Blazing Bohol.

Bohol did shine at the First Philippine International Tourism Fair 2007 held on September 5-7 at the Cebu International Convention Center (CCIC) in Mandaue City. The fair was participated in by the different regional Department of Tourism (DOT) offices, provincial and city local government units, resorts, hotels, airline companies, and travel agencies in the country. Several visitors and travel agents from all over the world came to forge connections with the Philippines through travel and tourism.

The Provincial Government of Bohol through the Bohol Tourism Office (BTO) joined the fair. Among the hundred booths in the fair, the Blazing Bohol booth came out unique and amazing. Instead of the usual four-cornered booth with tarpaulins and picture frames showing off photographs of a certain destination, Bohol recreated the river cruise experience. Designed by Mr. Boy Dumadag, the area was filled with green palm trees, ferns, and birds of paradise. The centerpiece was a bamboo raft with dashing Boholanos aboard. A play of lights made the greenery more scenic and alive. People flocked to the booth to take photos or to have their photos taken with the models. Either way, it prompted people to get the different brochures and flyers on display, and to ask for more information about our island paradise. Mr. Dumadag also designed the stage during the Blazing Bohol presentation on September 6.

The Bohol booth was joined by four different resorts from Panglao. Their booths also recreated their look and identity as resorts in their small four-cornered areas. Amarela Resort designed their booth with wood works and rustic sculptures; the Bohol Bee Farm with colorful mats, walls, and lamps made of native materials; Eskaya, on the hand, showed their elegant posh look. The Bohol Divers Resort represented an under-the-sea look. There was also Amorita Resort, which joined a country-wide collective of inns and resorts but nevertheless proudly made it known that it’s Bol-anon. A resort in Pandanon Island of Getafe managed by a Cebuano also joined the fair.

The Blazing Bohol presentation highlighted the Bohol video that Teddy Ramasola created. Each of the participating resorts were given time to share what they have and what they can offer to their guests. A raffle draw with prizes from the said resorts as well as from the Bohol Federation of Travel and Tours Operators (BOFETTO) excited the fair participants and visitors. A group of Loboc river cruise singers serenaded the crowd with beautiful Visayan music. They also performed the famous single “Biyaheng Bohol” of the Brownbuds, a Tagbilaran-based reggae band. The presentation, which was hosted by Vida Tirol (murag kaila ko nija!), was followed by a cocktail catered by the Port Seafood Restaurant of Waterfront Hotel.

The three-day fair was also participated by independent travel agents, thus, members of BOFETTO were there, too. Aside from BTO headed by Ms. Baby Balio and Ms. Josephine Cabarrus, our strong supporters were there. We met Mr. Vic and Mrs. Purita Soliven among the crowd. We also bumped into Ms. Vicky Wallace, Ms. Resti Tejido, Mr. Holger Horn, Mr. Danny Nazareno, Ms. Nonette Bolo, Mrs. Sarah Dejaresco, Mr. Jun Caturza, and Mr. Michael Yu, among others. I was told later on that Mr. Peter Dejaresco, the Bohol Tourism Council president, was there during the opening as well as BM Ae Damalerio, who was quoted saying that the Bohol booth was beautiful.

Recalling the Bohol booth during the WoW Philippines 2005 in Intramuros and the Philippine booth during the 3^rd China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, China, wherein Bohol was the centerpiece, I have concluded that the Boholanos have its own way of coming out unique. Molahi gyud ang Bohol!

For that, Congratulations!

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Blazing Boholano!

We would also like to congratulate Mr. Noel P. Tuazon for grabbing a bronze during the Palanca Awards 2007 for the Short Story in Cebuano category. He also won an award for the Gawad Komisyon 2007 for his poetry in Cebuano. Mr. Tuazon teaches at the Holy Name University (HNU) and is a member of KaKa (Kaliwat Ni Karyapa), a group of writers in Bohol.

We’re proud of you, Roy!