Mayor Sara: the new Duterte on the block

Mayor-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio has become one of Davao City’s major attractions, not just because she is the first female mayor of this city of at least one million population, but because she is more than her father’s daughter.

Dabawenyos rarely had a glimpse of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter Sara when she was still in High school and even in College. However, some who saw her riding the Big Bike with her father were either intrigued or remained in awe as to how this mestiza (thanks to her German blood courtesy of her mom Elizabeth Zimmerman Duterte) could inherit not only her father’s tough stance but even his passion for Big Bikes.

But that was a long, long time ago, way before Sara Duterte-Carpio became the vice mayor of Davao, with her father as the Mayor. A lot of people thought she was just a shadow of the elder Duterte at the City Council, but the younger Duterte has proven her critics wrong, both in terms of how she handled the Council and how she handled her father.

After almost 24 years of serving the people of Davao City as appointed vice mayor, elected Mayor, elected Congressman and with re-elections in between in both positions, Mayor Rody Duterte has finally passed on the Duterte magic to his daughter Sara. Not that he is leaving her alone yet, since the father and daughter tandem was just proclaimed the vice mayor and mayor of the city respectively,

The Duterte-Duterte team did not only win the May 2010 election but they won it hands down, leaving behind their rivals in the political dust, with 389,465 votes for Sara (versus Prospero Nograles who got 160,225 votes) and an overwhelming 440,030 votes for the elder Duterte.

A few months before the election, Sara Duterte said the computerization and interconnectivity of the important offices (if not all offices actually) in the local government will be given priority if and when she becomes the mayor of the city. And now that she has won, Duterte said her priority remains the same as this will pave the way for faster delivery of services to the people.
“Health, education, peace and order, economics and tourism,” she added when asked about her other priorities as the city’s first female mayor.

The Duterte magic

The Duterte magic is not an urban legend after all as proven by Mayor Sara’s landslide victory in the polls. The magic actually started when her father, who was then a city prosecutor, was appointed vice mayor in 1986 after the Edsa Revolution, under the provisional government of President Corazon Aquino. Defeating interim Mayor Zafiro Respicio in the 1988 mayoralty election was a preview of what’s to become of his future political opponents.

He was re-elected twice as City Mayor between 1992 and 1995 and between 2004 and 2007. His mayoralty posts were only interrupted by his stint in the House of Representative from 1992 to 1998.

There is no doubt that Inday Sara’s (as how friends and even Dabawenyos call her) victory in the previous election as vice mayor came as a result of the Dabawenyo’s affinity with her father. However, no one can deny that Inday Sara’s recent victory in the polls as Mayor of the city is not only because of the (Rody) Duterte magic but it was a result of her performance as the city’s vice mayor.

The younger Duterte’s term as vice mayor was not intrigue-free and was even characterized by a lot of exposes, most of which involved some of the well-known councillors. Add to that her regular disagreements with the Mayor, who she said even challenged her to resign.

But all those controversies only proved that Inday Sara was her own woman and that she can be tough just like her father the mayor. But more than that, she has proven that she is not just her father’s daughter but a public servant with her own decisions and principles and those do not have to coincide with what the mayor believes in.

Fortunately for her, she has won the Dabawenyos’ heart hands down, with or without her rebellious streaks. And now, it is safe to say that Sara is indeed the next Duterte to wield the Duterte magic in the palm of her hands.

Samal as retirement haven

This second class city with a population of 82,609 people (as of the 2000 Census) is already an established vacation site thanks to its white sand beaches with 118.5 kilometers of continuous coastline and pristine clear waters. However, the island city may just end up in the world map once again as a retirement haven.

“That’s part of our vision ----to be a retirement haven,” Island Garden City of Samal information officer Noel Daquioag said.

The Philippine Retirement Authority is also confident about the potential of IGACOS as a haven for retirees. Daquioag said “the agency is active here and they have been talking to foreigners, usually married to Filipinas, encouraging them to invest here in Samal.”

“There have been initial talks about signing a Memorandum of Agreement with the local government since last year and we hope to continue with that after the elections since this is a busy season,” PRA regional chief Jaime Llanes said.

Llames said the MOA primarily consist of talking points declaring Samal as a retirement destination especially for foreigners. It is a very strategic area for retirees and some of them have already settled in the area, he added.

