The recent title match and the throwing of the hat of Manny Pacquiao into the presidential derby have once again shoved the eight-division champ into the spotlight, as well as his home province of Sarangani. Much like its most famous son, this underrated province has virtually gone up several weight classes in terms of tourism and economic development since it was carved out in 1992.
A seven-town province in southern Mindanao, this unheralded destination does by the slogan, “Sarangani, Your Adventure,” you can also throw in culture and nature as its counter-punches. With mountains still teeming with lush forest cover, pristine beaches and biodiversity dive sites, and exotic cultures of Islamic communities and indigenous peoples, it is a consummate getaway away from the madding crowd.
And with among the lowest incidence of Covid-19 and streamlined travel requirements, it has become an even more enticing go-to place. For the mutual safety of guests and local frontliners, provincial authorities are cautious in reopening the attractions to tourist traffic.
And while holding its punches, Sarangani scored a major victory last summer in the global ring after its locally produced MTV bagged a special recognition at a prestigious international film festival in New York City.
Titled “Sarangani: Nature, Adventure, Culture,” the two-minute promotional video was conferred the Gold Excellence Award at the 11th International Film Festival in Manhattan (IFFM) spring edition last May. The video was submitted under the corporate category, and was among the 15 Philippine entries which made the cut in the nine-country competition.
“It showcases Sarangani’s natural resources and destinations, landscapes, white-sand beaches, inland bodies of water, and ethnic diversity, showcasing the preserved and honored indigenous cultures. It boasts of the people’s efforts to keep Sarangani environmentally and socially sustainable,” says Sarangani Provincial Tourism Council Chairman Michelle Lopez-Solon, who also directed the video.
She added that the video advertisement features snippets of experiences visitors can enjoy, such as its vibrant beach parties, municipal festivals, water sports, white water rafting, scuba diving, paragliding, sightseeing, and cultural immersions, to name a few.
Previous IFFM editions showcased selected videos and films in Manhattan, but the annual competition shifted into online mode this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Earlier this year, the province scored a major milestone as it marked the 25th anniversary of the proclamation of Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape (SBPS), one of Mindanao’s most important body of water for fishing, shipping, recreation and tourism.
The 215,950-hectare bay is shared by 68 coastal barangays from six towns of Sarangani, as well as General Santos City, spread over a 224-kilometer stretch of scenic and undulating roads.
It is also home to the General Santos City Fish Port Complex where one can find the world’s best-tasting tuna, a coal thermal plant, shipyards, and aquaculture farms.
Also declared by the Department of Tourism as a scuba diving haven in southern Mindanao in 2017, the bay was also listed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a Key Marine Biodiversity Areas with coral resources covering 2,293 hectares, 60 important live hard coral genera, 411 reef, and 11 seagrass species.
The agency has also monitored various dolphin species, killer whales, dwarf and pygmy sperm whales in the bay, attesting to its rich biodiversity.
The far eastern end of the bay in the town of Glan was also declared a new scuba diving haven with the launch of the municipality’s scuba diving industry last summer.
On top of the established tourist spots in the pre-pandemic era, travelers can look forward to modified enhanced adventure under the new normal regime. Nature lovers and naturalists can also foray into the woods in a physically distanced trek of Mount Busa mountain range, which being pushed by local authorities and conservationists to be declared a national protected area.
The 2,064-meter peak, home to one of Mindanao’s last verdant primary forests, straddles the towns of Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum, and covers a total area of 118,443.15 hectares in the western half of the province.
A key biodiversity and important bird area of the DENR, the mountain range is habitat to some 200 plant, 58 bird, 30 amphibian, 24 reptile, 12 mammal, and at least 18 flora and fauna species, and 36 waterfalls.
Other threatened wildlife species of conservation concern found in the area are the Philippine eagle, southern rufous, Mindanao flying lizard, Taylor’s dwarf reed snake, Kalaw, tarsier, and frog and orchid species.
flies over Sarangani forest.
With the abundance of natural wonders in its arsenal, a well-timed visit to Sarangani is like a southern punch which will knock out a travel-starved tourist knocked down by the unending quarantine lockdowns.
Images courtesy of Bernard L. Supetran and Bretch Garcinez