(NOTE: Photos are taken from the wire sources)BASEY, Samar – This town’s historic islet of Jinamoc, the old landing site of the US American Forces during the liberation days will soon be turn into a veritable tourist’s destination in Eastern Visayas.
This after the Jinamoc Island Core Group (JICG) composed of village officials, teachers, parish priests, PO’s, and residents, innovated turning their place into a horse back-riding spot, which would cater the adventure needs of the locals as well as foreign tourists starting next month.
In an interview here, Chairman Adelardo Ocop of Brgy. Salvacion, otherwise known as Jinamoc Island, yesterday said that in the coming days, horses from other places would soon arrive to their place.
“To start with the project, at least three horses from Masbate would soon be arriving here courtesy of the Local Government Unit of this town,” Ocop said.
He added: “the LGU-Basey will also send selected JICG personnel to Cebu City for a ‘special training’ on how to handle this kind of tourism-related endeavor.”
Ahead of this, team building and trainings on eco-tourism, livelihood and sustainable development programs have also been conducted to village officials, tour guides, residents and concerned people’s organizations based in this small village, Ocop said.
“Our (team building) trainings was facilitated by the DILG-Basey… and the Sustainable Development Program, we were piloted in this region through the Asian Social Institute (ASI based in Malate, Metro Manila,” the village chief said.
This development stemmed when Basey SB member Anita Ogrimen, along with Ms. Melbourga Corregidor of SIBF, sought the help of Judith Buhay of the National Anti-Poverty Commission Regional Office 8, who likewise facilitated their request of foreign aid to the Grassroots for Economic section – Japan Embassy in the Philippines.
However, when the JICG submitted their “horse back-riding” proposal worth Php1.8 to the said “donor”, the latter apparently find it “commercialize” and further suggested that a training center should instead be build in the island.
The Japan-NGO vowed to finance the creation of a Central Training Building to be used by the 51 villages of this municipality.
This turn of events, diverting their (Japan based-NGO) funds from horse back riding proposal to training center, the JICG sought the help of the LGU-Basey, and they succeeded.
Accordingly, the LGU will temporarily finance the launching the horse back riding show next month while waiting results to their other requests for financial aid to some foreign donors.
By this new development plus the numerous tourist destinations in this second class municipality, it is expected that more domestic and international tourist will come in, adding the fact that this town is very accessible to sea and land routes.
To recall, the island of Salvacion or Jinamoc, a few minutes boat ride from Basey or Tacloban City, replete with memories of liberation days when American Forces in 1944-1946, occupied the island and established two military and naval facilities named ACORN and SEABEES.
Local historians said the Americans used these (camps) for their air and sea operations in the Leyte Gulf area even after MacArthur landed on Red Beach in Palo, Leyte, and after the surrender of Japan to the American Forces.
Jinamoc was an acronym used by US military forces during liberation to stand “Joint Intelligence Naval and Military Operations Center.”
The Japan based-NGO showed interest in developing the island, which would somehow draw attention from the general tourists and adventure seekers both here and abroad.(Ricky J. Bautista)
1 comment:
wow!! good it would help the resident
to have an income if the tourists
intrudes to this community. it is
very good idea to make money and also the historical place from WW 2
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