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Danao: investing in people & historic natural resource

Written by Misael on 13 May 2008

FOR YEARS, elusive capital has evaded Danao leaders intending to shake off insurgency baggage to hitch ride with Bohol tourism development bandwagon.

Without a reliable investor willing to risk and left with nothing but raw manpower and cascading tourism resource potential, Danao Mayor Thomas Louis Gonzaga claimed they could not just easily surrender to fate.

“We have been urging investors to come [to Danao], did not get any,” Mayor Gonzaga said in his message during the ceremonies marking the turn over of DOT grants to Bohol communities tourism development efforts two weeks ago.

Staking his political career on the line, the adventurous mayor confessed that their natural resource and the people here finally decided to get matters in their own hands.

On their drawing boards, they witnessed the slow emergence of a tourism community based tourism package that enhances their natural environment and gives its people the pride in their place.

Then the strategic and impenetrable camp of Dagohoy rebellion, the country’s longest serious uprising against Spanish authorities, Danao’s impenetrable forests, intricate network of caves, steep cliffs and rippling river has also hosted local insurgents supported by residents mired in hip deep poverty.

Now, getting government presence via the Department of Tourism’s (DOT) “Grassroots Entrepreneur-ship and Employment in Tourism (GREET) Mayor Gonzaga, said “this time the government hit the nail right on the head.”

With people now committed to develop and enhance its resources, the town has slowly carved a name as new tourist adventure destination in Central Bohol, admits Department of Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, in his recent visit to the mountainous town.

What used to be historic base camp of the country’s revolutionary leader Francisco Dagohoy, Danao now uses its almost impenetrable forests, riddling caves and deep limestone cliffs also provide a perfect opportunity for development with a new eco-educational adventure tourism (EAT) package.

“We are offering the modern experience of allowing tourists to re-trace Francisco Dagohoy exploits in the mountains here, so we offer caving, zip-lining, root climbing, rock scaling, bouldering, rappelling, navigating the rapids through rubber tubes and this time, with river kayaks,” said a local guide while explaining how to lash the safety harnesses for the zip line tyrolean traverse over the green Wahig river.

Not only that, the tour package also includes community immersion and interaction plus a countless chances for communion with nature in a park that boasts of pristine rivers, creeks, forests and cave with river system experiences.

“Experience respect for nature, the ecosystem and Danao’s history would be the main reason why tourists would come here and with locals getting livelihood, this should be sustainable, the local guide added.

Over this, Mayor Gonzaga added “It has to be the community that takes care of our environment, that is our main resource and that is livelihood for them.”

As to Sec. Durano, he said giving [the people] livelihood helps the community rid of the problem of insurgency.

To this, Gonzaga agrees, while adding that tourism is not just about jobs, but about community livelihood as well.

In addition, the country’s top tourist promoter shared that the Bohol tourism is environment-based and protecting it is just the way Danao is doing.

Now, Danao has proven that investing in its people and the resources can be a profitable experience, not just for the people’s pockets but their cultural being as well. (rachiu/PIA)

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