15 November 2005
Rosales Eco-Tourism Site vies for new tourist destination plum
By Liway M. Yparraguirre
ROSALES – This town’s 3,412.60 hectare Eco-Tourism Site is the official entry of Region 1 to the Search for New Travel Destinations in the Country.
A project of the Women In Travel or WIT (a non-government organization) and the Department of Tourism (DOT), the search was launched last July 29, 2005 during the group’s 25th anniversary.
The Search for New Travel Destinations is divided into three categories: Undiscovered (in which the Rosales Eco-Tourism Site is competing); Rural /Natural (adventure tours); and Unique in terms of culture, event (cultural, sports, religious etc.), flora and fauna.
Mayor Ricardo V. Revita said his town is honored to be chosen representative of the Ilocos region in the search.
The Rosales Eco-Tourism Site is nestled at the foot of the legendary Mount Balungao, straddling five barangays: Acop, San Angel, San Luis, Calanutan and Salvacion.
The mayor said he discovered the area when he was still a police officer. Aside from the moderately sloping and rolling terrain, it boasts of three man-made lakes earlier designed as water impounding dams to irrigate low lying rice fields.
A free flowing natural spring provides an added refreshing attraction to the side of Mount Balungao.
Pursuing an eco-tourism plan crafted in 2004, the local government established a 4-kilometer wide road, graveled for easier travel of hikers and tourists to the eco-park.
Restrooms complete the amenities within even as fruit bearing trees were planted all over to further enhance its ecological impact.
Revita said a municipal Eco-Tourism Office was also created to sustain and supervise the development of the area. Eco-tourism guards were employed (all coming from the five barangays) mainly to enforce a municipal ordinance that specifies protected areas in the site. Cutting trees is restricted while hunting and fishing are allowed only on seasons.
With all the improvements, it is fast becoming a favorite relaxation area of both local residents and their foreigner visitors.
Generally, the eco-park is ideal for picnicking or camping, horse-back riding, biking and boating, or simply communing with the environment. There is also a privately owned-firing range near the area.
Rosales town is strategically located at the crossroads to Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, not to mention its being the gateway to Isabela and to the Ilocos.
“Getting the attention and the nod of DOT-Region as the region's representative to the national search for new tourist destinations in the Philippines is an indication we are on the right track,” Revita remarked.
The objective of the search is to introduce new alternative destinations for frequent travelers and promote domestic and inbound tourism, motivate local constituents to develop their own local tourist attractions and enhance their means of livelihood as they discover and create activities that will promote and improve their localities.
The search also encourages them to preserve their historical and natural resources.
Entries for the New Destination category of the search must be those areas not yet discovered or recognized as a tourist attraction by the DOT.
The winner (Best Destination 2006) will receive cash and other incentives intended to improve and/or refurbish the place. Likewise, it will be promoted and marketed by the sponsors and partners to attract more domestic and foreign visitors.
ROSALES – This town’s 3,412.60 hectare Eco-Tourism Site is the official entry of Region 1 to the Search for New Travel Destinations in the Country.
A project of the Women In Travel or WIT (a non-government organization) and the Department of Tourism (DOT), the search was launched last July 29, 2005 during the group’s 25th anniversary.
The Search for New Travel Destinations is divided into three categories: Undiscovered (in which the Rosales Eco-Tourism Site is competing); Rural /Natural (adventure tours); and Unique in terms of culture, event (cultural, sports, religious etc.), flora and fauna.
Mayor Ricardo V. Revita said his town is honored to be chosen representative of the Ilocos region in the search.
The Rosales Eco-Tourism Site is nestled at the foot of the legendary Mount Balungao, straddling five barangays: Acop, San Angel, San Luis, Calanutan and Salvacion.
The mayor said he discovered the area when he was still a police officer. Aside from the moderately sloping and rolling terrain, it boasts of three man-made lakes earlier designed as water impounding dams to irrigate low lying rice fields.
A free flowing natural spring provides an added refreshing attraction to the side of Mount Balungao.
Pursuing an eco-tourism plan crafted in 2004, the local government established a 4-kilometer wide road, graveled for easier travel of hikers and tourists to the eco-park.
Restrooms complete the amenities within even as fruit bearing trees were planted all over to further enhance its ecological impact.
Revita said a municipal Eco-Tourism Office was also created to sustain and supervise the development of the area. Eco-tourism guards were employed (all coming from the five barangays) mainly to enforce a municipal ordinance that specifies protected areas in the site. Cutting trees is restricted while hunting and fishing are allowed only on seasons.
With all the improvements, it is fast becoming a favorite relaxation area of both local residents and their foreigner visitors.
Generally, the eco-park is ideal for picnicking or camping, horse-back riding, biking and boating, or simply communing with the environment. There is also a privately owned-firing range near the area.
Rosales town is strategically located at the crossroads to Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, not to mention its being the gateway to Isabela and to the Ilocos.
“Getting the attention and the nod of DOT-Region as the region's representative to the national search for new tourist destinations in the Philippines is an indication we are on the right track,” Revita remarked.
The objective of the search is to introduce new alternative destinations for frequent travelers and promote domestic and inbound tourism, motivate local constituents to develop their own local tourist attractions and enhance their means of livelihood as they discover and create activities that will promote and improve their localities.
The search also encourages them to preserve their historical and natural resources.
Entries for the New Destination category of the search must be those areas not yet discovered or recognized as a tourist attraction by the DOT.
The winner (Best Destination 2006) will receive cash and other incentives intended to improve and/or refurbish the place. Likewise, it will be promoted and marketed by the sponsors and partners to attract more domestic and foreign visitors.
