Tuesday, August 28, 2007 Espina: Biliran Beckons By Mila Espina In my diary
HAVE you heard of Biliran? It is the smallest province in Eastern Visayas, some 1,115 kilometers southwest of Manila, nestled between the islands of Leyte and Samar.
We were invited by Governor Rogelio J. Espina, M.D., to visit the place for the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing on Tourism Development Initiatives between the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R). It is headed by, Father president Anthony Morillo, OAR, who hails from Almeria, Biliran, and the Province of Biliran.
It was a leisurely two-hour journey to Ormoc City via Supercat. The group from USJ-R, aside from Father Morillo, were Father Amadeo Lucero, OAR, director, external affairs; law dean Atty. Jonathan Capanas, commerce department dean; Dr. Edgar Detoya, UP-Administration/Academics; and Father Ferdinand Fornilos, OAR. Another two hours or more of land travel with Minerva Rodriguez, Provincial Tourism Office worker, brought, us finally to Biliran. The MOA signing took place at the Governor’s Hall, Naval, the capital of Biliran. USJ-R, through the College of Commerce and Office of External Affairs, serves as a consultant in augmenting related research and promotions to give Biliran ample tourism mileage.
Gov. Espina is determined to put Biliran in the Philippine’s tourism map, through a long-term agri-tourism masterplan.
Biliran is the “fruit basket” of the Visayas, soon the whole Philippines. It is rich with agricultural resources and enterprising people.
Priority programs are infrastructures, development of parks (Tinago Falls); alternative power supply; reforestation of denuded uplands, and promotion of intensified and diversified farming. Gov. Espina’s vision is not far from realization—taking into consideration the eight component municipalities and 132 barangays; thriving communication access; progressive education (Naval Institute of Technology, Biliran National Agricultural College (literacy rate of 90.80 percent) and natural and man-made marvels (like the places we visited—the Tinago Waterfalls, the Agta Beach where we were served lechon chicken and the Naravil Mangrove Boardwalk).
We were billeted at the Biliran Garden Resort. It boasts of a fresh ambiance, well-appointed rooms and a amenitures; good food, a wholesome family-oriented KTV and music bar, and polite personnel.
Ms. Casino-Filipino Cebu
We enjoyed judging Ms. Casino-Filipino-Cebu (CFC) held at Teatro Casino.
The well-paced pageant (thanks to Victor Cuenco) harnessed the dancing skills of the University of Cebu (Dance of Fire cast). Colored by variegated lights, fabulous props and good sound facilities added to the effect. Jo Beltran did a swell job putting all these things together with GM Danny Cuneta on top of event. Jun-jun Osmeña was happy to see the success of Pagcor’s collective efforts.
The candidates were Gail Vanz, Rachel Tan, Hannah Branzuela, Sarah Artes, Carielyn Encierto, Sheila Jaralve, Jennifer Bresser, Celeste Cajegas and Hannah Famador. Unanimously chosen as the fairest were: Jennifer Bresser, as Ms. Casino Filipino-Cebu with Carielyn Encierto first runner-up and Sarah Artes second runner-up.
