00:00Different tourist attractions in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
00:03are recommended by tourists.
00:05Aside from the beautiful beaches,
00:07their famous Killing Mountain is also famous.
00:10That's what Rod Lagusan said first.
00:17Word of mouth.
00:18This is also a big help
00:20for the continuous strengthening of tourism
00:22in the province of Tawi-Tawi.
00:24Those who have been here
00:26that the province is beautiful and safe
00:28for tourists.
00:30It's different from the image that has been around for a long time.
00:33For the local that is in charge of Bongao,
00:35the province's capital,
00:37they can already feel
00:38the gradual increase of tourism
00:40in their town.
00:41Bongao, Tawi-Tawi
00:43is a very peaceful place.
00:48That's why people can see
00:51that it's a beautiful place
00:54and people are very curious
00:56about what's at the end
00:58of the Philippines.
01:01Maybe, it's more on
01:05letting people know
01:08that Tawi-Tawi is already tourism-ready.
01:13Being an accessible place is also a big help
01:15because there are flights going to the province.
01:17According to the tourism office of Bongao,
01:19last year,
01:21there were 80,000 tourists
01:24and international arrivals.
01:26From January to May this year,
01:28there are already 20,000 tourists.
01:32And some of the places that you should not miss
01:34when you go to Bongao
01:36is Budbongao,
01:38known as Healing Mountain.
01:40There are people who go up,
01:42pilgrims, we call them local pilgrims.
01:44They go up and offer prayers
01:46at the top.
01:48They bring their kids
01:50to present to the ancestors,
01:53we have holy shrines there.
01:55There's a rope,
01:57we call it pagbagut.
01:59Our belief
02:01is that
02:03you should leave all of your burdens
02:05at Budbongao.
02:08The mountain is a local conservation area
02:10where you can see
02:12the beautiful beaches
02:14and clear waters of the province.
02:16They also continue to strengthen
02:18their diving activities
02:20especially in the identified marine protected areas.
02:22You can also visit
02:24Biying Tahikrek,
02:26Balobok Blue Hole,
02:28Mandulan Dive Site,
02:30and Pound Reef.
02:32Balobok Cave is also a prehistoric
02:34archaeological site
02:36with Masjid Ra'ayat Tawitawi Central Mosque,
02:38Lu'uk Bangka Baljao Village,
02:40and the Tepumat Abbey.
02:42To see the life in Tawitawi,
02:44you can also visit the Bongao Public Market
02:46and the Chinese Pier,
02:48the oldest pier in the province.
02:51I hope that people here
02:53will have a good experience
02:55that is different
02:57from what they heard.
02:59Just like you,
03:01I hope that when you come back
03:03you will have a different mindset
03:05about us.
03:09Currently, the town is building
03:11its Tourist Development Council
03:13with the help of the Mindanao Development Authority
03:15so that they can provide
03:17a better service to the tourists.
03:19Tourism will really boost the economy.
03:21Tourism will really help the locals
03:23so that they can provide
03:25job opportunities.
03:27We want to improve
03:29our services.
03:31We want to improve
03:33the experience of the tourists
03:35who come here.
03:37It's really a big impact
03:39on the infrastructure
03:41and services
03:43and whatever help
03:45they can give us.
03:49At the same time,
03:51they continue to support
03:53the infrastructure and development
03:55for the betterment of tourism
03:57and the lives of the locals here.
04:04Rich in culture,
04:06tradition,
04:08and rich in resources,
04:10these are all things
04:12that you can experience
04:14when you visit Tawitawi,
04:16the easternmost province of the Philippines.
04:19This is Rod Laguzad for Pambansang TV
04:21in Bagong, Philippines.
