Mindanao Magazine

Bird’s eye view of Sarangani’s jewel

Mindanao Magazine - Travel — Wed, 16 May 2012 02:27:50 +0000

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 13, 2012) – The venue of Sarangani Bay Festival on May 18-19, the white sand beachfront at right, is shown in this aerial photo by Cocoy Sexcion. SarBay Fest is the biggest beach festival in Mindanao and has been hosted for the past six years in Gumasa, now known as Sarangani’s jewel for beach lovers. more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Sarangani becoming haven for sports tourism

Mindanao Magazine - Travel — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:03:51 +0000

By JUN RAMOS KIAMBA, Sarangani (May 15, 2012) – Sarangani is becoming a haven for sports tourism, a tourism official said, with the biggest national cycling stage race kicking off in Sarangani right after the Sarangani Bay Festival. SarBay Fest will be held in Gumasa where Singapore’s leading adventurer Khoo Swee Chiow with two of the Philippine’s finest kayakers Erwin “Buzzy” Budlong of Cebu and Arnel Gabutero of Davao City started on August 31, 2009 the first-ever attempt to kayak the entire length of the Philippines that ended 3,300 km. away in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. “Just like the Sarangani Bay Fest which happens in May 18-19 and bringing about 800 sports enthusiasts to enjoy Sarangani Bay through Fun Run, the 15-kilometer Swim-Across-the-Bay, paragliding, jetski offshore adventure, bancarera and other beach sports,” Regional Tourism Council chair Michelle Solon said LBC Ronda Pilipinas is bringing in “96 athletes in 16 teams competing in different stages and venues in the Philippines.” “LBC Ronda Pilipinas, a national road biking competition, has chosen Sarangani as the starting point of its Mindanao Leg,” said Solon, who also chairs the Provincial Tourism Council. “LBC Ronda is going to do their time trial on May 23 at the Provincial Capitol and inviting even local road bikers of Sarangani to participate in the time trial,” said Solon. “On May 24, the real race happens starting from General Santos to Kiamba and back with about 180 kms on this leg of the race,” Solon added. Jaideep Chulani, project director of Ronda Pilipinas 2012, has informed Governor Migs Dominguez that “the race will start in Sarangani and reach General Santos City, Kiamba and Davao City passing through various town and municipalities of Sarangani Province.” Ronda Pilipinas 2012 – the biggest national cycling stage race covering Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao – “will feature at least 96 Filipino cyclists vying for cash prizes totaling almost 8 million Pesos, the biggest prize ever for local cycling,” said Chulani in a letter to the governor. “Together we can maximize the impact of this massive sports event upon your constituents and the public at large. Ronda Pilipinas 2012 will be an exciting sports event and tourist attraction that will encourage people to love our country and take up cycling which is an eco-friendly sport,” Chulani said. The organizers have mapped out a 2,077 km route, up from last year’s 1,650 km, that will take the riders from Mindanao to Northern Luzon and back to Manila in the 19-day, 15-stage competition which starts with a 20km prologue – an individual time trial – in Sarangani on May 23 and ends with a 15-lap race on June 10. The organizers said riders will be ferried from all over the country to Sarangani starting May 20 in time for the prologue three days later. The 15 regular stages have an average distance of 138 km with 13 of them on flat roads, putting the riders in a race against time right in the first stage, a 183.3 km ride from General Santos City to Kiamba, Sarangani and back to General Santos. The other stages and their distances are Stage 2, GenSan to Davao (143.2km), Stage 3, Tagum City-Butuan City (225.7km), Stage 4, Butuan-Surigao (118.7km), Stage 5, Ormoc-Tacloban (146.6km), Stage 6, Tacloban-Calbayog (170km), Stage 7, Legazpi-Naga (115km), Stage 8, Daet-Lucena (209.2km), Stage 9, Lucena-Antipolo (154.6km), Stage 10, San Fernando, Pampanga-Cabanatuan (119.4km), Cabanatuan to Lingayen (Stage 11), Lingayen to Baguio (Stage 12), another time trial in Baguio (Stage 13), San Fernando, La Union to Tarlac (Stage 14) and Valenzuela to Manila (Stage 15) on June 10, according to the organizers. (Jun Ramos/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

SarBay boat racer takes a break

Mindanao Magazine - Travel — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:57:48 +0000

GUMASA, Sarangani (May 14, 2012) – File photo shows a boat racer taking a break after competing with other riders from all over Mindanao during the “Bancarera”, a motorized boat competition staged by Bombo Radyo General Santos City in celebration of Sarangani Bay Festival at Gumasa. This year’s competition will be on May 19 in the same venue. For more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . Come and enjoy Sarangani Bay Festival on May 18-19, 2012. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Small Towns in Mindanao are Engines for Development

