Guimaras, Philippines

 By RAGIE MAE TANO-ARELLANO
ABS-CBN Bacolod

The crew of the MV Maria Beatriz of Montenegro Lines rescued brothers Cesar 34, and Cipriano Espinosa Jr. 29, in the waters of Guimaras at 7 a.m. Friday after being cast off from their boat due to bad weather.

Cesar told ABS-CBN Bacolod huge waves destroyed their pumpboat while they were fishing.

They were stranded at sea for more than 19 hours without food and water.

They left their house in Barangay Balangigay in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental at 6 a.m. Thursday.

ABS-CBN News 

From breathtaking sights to mouth-watering delicacies, Guimaras Island is a veritable treasure trove of delights. As one of the lesser-known destinations in the country, it has managed to maintain its pristine charms, charms that more than a year ago were threatened by an ecological mishap.

In August 2006, M/V Solar 1, an oil tanker chartered by Petron, sank off Guimaras’ shores, spilling 2.4 million liters of oil and contaminating 1,000 hectares of mangrove areas. The massive oil spill threatened species such as dugong and rare sea turtles. At that time, environmentalists called the accident the worst oil spill in the country’s history and estimated the cleanup to take at least a year.

But the joint efforts by the Department of Tourism, the United Nations Development Program, Canadian Urban Institute, and the Guimaras local government have worked wonders in restoring the province’s beauty. Last April 19, the coalition established a community-based tourism project called, “Guisi Discovery Quest” in Sitio Guisi, Barangay Dolores in Nueva Valencia.

The project focuses on the century-old lighthouse (Guisi lighthouse) to promote heritage tourism. The Guisi lighthouse is a remarkable landmark built in 1896 by the Spanish government located on top of the mountain. From the lighthouse, foreign and local visitors can also enjoy the previously undiscovered wonders of the Guisi beaches, or the lush wilderness trails leading to the majestic Panluron Falls.

Manila Standard Today

GUIMARAS ISLAND—The country’s tourism industry is expected to sustain its growth despite the growing impact of the economic recession in the United States and the global rice supply crisis, according to Tourism Secretary Joseph “Ace” Durano.

“We have the momentum. We are in a better position now than we started three years ago in taking advantage of more emerging markets,” Durano told reporters on Saturday during the launching of the Guisi Discovery Quest, a community-based tourist adventure and heritage site at Nueva Valencia town on the island-province of Guimaras.

Durano said tourist arrivals in the country would not suffer a dent with the expected global economic impact of the US recession and rice crisis.

He pointed out that foreign travel “is really a luxury” and involves those with extra income who will not be affected most by the economic crunch.

Tourist arrivals from the US for the first three months of this year increased by six percent, according to Durano.

Visitors from the country’s fastest growing tourism market–China and Russia—have also continued to grow. “They’re not slowing down at all,” he said.

Tourism is among the top contributors to the country’s economy.

Durano said tourism generated around $4.88 billion or more than P200 billion last year. Around P120 billion was also invested in tourism including infrastructure projects. By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.

News Today 

THE rice crisis is no laughing matter. But then, neither are election rigging, revelatory wiretaps, failed military revolts, political assassinations and massive corruption. Filipinos smile in the face of adversity, even when our bellies grumble. We transform every revolt into a festival, every failed coup d’état into a spectator sport and every headline on corruption into a punch line. It’s how we survive. Here are a few offbeat suggestions to beat the rice crisis:

Do the Atkins

High-protein regimens mean less rice. People will think you’re faddish and lean; we know you’re really just dirt poor and hungry. Seriously, protein is the most expensive part of any meal; that’s where the real value lies. The cheaper the meal, the more oil, fat and carbohydrates it has for extenders and the smaller the actual meat. Unless you till the land like our hardworking farmers, you really don’t need a lot of carbohydrates. Having any fat in excess of a farmer’s lean physique means you’re eating more than you need. Just make sure you take lots of dietary fiber with your protein. And that ‘s why you should…By Rome Jorge Lifestyle Editor

Manila Times