Nueva Era tribal folks undergo free tour guiding seminar

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff Reporter

NUEVA ERA, Ilocos Norte—At least 30 Tingguians in this town’s newest eco-tourism destination graduated as full-pledged tour guides with the seminar the Department of Tourism in cooperation with the Nueva Era government conducted on March 18-20 for free.

Ma. Milagros Gonzales, DOT Laoag sub-office provincial director said all the accredited participants are “first timers” in terms of ushering foreign and local tourists visiting the government-run eco-cultural park and tribal village here since its launch last January.

The three-day training-workshop featured a series of lectures and actual demonstration on basic tourist reception and tour-guiding techniques, participated by selected staff of the local government unit of Nueva Era and some interested local residents here dominated by the Tingguians.

Specifically, participants were taught how to usher a tourist within the eco-cultural park including ample knowledge about the different tourist destinations here, its history, and culture; basic tour guiding skills; effective customer service and the duties and responsibilities of a tourist guide.

Last February, Nueva Era Mayor Aldrin Garvida and Gonzales met with DOT Regional Director Martin Valera to personally request for the conduct of tour guiding seminar here to professionalize tour guiding in Nueva Era town and to further equip practicing outdoor tourist guides in providing quality services for tourists.

Inspired by the successful implementation of eco-tourism development in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia where Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda R. Marcos and a group of local chief executives and department heads visited last year, the new eco-cultural park located just about 40 kilometers from Laoag City, was conceptualized in support of the provincial government’s effort to promote local tourism industry and boost the economy by creating more jobs and alternative livelihood for the locals.

The eco-cultural park and tribal village of Nueva Era town offers a unique experience for lovers of nature ideal for family picnic, mountain biking, trekking, swimming and adventure with a canopy walk and passing through inter-connected tree houses and native Tingguian houses including cottages and villas made of indigenous materials.

Also, tribal dancers provide entertainment for tourists while feasting on Nueva Era’s native delicacies and exotic foods.

Comments

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become...

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said. Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel...

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy. 18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi...

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog