CELEBRATING its 73rd anniversary as a town, the once lowly town is now the new go-to place for beach holiday tourism.
Governor Generoso used to be called "Sigaboy" coming from the two words ''siga'' and ''(ba)boy." Legend has it that one day the settlers of the small Island of Sigaboy saw a spirit on fire which the natives call "siga" which means light, with the presence of a pig or “baboy" in Bisaya.
Stunned by the apparition, the settlers kept shouting “Sigaboy." Since then, both settlers and passers-by call the whole area Sigaboy, which was later renamed to the name it has today.
On August 1, 1948, two years after creating the Republic of the Philippines after the Japanese occupation, President Elpidio Quirino issued Executive Order No. 156, Series of 1948, making the Municipality of Governor Generoso in honor of the late Governor Sebastian Generoso. In addition, president Quirino appointed Ramon Generoso, the brother of the late Governor Generoso, the first Municipal Mayor.
Fishing is the primary source of living in Governor Generoso and is considered the fishing capital of Davao Oriental. However, in the past five years, tourism has become a bigger business in GovGen. It now hosts around 40 beach resorts. Recently, GovGen's tourism took a giant leap registering 600,000 a year for tourism with high and middle range resorts that can cater to families and for companies for meetings. Currently, it has become a wedding destination and ideal for pre-nuptials.
The iconic lighthouses in Cape San Agustin are the favorite go-to place of many motorbikers. The experience of motoring through the coastal highways of the town is very scenic with a breathtaking view of the Davao Gulf.
The municipality is a known diving area for many enthusiasts. The Wall is its unique dive site with abundant marine species found in the area. There are at least 10 dive sites within the municipality that have been identified.
With promising developments in the town amidst the pandemic, the local government recently launched its tourism code.
Authored by Councilor Mariolindo Makiling, Municipal Ordinance No. 36 Series of 2020, An Ordinance Codifying the Existing Regulations, and Proposing New Provisions, Establishing the Objectives, Regulations, and Administrative Functions of the Local Government of Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental for the Development of the Local Tourism in the Municipality, is the second tourism code to have been enacted in the province of Davao Oriental.
Gov. Gen continues to be a favorite destination for those who wish to travel far away from crowded cities and much closer to nature. With this, the local government unit (LGU) approved the Environmental User Fee ticket issuance, which collects P10 from visiting individuals to support and cover eco-adventure activities, non-pollutive aqua sports activities, and the general entrance fee of land-based activities.
Recently, Governor Generoso hosted a Mindanao-wide tourism officials' meeting. Despite being limited in number as protocol dictates, the first hosting of GovGen is a validation that the place can indeed host high-profile gatherings with 50-percent capacity. In regular times, the premier resort, El Don Resort, can accommodate 100 overnight guests.
Department of Tourism Mindanao Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar is impressed with the town's development in the easternmost tip and congratulated the LGU for preparing its place for tourism. GovGen is the second LGU in Davao Oriental Province, with Mati City as first, to have passed its Tourism Code last December 2020.
DOT-Davao Regional Director Tanya Rabat-Tan took note of the ongoing tourism development plan and tourism marketing plan of the municipality. It has adopted the tagline "The Paradise of the South." (PR)