DAPITAN CITY, Zamboanga del Norte - The local government and private stakeholders here are upbeat in developing potential eco-tourism sites aiming to make this city a haven for tourists.

The move also aims to provide places for tourists, both foreign and domestic, to enjoy nature while coming to this city during festivals like the "Kinabayo Festival."

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Councilor Apple Marie Agolong, chairperson of the City Council's Committee on Tourism, said the city and Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Government in partnership with Dakak Park and Beach Resort management are focusing the development efforts on Aliguay and Selinog Islands.

Aliguay and Selinog Islands are island villages located roughly 10 to 14 kilometers, respectively, from Tag-ulo Point.

Both Aliguay and Selinog, which have a land area of 66 hectares and 72 hectares, respectively, with white sand beaches and rich aquatic resources, are 25-minute ride away from this city's mainland.

Agolong however said that first to be developed is Aliguay Island, which has three diving sites and has been identified as marine sanctuary.

Zamboanga del Norte Provincial Government through the provincial tourism office headed by lawyer Patrick Ivan Ang is also involve in developing Aliguay Island into an eco-tourism park.

Aliguay, which is near Dipolog City, the capital of Zamboanga del Norte is also the site of the fishing competition during Hudyaka sa ZaNorte (Zamboanga del Norte), from May 28 to June 11 every year, which is the anniversary of the province.

Agolong said the Octopus Bar and Restaurant in Aliguay Island will be opened in three months time as well as cottages citing "its construction are being fast track."

At present, there is already a three-bedroom three-storey house owned by former provincial tourism council head Lawyer Michael Allan Ranillo where tourists could stay for three days and two nights for free.

Aliguay Island, which is planted with coconuts, bananas and vegetables, has a population of about 1,500 people, most of them rely on fishing as means of livelihood.

Agolong said that on the way to Aliguay Island, the tourists could also have dolphins and whales watching from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 3 p.m. to sundown daily.

Agolong said they are coming up with new tourists sites since the number of tourists going to this city continue to increase.

City Tourism officer-in-charge Rodiolan Porlas said the number of tourists, both foreign and domestic, who visited this city last year have almost doubled compared to the previous year.

Porlas said there were 298,945 tourists who visited this city last year compared to 184,100 in 2008.

Porlas said most of the tourists' visit this city was during the Kinabayo Festival. The festival's centerpiece of events is from July 16 and culminating in July 25 with the annual feast of St. James The Greater, Dapitan City's patron saint.

Kinabayo is an exotic and colorful pageant re-enacting the Spanish-Moorish wars, particularly the Battle of the Covadonga, wherein the Spanish forces took their last stand against the Saracens.

In that war, the Spanish forces were able to reverse the tide of the war with the miraculous apparition of Saint James, the Apostle.

The addition of local color and innovations has made the Kinabayo Festival, which is an annual festivity, a popular attraction to tourists of this city.

"Indeed it is a tourist attraction. It is through the Kinabayo Festival that we show out religious opulence," Councilor Apple Marie Agolong said. (Bong Garcia)