Most of the retirees prefer the tropical weather of Samal with temperatures normally ranging from 26.9 degree Celsius to 33 degree Celsius at this time when it’s really very hot.

Samal is deemed a coastal paradise with five major urban area namely Penaplata in Samal District, Villarica and Pichon in Babak Disitrict as well as Sta. Cruz and Poblacion in Kaputian District.

Samal beaches doing brisk business

If there is one attraction that has brought the world’s attention to the Davao Region, that would be the region’s clean and pristine beaches particularly those found in the Island Garden City of Samal. It is thus not surprising that the island’s bountiful beaches are doing great business.

“There is actually no need to get out of Mindanao because we have a lot of summer destinations here,” Department of Tourism XI regional director Sonia Garcia said. The reason why we keep on coming up with various events for our destinations like the Samal Island is for people not only from Mindanao but also from other areas, to get to know more about these destinations, she added.

Attractive beaches are interspersed within Samal Island’s116.3 square meter area, which is populated by only 82,609 residents as of the 2000 Census. The island’s population has however greatly increased in the past years as more and more expatriates and retirees have made the island their home. This number can also pop up during the summer season when people from all walks of life and from all parts of the world trek to the island’s white sand beaches.

“Samal Island has almost 40 resorts and each one is thriving thanks to the increasing number of tourists going to the island,” Regional Tourism Council secretary Araceli Ayuste said.

Garcia said Samal Island plays an important role in promoting the region’s tourism. With the tagline “From the highlands to the island”, Mt. Apo and Samal Island are expected to be in the forefront of the campaign to lure tourists to the region.

The thrust of the private sector now, which is being supported by DOT, is to make the expatriates who have made Samal Island their home comfortable and knowledgeable of what the island has to offer.

“We want the expatriates to help us promote Samal Island to their respective countries,” Ayuste said.

Thus, several activities are in line to keep the Samal Island spirit very festive during summer. On top of this is the “Fun in the Sun” program which was launched last Tuesday. Another festival, the Caracoles Festival which will be held during the last Saturday of April, is expected to bring in domestic and foreign tourists.

The beach resort owners in the island have their own marketing and promotional schemes to encourage visitors to their beach resorts. Here are some of the affordable resorts in the island which offers fun in the sun!

BlueJaz

This is one world-class resort right in Samal Island which boasts not only of its white sand and clear blue waters. BlueJaz is perhaps the only resort in the island which offers a gigantic slide for P90, free small water slides for children, free use of their swimming pool, free open cottages by the beach and reasonably-priced but high quality cottages. Owner Jazmin Middleton said they are constantly trying to improve their service and the products they offer to keep the resort very competitive. A day’s tour will cost you P90.

Paradise Island

This affordable resort which is accessible from the mainland in a few minutes by motorboat has always been active when it comes to promotional events. While the entrance fee has remained very affordable for the masa (except of course the cottages which are priced a bit steeply for the common tao), Paradise Island Park and Beach Resort has always offered various forms of entertainment to its visitors. Aside from the regular Weekly Fitness in Paradise which is in coordination with the Metro Lifestyle Fitness Center & Spa, the resort has also prepared an Easter Festival for the whole family.

Camp Holiday Resort And Recreation Area

This new resort is just near the barge area and at an entrance fee of only P50 for both adults and children, it is one of the most affordable destinations in Samal Island. Huts will cost you P150, while there are Bahay Kubos with bathrooms for unlimited number of persons for only P2,000. The Resort offers camping grounds, waterslides, beach, playground and a restaurant.

Costa Marina

This is one of the barest but still comfortable beaches in Samal Island. Development in the area has been kept at a minimum which will appeal to those who love to commune with Mother Nature Entrance fee if only P120 for adults and children for day tour, or P220 overnight. Cottage rates range from P2,500 to P5,000 depending on capacity. Among the amenities are table tennis, dart, billiard and volleyball, which will cost you from P35 to P100 per hour.

Isla Reta

This resort is actually located in Talicud Island or at the back of Samal Island. This resorts offers one of the most affordable rates at only P75 per head for adults day tour, P150 (adult) and P75 (kids) overnight. The good news is that they offer discounts for kids from 4 up to 10 years old. Kids below three years old are free of charge.

