nueva viscaya

Two eco-tourism attractions in Nueva Vizcaya are up for development to boost the tourism industry in the region.

Tourism Regional Director Blessida Diwa identified the potential sites as the Malabing Valley and the Alayan Caves, both of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya .

Diwa said the Malabing Valley is a citrus and vegetable farm located in a rainforest area included on the Farm Tourism Project (FTP) of the Department of Tourism.

On the other hand, the Alayan Caves have beautiful limestone formations and a subterranean river, she said. The regional director, however, said a feasibility study will have to be conducted to determine the extent of improvements that will be made in the said tourist attractions.

She said the regional office, in coordination with the local government units, will conduct homestay training courses for qualified homeowners who will soon provide the accommodation needs of travellers and tourists into the valley.

Cagayan river outdoor club sets expedition of R.P.'s longest river

By Froctoso C. Agustin

TUGUEGARAO, Cagayan, Feb. 06 (PNA) - The members of the Cagayan River Outdoor Club (CROC) will send an expedition of the country's longest and grandest river next month. Tourism Regional Director Blessida Diwa said the expedition will start from the Casecnan area in Nueva Viscaya and will end in Aparri, Cagayan where the Cagayan river meets the China Sea and the Babuyan Channel.

Diwa said it is expected that the expedition will generate awareness among the local residents and participants of the need to keep the environment clean particularly the Cagayan river and its tributaries.

The participants will be tasked to look into the conditions of the rivers and other bodies of water in the region, their extent of pollution, if ever, the status of marine life, wildlife and others.

"If we know all these, then, there's no reason why we cannot maintain our resources," she said.

The Club is composed of mountaineers and nature lovers who are also out to protect mother nature for the future generations, she said. She said the whitewater rafting or boating along the Cagayan river will be an attractive tourism activity in the region because it is the longest and grandest river in the country.
NUEVA VIZCAYA CAVES REVIVE TOURISM DRIVE

Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya, - Tourism is expected to be a major contributor to the economy of this province once the infrastructure projects already approved by the provincial and national governments are in place. A major component of the improvements is the ongoing development of the Dalton Pass area in Sta. Fe town which is envisioned to serve as a one-stop shop major tourism complex to guide tourists on a variety of information on tourist attractions in Cagayan Valley. Part of this project is the construction of modern comfort rooms costing P1.5 million to cater to visitors. These developments will all come in handy once tourists flock to the recently rediscovered Alayan Caves in Kasibu, described by the Nueva Vizcaya-based Sang-at Salug Outdoor Club (SSOC), a group of backpackers and spelunking enthusiasts as ''a combination of the caves of Sagada, Mountain Province and Callao in Peñablanca, Cagayan.'' Gov. Rodolfo Agbayani said the caves were featured in a recent workshop of the USAID-funded governance and local democracy project in Manila. The caves were the focus of a photo display by the Nueva Vizcaya delegation where it drew interest and attention from workshop participants. SSOC members, accompanied by Sierra Madre Outdoor Club members, Japanese experts and cave photographer Richard Guzman, recently conducted a partial exploration of Alayan Caves, using a truck against the rough and slippery mountain trail after passing Solano town and turning eastward to Quezon town. The cave is multi-chambered and full of stalagmites and stalactites in various shapes and formations, with a subterranean river before reaching the crystal formations. The SSOC, in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is exploring other features of the caves to record necessary data for its promotional programs. An initial amount of P200,000 has been allocated by the provincial government to provide basic accommodations to visitors. (from PNA News)

Aritao...Japanese War Shrine -- a tourist attraction rebuilt in Region 2

pn: Japanese War Shrine -- a tourist attraction rebuilt in Region 2 By Froctoso C. Agustin TUGUEGARAO, Cagayan, Aug. 29 (PNA) - A Japanese War Shrine or a so-called Kirang Pass is a monument in honor of the gallantry of the Japanese Soldiers during World War II was rebuilt in the region to attract local and foreign tourists. Tourism Regional Director Blessida Diwa
said the shrine was built in 1978 by Rakunsankai Society of Japan which is made up of glazed stone. A memorial was engraved in the tablet in Japanese and English languages. The shrine was called Kirang Pass because it stands amidst mountains and hills right in the center of barangay Kirang, Aritao in Nueva Viscaya. The regional Director revealed that Kirang Pass was the scene
of one of the bloodiest encounters between the Japanese soldiers and the Allied Forces during World War II. Diwa said the area is being visited by Japanese students and tourists not only for its historical beauty but also to remind them how Filipino ancestors were able to survive in the furious war existed between the Japanese soldiers and Allied forces. With the further
development of the area as tourist destination would attract historians and students not only in the country but also from abroad to come for a study about war and for a reflection on what had happened during World War II, she said. The area is very memorable to Filipinos for they will be reminded for the bravery and persistency of their ancestors for them to survive during the war.
(PNA) jv/wpt/FCA/

