CLAVERIA, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – The 58th Infantry Dimalulupig Battalion attended the opening of Misamis Oriental Tourism Complex and Botanical Garden along route 955, at the boundary of Gingoog City and Claveria and the Launching of the Kuyamis OTOP Hub, yesterday, July 08, 2021.
The ceremony and launching were graced by Hon. Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano, Provincial Governor of Misamis Oriental together with Dir. Marie Elaine Salvaña Unchuan, Regional Director of DOT-10, Hon. Meraluna Salvaleon-Abrogar, Municipal Mayor of Claveria, PD Almer R. Masillones, Provincial Director of DTI MisOr, Sir Ermedio J. Abang, OIC Regional Director of DTI-10, and Ms. Marle M. Noble, Kuyamis OTOP Hub Operator.
It can be recalled that the Misamis Oriental Tourism Complex and Botanical Garden was inaugurated last February 02, 2021, alongside the 23rd commemoration of the Cebu Pacific Flight 387. The complex and the garden have been steadily improving since then, and it was only recently opened to the public. For P10.00, visitors can enjoy the magnificent views of Mt. Sumagaya and Mt. Balatukan, photo opportunities with the refurbished Cebu Pacific Flight 387 Shrine as a backdrop, a garden where flowers are beginning to bloom, and the food served at Cafe Terasa (Coffee Shop) and the Kuyamis OTOP Hub’s pasalubong store.
The Department of Trade Industry’s OTOP, or One Town, One Product, is a branded, curated pasalubong store where the products of Misamis Oriental are showcased in a reciprocal manner. It functions as a one-stop retail store for market-ready products. It serves to the general mainstream market, which includes both local and tourist shoppers. Localities and communities can also use the OTOP Hub to identify and promote items that are founded in their culture and competitive advantage.
Most of the items displayed are food products from the different towns in Misamis Oriental including mushroom products, Oolong tea, coffee, fruit candies, chips, juices, and others that can serve as Pasalubong.
These are only some of the initial amenities that visitors to Misamis Oriental’s newest tourism attraction will enjoy. Vehicles parked outside the complex are not charged a parking fee. Additional attractions, including an edible landscape, koi ponds, a children’s playground, open and closed cottages, and a camping site, will be available soon. Despite the devastating impact of the pandemic on Misamis Oriental’s tourism industry, the provincial government is doing everything it can to keep it alive; which is why it’s still thriving amidst pandemic.
Governor Bambi Emano expresses his sentiments about the tourism complex’s opening. He recalls that this was once a dream that has now became a reality. “The province of Misamis Oriental is a beautiful and a lovely place with a lot of tourism potential. It has been a longtime desire of mine to enhance the tourism sector and display the beauty of Misamis Oriental to the rest of the world, not only to please the tourists’ eyes and experiences, but also to benefit my people. To provide opportunity for the people of MisOr to better their lives and send their children to school.”
“And it would not have been feasible to realize this ambition without the assistance of our government’s military and police services. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank 58IB and the PNP for their efforts to the development of Misamis Oriental’s tourism industry. Thank you for your efforts to restore and maintain our province’s peace and order.”
The Commanding Officer of 58IB, Lt. Col. Ricky L. Canatoy, assures the provincial government of Misamis Oriental of the unit’s continued commitment to maintaining peace and order in the area. “In terms of insurgency, the situation in this area along Route 955 before was completely different from what it is now. No one except a few locals would dare to enter this area before, and even citizens are afraid of the terrors perpetrated by these Communist Terrorist Groups. Since then, your government forces have been working hard to put a stop to insurgency. The development and inauguration of this tourism complex in the middle of a once highly-conflict-affected area demonstrates, among other things, that our efforts to stop communist armed conflict are bearing fruit.
And, thanks to the unwavering support of our stakeholders, our unit was able to successfully complete its mission of generating good outcomes that influenced the change in the peace and order situation. We owe everything to Executive Order No. 70, or Whole of the Nation Approach, that was mandated to all of us in the government.