Mindanao Magazine - News — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:51:53 +0000

The municipality of Esperanza in Sultan Kudarat partnered with the U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) to build the Laguinding Barangay Bridge (in photo), and covered 25 percent of the total cost of the project. The bridge improves the farm-to-market delivery of agricultural commodities from the surrounding area, and helps control water flow during the rainy season. A recent study by Ateneo de Davao’s Institute for Socio-Economic Development Initiatives reports that barangay bridges such as those that are funded under USAID’s Growth with Equity in Mindanao Program, bring in an average return of about two pesos for every peso invested in them. The bridge is one of more than 1,400 community infrastructure projects implemented by USAID under its Growth with Equity in Mindanao Program, under the oversight of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

Power consumers’ general membership assembly

Mindanao Magazine - News — Sun, 13 May 2012 04:07:30 +0000

GENERAL SANTOS CITY (May 12, 2012) – Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio (on screen) delivers her welcome remarks Saturday, May 12, before guests and around 6,200 members during the 31st Annual General Membership Assembly of South Cotabato Electric Cooperative II (SOCOTECO II) at Lagao Gymnasium. The mayor lauded the electric cooperative for its advocacy in energy saving over print, radio and television and noted that “the lesser energy we consumed, the lesser damage we inflict to the environment.” SOCOTECO II covers the electric distribution for General Santos City, Sarangani province and municipalities of Polomolok and Tupi of South Cotabato. For more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Concrete farm-to-market-road for Maitum village

Mindanao Magazine - News — Sun, 13 May 2012 03:52:41 +0000

MAITUM, Sarangani (May 12, 2012) – (Left to Right) Board Member George Perrett, Mayor Elsie Perrett, Vice Mayor Tito Balazon Sr. and Provincial Engineer Jerry Belbider break ground for the improvement of FEIMCO-Seaside farm-to-market-road Thursday, May 10, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Instead of the usual shovel, they used a road grader to perform the groundbreaking. The project has a total cost of P10,350,054.86 with a duration of 160 calendar days to be implemented by Marbel Construction Development (MARCON). The project covers the concreting of 1.80 kms road length with a 4-meter carriageway and 1.5-meter shoulder on both sides; installation of cross drainage and construction of 1 unit box culvert. For more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . (Joylyn Ty/MAITUM INFORMATION OFFICE)

BelMar Ecopark & Beach Resort along Sarangani Bay

Mindanao Magazine - Travel — Fri, 11 May 2012 02:43:58 +0000

GLAN, Sarangani (May 9, 2012) – BelMar Ecopark & Beach Resort, the province’s newest tourist attraction, looks over Sarangani Bay and Mt. Matutum. The resort which opened Tuesday, May 8, is located in barangay Kapatan just along the national highway going to downtown Glan. It has a resto bar and coffee shop, aircon rooms and cottages and pasalubong center. For more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . Come and enjoy Sarangani Bay Festival on May 18-19, 2012. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Opening of Sarangani’s newest resort

Mindanao Magazine - Travel — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:32:00 +0000

GLAN, Sarangani (May 9, 2012) – Municipal councilor Tranquilino Ruiz III (right), assisted by resort owners Annabelle and Marcelino Tangaro Jr., cuts the ribbon during the grand opening and blessing of BelMar Ecopark & Beach Resort Tuesday, May 8, in barangay Kapatan. It is just along the national highway going to Glan poblacion. For more information about BelMar, you may contact 09089297183 and look for Bell or Mar. For more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . Come and enjoy Sarangani Bay Festival on May 18-19, 2012. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

BelMar ecopark and resort beachline

Mindanao Magazine - Travel — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:12:07 +0000

GLAN, Sarangani (May 9, 2012) – Sarangani’s newest resort, the BelMar Ecopark & Beach Resort, opened Tuesday, May 8, in barangay Kapatan. It is located just along the national highway going to Glan poblacion. It has a white-pebbled beachline with century-old mangrove trees. Just a few meters from the shore is a good site for snorkeling. For more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . Come and enjoy Sarangani Bay Festival on May 18-19, 2012. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)

Village women’s achievement day

Mindanao Magazine - Travel — Thu, 10 May 2012 04:07:31 +0000

ALABEL, Sarangani (May 10, 2012) – Vice Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon tries the different dessert delicacies displayed and prepared by the members of Rural Improvement Club (RIC) women of barangay Tokawal during the root crops dessert contest. The contest highlighted the celebration of 2nd RIC Achievement Day in the village Wednesday, May 9. For more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . Come and enjoy Sarangani Bay Festival on May 18-19, 2012. (Ivan Arroyo/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)