TACLOBAN CITY – After a year since closing its borders to all visitors, the provincial government of Biliran has greenlighted for the grandular reopening of its tourism destinations.
This was confirmed by provincial tourism officer Jun Oliva who said that tourists who will visit the towns of Kawayan, Almeria and Maripipi, the three towns which are among areas in the province that agreed to reopen their tourism sites, have to strictly follow all the health minimum standards during their stay.
Almeria is home to major waterfalls like the Ulan-Ulan, Bagongbong, and Recoletos Waterfalls and its versions of rice terraces located in the villages of Sampao and Iyusan.
In Kawayan town, its major tourist attractions include the Busai Falls, Masongsong spring swimming pool, and the Tingkasan Bat Cave.
Sambawan Island, a major tourist attraction of Maripipi, however, will start to welcome tourists beginning April 10.
“All incoming travelers will undergo verification and health screening at the border checkpoint, after which the tourist assistance center (in each town) will assist them,” Oliva said.
At the border checkpoint, tourists will undergo clinical and exposure assessment.
Tourists are required to wear face masks and face shields while undergoing the process then they will have to present their valid identification card.
Foreign tourists who will be visiting the province will have to present a negative RT-PCR test taken two days before their arrival.
Those with symptoms will be prohibited from entering Biliran while those who are asymptomatic will be advised to proceed to Step 2 process which is filling up an arrival form at the Tourism Assistance Center.
The tourists will also be requested to present proof of hotel booking or sponsorship of a homeowner where they will be staying.
Those who do not have accommodation will be assisted by tourism personnel to book in a facility accredited by the Department of Tourism.
After their visit to the province, tourists are also required to visit the tourism assistance center to inform, and to properly record their departure.
They may also provide feedback and suggestions to what they experience and observe during their visit in the island province.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY-To strengthen the institutional capacities of local government units (LGUs) in composting community waste and to reduce farmers’ reliance on commercial fertilizers, agriculturists, and representatives from different provinces in the region had a series of hands-on training in this city.
The training on Capacity Enhancement on the Operations of Composting Facility for Biodegradable Waste (CFBW) conducted at the city’s Materials Recovery Facility, was spearheaded by Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center 8, in partnership with Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), an attached agency of Department of Agriculture, and the local government through City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Head Jonathan Hijada, who facilitated the demonstration on the processing and packaging of fertilizers during the actual session.
Meantime, BSWM Region 12 Coordinator Leolito D. Siase, who likewise graced the activity, was met with evident eagerness and enthusiasm by the participating LGUs as he talked on the composting process, noting “to learn this will help improve and promote the organic farming system and will alleviate the burden of buying commercial fertilizers that are expensive and detrimental to the environment.”
Siase was also joined by other BSWM personnel led by Area Coordinator Armando Arcamo.
Since the program implementation in 2018, a total of 57 LGUs in Region 8 have inked in promoting organic farming, in support of food security measures, especially during this pandemic.
Meanwhile, the said face-to-face training which started Wednesday (March 10), is limited only to 16 participants per day, to observe the proper health protocols, and will last until March 19, 2021.
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)