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| Marinduque's southern extremity. Photo: Eli J Obligacion |
Did you know? CNN International once reported: "For
years, Marinduque has been under the foreign tripper's radar, but not for long,
if politicos and developers have their way. The laid-back island-province is
now being touted as the Philippines’ next holiday haven..."
There were domestic flights then until something went very
wrong somewhere. But Cebu Pacific Airlines now operates here, with no one
getting in the way and the Marinduque Airport after runway rehabilitation, its
terminal has been refurbished with local and national officials coming down to
see the changes.
In May 2010, CNN International was saying that Marinduque
could very well be “the next tourist hotspot in Asia”, together with Phu Quoc
in Vietnam, Hainan Island in China and the Ho Tram Strip in Vietnam where
billion dollar investments for resorts were being funneled by their governments
and developers.
There wasn't even a billion peso investment by developers in
Marinduque at that time and even now, and here they're talking dollars ha?
In
June 2010, CNN followed its Marinduque sojourn with “25 killer things to do
this summer”. That’s for people who look to the beach for some relief from the
heat during vacation. In No. 12 was its recommendation to “visit one of Asia’s
next gen tourist hotspots”, citing only one island, Marinduque in the
Philippines and three other places in Vietnam and China, which are “up and
coming tourist hotspots…amazing summer destinations, each for unique reasons.”
Incidentally, CNN article's mention of certain facts in a
good light were apparently referenced from my blog. It even linked the
mentioned article to a video I created.
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| This blogger. |
Therefore, time's ripe for us to make a comeback in the
foreign tripper's radar.
Cong. Lord Allan Velasco has done and continues to do his
part. Justice Presby Velasco, Jr., so inspired and bullish to see Marinduque's agri and eco-tourism and cultural development could hardly wait to roll up his sleeves to face
the task once elected governor of 'one of the world's top islands'!
Indeed, Marinduque's rare and golden opportunity to be a
travel star in the region is here and now.
