TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in the region has downloaded a fund to the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the implementation or establishment of a science tourism initiative in Leyte.

The fund, worth P175,000 was turned over by the DOST-8 Regional Director Ernesto Granada and Leyte provincial director John Glenn Ocaña to DOT-8 led by chief tourism operations officer Catherina Apostol.

“The proposed project aims to establish a science tourism industry for a wider appreciation of science, technology, and innovation through tourism,” Apostol said.

She added that the DOT-8 will be spearheading the creation of a science tourism network that will showcase local science and technology-themed tourist destinations.

Among the identified science and technology-themed tourist destinations are the Eastern Visayas Science Centrum, in Palo; coffee processing facility in Tongonan, Ormoc City; Baybay sweet potato ice cream facility in Baybay City; the Eastern Visayas food innovation center; the laboratory and technology building of the Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus, the Ormoc City Museum, and the Radar dome of Pagasa.

Also included are the outstanding small enterprise technology upgrading program SETUP), GIA, community empowerment thru science and technology, and iSTART projects, and industrial plants like Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp.(Pasar), Energy Development Corporation, SC Global, SPMI, and others.

Visiting this site allows tourists to experience Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) through educational tourism by means of visual and experiential learning by letting them learn it on hand.

As part of the preparation, a visit to the identified sites will be conducted by the DOT to conduct a workshop on how to develop a tourism product or package which eventually will be used to conceptualize a tour program.

Visits to the sites will start either in September or October.

“This project will generally promote science and technology, and increase the number of tourists, particularly in the province of Leyte, boost the engagement of local tourism stakeholders and enterprises, further promote science and technology as a career path of students,” DOST Director Granada said.

He also expressed his gratitude to the tourism department for collaborating with their office that will become an avenue for innovation, learning, and exploration that will not only contribute to inclusive and sustainable development but will also benefit the environment through conservation and protection, and human resources of the region.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

As part of the annual fiesta celebration

TACLOBAN CITY – After the successful staging last year, the city government of Catbalogan brought back the ‘Karisyuhan han Kakalsahan’ Manaragat Night Parade as part of the major activities for the 20th Manaragat Festival.

The 20th Manaragat Festival is part of the several activities prepared by the city government through its tourism and information offices as part of its annual fiesta in honor of its patron saint St. Bartholomew the Apostle held every August 24.

The competition was joined by seven clustered offices and six clustered villages in the city.
They showcased colorful and lively underwater life through parade gimmicks and illuminated floats featuring local fishes and shells that are found in the seawaters of the Samar provincial capital.

Winners in the festival float competitions were the Lawayan cluster of the City Legal and City Treasurer’s Office (2nd runner-up), Pakul cluster of the City Health Office and City Veterinary Office (1st runner-up), and the Lambiaw cluster of the Sangguniang Panlungsod office and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office as champion.

For the parade gimmick barangay category, the Bukawil cluster bagged the 1st place, while the Karang-karang cluster was awarded as champion.

For the Manaragat Festival grand showdown, which was temporarily stopped by the city government in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Samar National High School emerged as champion winning P200,000.

The Manaragat Festival showdown this year featured folk dances anchored on the theme “Katawhan Katbalogan: Dancing the Waves of Change”.

Samar National High School won the best in musicality and best in costume awards, winning cash prize of P20,000.

The Guinsorongan National High School bagged the 1st runner-op winning P100,000, and the Catbalogan Comprehensive National High School that presented “An Marul” was in 2nd place and won P75,000.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

HERNANI, Eastern Samar – Watch out for the episode of “Biyahe ni Drew” featuring this picturesque town in the island of Samar.

Among those that will be featured in the said episode of the travel documentary show, hosted by Drew Arellano (Andrew James Arellano in real life) and aired every Sunday at 8:25 in the evening over GTV, are the canton noodles and crackers made from squash by an agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO).

Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Glicerio Camenforte shared that while Arellano was going around the different beach locations and savouring local foods, he noticed the San Miguel Farmers Association’s (SMFA’s) squash noodles and crackers and got interested on them. Eventually, Arellano joined SMFA president, Bernardina Docong, in the process of making the ARBO’s products, said Camenforte.

Arellano shared, “Laking DAR (Department of Agrarian Reform) din po ako.” “Palagi po akong dinadala ng lolo ko sa kanyang opisina sa DAR noong sya ay nagtratrabaho pa,” he added.

SMFA was organized by the DAR in 2014, after super Typhoon Yolanda devastated many parts of Eastern Visayas, to be able to avail of various assistance. At the moment, according to Camenforte, SMFA has 50 members already who are all agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

Docong meanwhile disclosed: “In 2018, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) trained us in making squash noodles and crackers.” “It also provided us with the materials and equipment needed in the production,” she added.

This episode of “Biyahe ni Drew” will be aired either on the last week of August or early part of September this year.
(LEMUELL SETH TONOG, DAR Eastern Samar)