Lami-lamihan sa Lamitan

Lami-lamihan sa Lamitan
(DOT-ARMM)

The local government of Lamitan is celebrating the 29th Lami-lamihan Festival  from June 23 to 29, 2012. The festival consists of colorful activities, from street parades to Agri Tourism Fairs to local pageants as well cultural performances by the Yakan Family Ensemble.

Rose Furigay, chair of the  City Tourism Council, and wife of City Mayor Roderick Furigay, shared their vision for a peaceful and prosperous Lamitan, highlighting the diversity of the people and the harmonious relationships of each member of the community. 

The Lami-lamihan truly showcased what community participation means to the residents of Lamitan. Various sectors of the city eagerly participated in a lively street parade contest where members of the academe, government as well as the private sector set up parade floats to traverse the main roads of Lamitan.

Speaking at the Lami-lamihan celebratory program at the Datu Dizal Cultural Center, ARMM OIC Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman spoke about how he sees Lamitan as an important tourist destination in the ARMM. Indeed, the city has so much to offer from the gorgeous Bulingan Falls to the rich Yakan traditional music and dance-- not to mention, the friendly and gracious people. Regional Governor Hataman further encouraged the Lamitenos to embrace the Yakan heritage and to learn more about our very own talented local artists in both the visual and performing arts.  

DOT-ARMM officials showed their all out support and were in full force during the Lami-lamihan Festival headed by Regional Secretary Nassreena Sampaco-Baddiri and Assistant Secretaries Shalimar Candao, Josephine Lope and Theresa Sakkalahul, together with DOT-ARMM tourism officers and staff. 

Banguingui Hosts ‘1st Fun Fest’

By NONOY E. LACSON

June 23, 2012, 5:26pm

BANGUINGUI, Sulu – The local government here formally launched yesterday the “1st Kalalamihan Sin Banguingui Festival” at the Manisan Beach Resort in Barangay Kahikukuk aimed at showcasing and promoting the tourism potentials of the municipality.

Officials of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and foreign and local tourists joined hundreds of residents here at the opening of the two-day festivities at the resort.

The event is being initiated by Baguingui Mayor Abdulwahid Sahidulla and his wife Sulu 2nd District Representative Nur Anna Sahidulla in an effort to promote the untouched white sand beaches and other exciting tourist destinations in the municipality.

According to Representative Sahidulla, the Kalalamihan Sin Banguingui means more fun in Banguingui – the local version of the DOT’s slogan “More Fun in the Philippines.”

While “Manisan,” the place where the event was launched, means “beautiful” in the Sama dialect, she added.

For his part, the mayor said that at least seven barangays (villages) participated in yesterday’s launching, while the other seven villages are slated to join the second day of festivities today.

Local government officials, teachers, students, non-government organizations, and other civic groups have also joined the festival, the mayor said.

Among the DOT officials who joined the launching include DOT-Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Secretary Nashrina Badiri, DOT-ARMM Assistant Secretary Shalimar Candao, DOT-BaSulTa (Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi) Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresa Sakalahul, and DOT-Manila Director Shalimar Hofer Tamano.

While the two German nationals, Patrick Ritter and Diggi Asch, who went on scuba diving at the seawaters fronting the resort, said they were surprised to see an intact seabed where various kinds of corals and fish of various species and sizes can be found.

Both Asch and Ritter said that they are convinced on the idea of setting up a modern beach resort here to cater to the needs of local and foreign tourists who would like to visit the town.

As this developed, Mayor Sahidulla welcomed the idea of the two foreigners, saying that plan would also complement the tourism plan of the municipality.

source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/363210/banguingui-hosts-1st-fun-fest

Kariyala At Wao Festival

Sulu Groomed for Tourism

Sulu as a Tourist Spot?

Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan said has approved the formulation of a Provincial Tourism Master Plan (PTMP) to establish a clear direction and provide the necessary information and strategies to develop a viable tourism industry in the province.

In a press statement, Tan said Sulu’s natural beauty, unique environment structure and refined white sand beachfronts are a come-on to local and foreign travellers.

A tourism multi-stakeholders forum was held on Wednesday at the provincial capitol to gather insights into the development and identification of potential tourist destinations in the province.

Those who attended the forum include Zamboanga Peninsula Tourism Director Mary June Bugante and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-Department of Tourism (ARMM-DOT) Assistant Regional Secretary Bai Shalimar Candao.

“The people of Sulu are losing so much for years of neglect of these untapped resources, the development of tourism in Sulu can be the biggest source of income and revenue for the province and its people,” Tan stressed.

No mention was made as to how the province would address the security situation, Sulu being associated with the Abu Sayyaf and kidnappings, among others.

But Tan told MindaNews in a text message that the security situation is “far better than many other places that claim to have no peace and order problem.”

“Ours is only imagined and perceived by people who have never come to Sulu at all and those who have not returned in months and even years,” he added.

“I hope no new groups are organized that may just disturb the peace and quiet,” Tan said.

The province, he said in the press statement, has a number of fine beaches such as the one-kilometer long white sand Maubo Beach in municipality of Patikul, the town next to Jolo, the capital of the province.

He said Sulu is also known for its excellent diving spots, the best of which is Tubbataha Reef, a 33,200-hectare underwater splendor drawing divers from all over the world with its marvelous marine wilderness and special ecosystem; that the Sulu Sea is dotted with coral reefs, with attractions like the pearl farm at Marungas Island. ZAMBOANGA CITY– (MindaNews/12 May)

Moro history exhibit