CEBU – Bloggers and media from Cebu went home with inspiring stories from the two-day “ecovoluntourism” held recently on the island of Bantayan.
Some 20 selected members of Cebu’s press and members of the Cebu Blogging Community (CBC) returned to Cebu with pictures and stories of the island’s beauty, people’s resiliency, and how the Bantayanons rose victorious after being hit by typhoon Haiyan.
During the event, the group were able to engage with municipal officials of Bantayan and Madridejos and some also interviewed officials of Santa Fe town. They were first toured to the various resorts and accommodations of the island, which is known as a summer getaway in the Visayas, specially during the Holy Week.
The journalists also visited the Women’s Association of Basawon, which is engaged in fashion bag-making, and other organizations.
The town-owned relocation site is located in an eight-hectare lot with 300 units for those who lost their homes or living near danger zones.
Philipp Dukatz, a German travel blogger who was among those in the tour, said the event was a great venue for bringing together social media writers and media people.
“What I liked about the concept of #iBlogforBantayan is that it combined classical aspects of tourism with social side of it all, which often tend to be neglected,” Dukatz said.
He said that becoming aware of all these things and putting it all into perspective and even getting first-hand statements and explanations from government officials was what made the event so educational and informative.
Dukatz wrote about rare opportunities of doing manual labor for the housing relocation site as well as getting inside the cockpit area in his side trips. He took a lot of pictures of sunsets, beaches and the locales.
“Travel writing and especially blogging should not only depict all those fluffy things we see in glossy magazines. It should also ask critical questions and shine the light on those hidden aspects of it. #iBlogforBantayan provided the perfect platform for that,” he said.
Jeph Flores, of kiatcebu.com, said he is inspired with the thought that tourism industry in Bantayan is back. The beaches in Santa Fe are fully operational to serve local tourists and foreign.
Andres Robin, of ElroyRobin.com, said he is delighted to know that the business sector is coming up with an initiative in granting seed money to local groups for various endeavors.
The event #iBlogforBantayan was jointly initiated by the Philippine Information Agency Cebu, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Cebu Blogging Community and Bantayan through Vince Escario, the town’s consultant on tourism and cultural affairs.
PIA Cebu and CBC have been vigilant in their partnership to push for utilizing citizen media for social good and promoting Cebu. (Ferliza C. Contratista)
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