There are actually more beach resorts in Samal Island than we can enumerate. Visiting all these resorts during the summer can be a challenge for the sun worshippers. Bur then again, wouldn’t that be really the ultimate fun in the sun?

Gold bullion as an investment prospect.

Dabawenyos and Filipinos in general are still old-fashioned when it comes to saving their hard-earned money so the most popular option is to put money on the bank. This may be one of the safest investment option but it will take an eternity before you can even earn a decent interest rate.

Why not try to buy gold bullion? Gold is one of nature’s most precious metals and its value continuously increases through the years, making it a wise investment medium. Aside from gold, you can also opt to buy silver which is available in ingot (this is actually pure bullion silver that comes in a size and shape more convenient to the owner) or coin form. Gold is also available in both forms.

Davao is near the gold-rich district of Mt. Diwalwal in Compostela Valley and people around this area are aware of the value of gold. Gold bullion is actually nothing new to the world since it has been used as a unique investment piece even during the olden days of the Greeks and Romans.

Amassing dollars seem to be a losing proposition now considering how the value of currencies can fluctuate. If you want to preserve your purchasing power and make sure your wealth never depreciates, invest in gold bullion or even silver. Since 1990, demand for silver has continuously been more than the yearly production.

Caracoles Samal Fest another election casualty?

The May 2010 election has resulted to various controversies from the lost friendships to the termination of the 86 City Hall-hired Commission on Election employees. The latest casualty of the election heat is a major tourism event which is expected to bring in revenues for some areas in the Davao Region including the Island Garden City of Samal and Davao City.
The yearly Caracoles Samal Festival, which is regularly held during the last Saturday of April every year, has been postponed from the original April 24 schedule to the May 21 to 23 this year.

“We are postponing the Caracoles Festival not because we were refused a permit but because we do not want politics to mar the celebration this year,” Caracoles Samal 2010 Marketing Director Jonallier M. Perez said. He added they do not want the Caracoles Festival to be muddled by the various election issues so the Davao del Norte Provincial Tourism Council and the Caracoles Samal 2010 Executive Committee are moving the Festival after the May 10 election.
IGaCoS Mayor Aniano Antalan called a press conference two weeks ago and said he did not give a permit to the holding of the Caracoles Festival this April “kasi baka magamit lang sa eleksyon.” Antalan was referring to Regional Tourism Council secretary Araceli Ayuste, one of the convenors of the Caracoles Festival. Antalan belongs to the Lakas-CMD while Ayuste, who is running for a seat in Davao del Norte, belongs to the Liberal Party.

In a letter dated February 20, IGACOS City Administrator Cleto Gales, Jr. turned down the application of Perez for a permit to conduct the Caracoles Festival in barangay Penaplata on April 23 to 25 since the city “has not included the Caracoles as one of its 2010 Festival Celebrations, as they expected it to be held in Davao City” where it was held last year.

Antalan said proper coordination was made with the local government of IGaCoS when Caracoles was started six years ago. The local government even contributed a counterpart amount as well as logistical support when it was first staged in Babak District, he added.

The original plan was to hold the Festival alternately in Babak, Samal and Kaputian, but the Department of Tourism staged it at the Waterfront Insular Hotel on the second year, and at the Sta. Ana Wharf last year.

“Substantial coordination from you with the city government, more than just a matter of protocol, should have been properly observed,” Gales said. Further in his letter, he said that the city government should have been involved during the planning, arrangement and preparation for the festival celebration.

The IGaCoS City Council said the Caracoles Festival is a private sector initiative that showcases the island’s creative culture through street dancing, beach sports competition, concerts and fashion showcases.

Perez said the local government of Davao del Norte has allocated P500 thousand for the Caracoles Festival. The private sector has however raised more money for the event, he added.

The money allocated for the Caracoles is however cost effective, the City Council admitted, since it is one way of promoting the island city as a tourism destination and attracting more investments in order to uplift the local government’s stability.
But even if the Caracoles Festival has been postponed after the elections, the city is already set to lose several opportunities that would have made the island more attractive to expatriates and foreigners.

This month’s celebration of the Caracoles Festival would have coincided with the Silver Anniversary celebration of the Philippine Retirement Authority. PRA planned to bring in a hundred or so expatriates to the island during the Festival, to promote Samal as a destination for foreign retirees.

