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BANTON 2003 – MASTER PLAN |
INTRODUCTION
The
attached brochure promoting Banton as an eco-cultural tourism site should,
without a doubt, convince us that indeed, it has so much potential. What
the brochure presents are merely what we have now and we know that most of
them are not yet developed. Yet, we see that Banton can already offer what
other tourism sites offer, and probably more. Other
than the beaches and the other natural attractions, we offer something
more that most likely will catch the interest of both international and
local tourists especially the backpackers (tourists who love adventure but
do not have the financial resources as the classical tourists; their
demands and standards are not that high; you see them lodging in third
class hotels, riding as regular paying passengers). Banton can offer
them a unique culture and a colorful history as attested by some
structural remains, the Guyangan caves, and the treasures displayed in the
National Museum – the ikat cloth and the wooden coffins. More so, as one
of the recognized ethnic groups in the country, we are an interesting
people – a small community with its own language, people in a tiny
rugged island of mountains and rocks yet home to many successful people
that include national figures such as Gabriel Fabella, Cornelio Faigao and
if you may, Leonardo Festin. What
more if we develop these sites including those not mentioned in the
brochure but nonetheless possess good potentials? What more if we couple
this with a calendar of festivities, cultural activities and even
sportsfests? This
paper basically presents a framework for us to maximize Banton’s
potential as an eco-cultural tourism site and thus help prop up the local
economy that for so long has depended so much on the national government.
It is hoped that we will not only capture a slice of the market of foreign
tourists or tourists from other provinces but more importantly the
thousands of Bantoanons who reside outside of the island and who rarely
come home. It is hoped that a consistent and sufficient volume of people
will then attract investments and spur economic activity in the island. It
also presents insights to address concerns on transportation,
communication, food supply and accommodation. This
paper is, at the most, a work of one person who does not claim to be an
expert but with a vision and a genuine desire to help Banton move forward,
with occasional consultations with close friends and relatives. Thus, it
does not claim to be perfect. It has to come out though to start a
discussion and hopefully, eventual action. This paper will actually be
forwarded to the Sangguniang Bayan of Banton and the Office of the Mayor
for their consideration. Finally, it hopes that we can fully launch Banton as an eco-cultural tourism site in January of 2003, hence the title – BANTON 2003. |
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