Exploring Occidental Mindoro

Beyond the southwest coast of Batangas lies Occidental Mindoro, a province that glimmers with natural luster that even the jaded traveler cannot ignore. Occidental Mindoro, 15 kilometers from the southwest coast of Luzon, is accessible by sea and air. Flights from Manila to San Jose are available from Sunday to Friday and travel time is around one hour. There are also chartered and commuter flights from Manila to Lubang Island that take about 45 minutes.

The town of Mamburao is the provincial capital and the seat of government. San Jose, considered the main commercial port of the province, is the center of commerce and entertainment. The bustling town is home to major banks, restaurants, cafes and schools. To the northwest of mainland Occidental Mindoro is Lubang Island, divided into two municipalities - Looc and Lubang - along with the surrounding islands of Ambil, Golo and Cabra. These islands have fine white sand beaches.

Sablayan, located at the center of the province, is the largest municipality. The town has its own municipal fish port, where produce is traded and shipped to surrounding areas. Sablayan is surrounded by a haven of biodiversity: it is the jump-off point to Apo Reef marine Park, the white sand beaches of Pandan Island, and the magnificient heights of Mt. Iglit-Baco National Park.

Ambulong Island, San Jose
One of the three island attractions in San Jose, the 3,000-hectare Ambulong has white sand beaches, interesting cliff pillars that rise up from the sea, and mysterious underwater caves. The island's Caminawit Port serves as a jump-off point to the numerous dive sites in the area such as Iling Point, Baniaga Reef, Ambulong Bank, Dungan Reef, Sardines Reef, Apo Reef and Manadi Island.

PINOY SME--BUSINESS TAYO!

SME CARAVANS
THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) had recently conducted a nationwide SME Caravan to improve access of SMEs to government and private sector services particularly in areas where the provision of business development services may be limited. It is likewise meant to increase awareness of SMEs on various business development services provided by the government and private sector entities.

Resource speakers from these institutions who are experts in their respective fields made their services available and were brought to the regions to conduct training and counseling sessions to promote entrepreneurship, improve access to markets, access to finance, and increase SME productivity and efficiency.

THE DINAGYANG FESTIVAL OF ILOILO

The province of Iloilo in the western part of the Philippines is the home of many colorful festivities mostly religious and cultural, celebrated in most of its 43 municipalities. But the mother of all these festivals is none other than the internationally-known Dinagyang Festival which is held on the fourth week of January.


But the climax of them all is the parade  and performances of the competing tribes clad in elaborately designed costumes. The competing "tribu" are actually performing crew with its own dancers and drummers, with elaborate and colorful costumes who ran, dash and leap with amazing agility and grace in harmony to the beat of those thundering drums.