Napanunut Pay

Subject: pn: PB asks Decs to ban playing of spiders by kids in school pn: PB asks Decs to ban playing of spiders by kids in school Cebu City, Aug. 29 (PNA) - The Provincial Board (PB) Wednesday passed a resolution urging the Department of Education Culture and Sports (Decs) Cebu provincial superindent to ban the sale of spiders in schools. The spiders, locally known as "kaka"each cost P20 to P25. The children place bets which range from P5 to P25 on the spiders
which are made to fights on sticks cut from coconut midribs. PB Majority floor leader Juan bolo said Decs should actively discourage the continued sale and playing of spiders in school as this distracts the children from their lessons and introduces them to heavy gambling. He added that the children tend to sacrifice their snack or lunch just to buy the spiders which are also poisonous and can pose bodily harm on the kids.(PNA)EB/BH -Rep. Ranjit Ramos Shahani (sixth district, Pangasinan) will formally announced here that the

Cagayan Valley road will be constructed starting this year up to the year 2001.

Shahani said the road, with a length of 39 kilometers, is the most important alignment in Cagayan Valley which include the existing San Jose-Sta. Fe road, also called the Maharlika road, and the Aparri-Laoag--Batac road. Saying that the new road will remove Cagayan Valley from its isolation and provide another road link, Shahani said the highway will connect lowland San
Nicolas, Pangasinan to Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya across the Caraballo mountain range. The new highway will be an alternate road from Manila to Cagayan Valley, passing through eastern Pangasinan, he said. He added that this will be a big boon to Cagayan Valley where the government is developing Port Irene in Cagayan and an airport in Santiago, Isabela and is still
looking for more development thrusts in Cagayan Valley. Right now the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan is funding the conduct of detailed engineering studies for the project, Shahani said. He added that corollary to this, there were several consultations held between officials of both Nueva Vizcaya and Pangasinan regarding the proposed project. Earlier, some people of Nueva Vizcaya, especially in Sta. Fe, expressed objection to the proposed project for fear that it may trigger erosions and landslides in the mountain sides. They also fear water disturbance of rivers and streams from where some people were obtaining their drinking water as a result of the multi-billin peso project. But shahani calmed down the opposition to the project by saying that all llegitimate concerns of the people will be respected. "If the Environmental Compliance Certificate will be obtained, then the funding for the actual construction of the road from the OECF will be released," Shahani pointed out. Hailing this project, the congressman said this will be a major development for eastern Pangasinan and Cagayan Valley should it be completed soon. The proposed Cagayan Valley road used to be an old guerilla supply route in World War II, known as the Villaverde road.


Series of Heroes' Tours of northern Luzon since early this year.

Tourism Regional Director Blessida Diwa said the conduct of local tours for the youth is part of the Department's "Huwag Maging Dayuhan sa Sariling Bayan" program and which aims to instill in the minds of the youth the sense of nationalism.

Among the places visited by the youth included the Callao Caves Tourist Zone in Cagayan, the Magat Dam Tourism
Complex in Isabela, Villa Margarita Mountain Resort in Nueva Vizcaya and the various age-old churches and museum of the Cagayan Valley region's provinces;

The Ifugao Rice Terraces, the Yamashita Shrine and the Kiangan Museum all in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the five -star resort Fort Ilocandia, the Malacanang of the North, the Marcos Mausoleum the Juan Luna Shrine and the various age old attractions of Vigan, all in the Ilocos region..

Of all the places visited, the Callao Caves Tourist Zone, the Ifugao Rice Terraces and the Vigan heritage are now included in the country's top 25 tourist destinations and which are being promoted all over the world as must-see tourist spots in thePhilippines.
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Tourist news . The DOT regional director said these landmarks should be clean, install new markings so these would be more visible and attractive to local and foreign tourists.

Among the historical sites being eyed for rehabilitation are: The Kirang Pass in Nueva Viscaya, one of the bloodiest
scene during the World War II; Calvary Hills, commemorates the passion and death of the Lord Jesus Christ; the monuments of heroes erected in all public parks in the region and others.

Diwa said the cleaning up and repair of the heroes' monuments will be a manifestation of people's support to the Philippine Centennial Movement and Philippine Centennial Celebration.

"Our heroes and great ancestors had shed blood to fight for independence in order to spare future generations from slavery,
therefore they deserve to be honored by us," the regional director said.