“Yes the celebration is affected by the postponement so we decided to shelve the celebration and instead invite people to the head office for the anniversary celebration on June 23,” PRA regional chief Jaime Llames said.

Ayuste earlier said the Caracoles Festival mean more income for the various resorts in Samal since all their food and drinks went out of stock as early as 8 in the evening during the previous year when the Festival was held in Samal.

Mt. Apo trail map now available for free

Climbers and tourists should not be disappointed with the temporary closure of Mt. Apo to tourists during the Holy Week because there are other things to see and do as shown by the new Mt. Apo Trail Map.

“The closure of Mt. Apo need not mean you can’t enjoy its other attractions,” Department of Tourism XI director Sonia Garcia said. The DOT, which is in the forefront of the Mt. Apo clean-up, discovered that Lake Venado was in dire need of a major clean-up, thus the decision to close the mountain to climbers temporarily.

Garcia said Mt. Apo is not only the highest peak in the Philippines at 9,692 feet but it is also a destination that is truly Holy. She said visitors can get more information about the mountain and its attractions by getting the free Mt. Apo Trail map from their office.

You can reach Davao City, where Mt. Apo is located, by land through the Philtranco Bus from Pasay City in Manila, by sea through SuperFerry or by air through any of the airlines which can charge from P2,000 to P7,000 for a one way ticket. Proceed to Kapatagan in Davao del Sure by bus or private car, and register at the site for P500 per climber.

Those who simply want to spend some quiet time during the Holy Week can visit Forest Springs, a mountain resort located in Kapatagan, Davao del Sur which is one of the jump-off point when climbing Mt. Apo. The resort offers mountain cabins good for up to five persons, with bathing facilities and kitchen. The resort has a campsite and picnic area.

Kapatagan is also the location of Bahay ni Kublai which overlooks the mountain. This is another masterpiece from Kublai, a Davao-based sculptor and artists who designed the very notable giant sculptures at the Davao International Airport and the Davao City People’s Park.

And while you’re in Kapatagan, you can also visit Camp Sabros which does not only provide a breath-taking view of the mountain, but also offers one of the longest zip lines in the country at 400 meters.

Garcia said those who are interested to know more about culture can visit the Kalimudan Bagobo Cultural Village in barangay Tibolo, Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur, just at the foot of Mt. Apo. The Cultural Village provides a majestic view with an elevation of 2,000 meters above sea level.

“We are also proud of the Boulders of Mt. Apo which is another exhilarating feature of the mountain,” she said.

Samal Caracoles Festival Launched

Caracoles Festival

Samal Island is cashing in on the summer heat made more unbearable by the El Nino phenomenon by offering more than their cool, white sand beaches. This time, tourists are expected to get enamored to Samal Island from sundown to sunrise through the Caracoles Festival which is usually being held during the last Saturday of April.

The Davao Region Tourism Council supported by the Department of Trade and Industry officially opened the Summer Fun in the Sun program at the Gaisano Mall of Davao yesterday and presented the 2010 Caracoles Festival to the public with a sampling of the creative marine-life inspired dances by the Mugnapak Dancers.

“This is already the 3rd Fun in the Sun for the region and this should send a positive signal to the public that all tourism destinations here are ready to provide them with all the fun they can get under the sun,” Regional Tourism Council secretary Araceli Ayuste said.

The highlight of the “Fun in the Sun” program is the Caracoles Festival which will be back to Samal Island after being held at the Sta. Ana Wharf in 2009. The Festival will be held specifically at the Penaplata Elementary School in Samal Island and the fun begins at 6 o’clock in the evening.

“We expect the Caracoles Festival as well as the overall Fun in the Sun program to bring in lots of income for establishments in Samal Island,” Ayuste said. She encouraged everyone who wanted a taste of island living to join them for the Caracole Festival as it is guaranteed to be a non-stop party for the guests.

She said the program is a continuation of the five-day Gulf Dive so it is expected to be a pretty long summer holiday for those visiting Samal Island. But even those who just want to stay overnight without checking in on one of the resorts can still enjoy the Caracoles as they don’t need to sleep all night.

The Caracoles Festival is one of the four Davao Region festivals included in DOT’s extensive promotion including Kadayawan Festival in Davao City, the Musikahan Festival in Tagum, Davao del Norte and the Bulawanon Festival in Compostela Valley.