot and Shangri-La—are reportedly just around the corner.
Successful actress-singer Sharon Cuneta bought some P50 million worth of land in Panglao Island for tourism-related facilities.
Marine scientists from the University of the Philippines, environmentalists and fisher folks are passionately condemning the ambitious, and somewhat off-tangent plan of some businessmen and politicians to reclaim over 400 hectares of land dumped into the sea bed of the ecologically safeguarded area in Panglao.
Panglao is seen better off channeling its energies as a local government unit (LGU) toward better water and power supply for the island to address increasing demand.
Meantime, the indefatigable Carmen town Mayor Cheche Toribio de los Reyes is hell-bent on improving the environs that surround the 1,236 Chocolate Hills that grow brown-like Hesheys kisses in summer and perfect green at other climes.
The beauty-product entrepreneur turned public official had torn down the nondescript hotel and the tasteless swimming pool structure and below-standard restaurant for more imaginative amenities after viewing the panorama of hills atop the 214-concrete steps at the highest peak.
A man-made pool with eight waves on the ground and cable cars between hills would not be a bad idea.
The picturesque Loboc river cruise (with meals) had added a new feature: a night-cruise ride across the quiet river beside a boulevard lighted by P10 million worth of lights donated by a friendly Chinese entrepreneur-ambassador whose family owns the famous Oishi products.
Some shrubs along the river banks house a sea of fireflies at night, a spectacle city folks hardly see in urban areas anymore.
The newest darling on the block is the Adventure Trip in Danao town that had transformed the low-class forested interior town into a bustling tourist boom town. Its breathtaking adventures are classified “world class” by ABS CBN sportscaster Dyan Castillejo, one who knows more about sports thrills than most journalists of the same beat.
The death-defying Plunge of several meters from a cliff has been attracting multitudes, as well as the new paramotoring ride lifting enthusiasts into the air with the aid of an electric motor and parachute. At 18,000 feet, one can gape in wonder at the wondrous Chocolate Hills below, a stunning view from the top of the top.
But the biggest challenge has to be the “Xsanity” zipline ride that spans 1.5-kilometer distance between cliffs, reputedly the longest in Asia.
The man behind the adventure magic is youthful mayor Louis Thomas Gonzaga and his legislative body.
Finally, there are the tarsiers, the lovable big-eyed smallest monkey primates in the planet, Bohol’s tour mascots, no less.
Environmentalists and animal lovers had for long hankered for the day when this endangered specie will find their natural habitat. It now has.
Some 167 hectares of timberland forested area have been donated by the towns of Corella and Sikatuna which will permanently be the habitat for the tarsier, a test case whether such animals, in fact, breed best out of captivity.
Bohol, unlike Boracay, is multidimensional. Even its capital city Tagbilaran hosts two large department stores-supermarkets named BQ Mall and the Island City Mall that are at par in size and merchandising contents with Manila or Cebu malls.
Bohol is shooting its way to the stars with a variety of tour options and political will.
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