DOT to use Mindanao museums in its comm plan

DAVAO CITY, Jan 9 (PIA) An official of the Department of Tourism revealed a move to make museums as part of its communication plan for Mindanao.

Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato, Jr. said it is his special project as the first assistant secretary to be based in Mindanao.

He said that currently, Mindanao has 91 museums including the newly-opened Davao Oriental Provincial Museum also called as Subangan, more than the number of museums in Metro Manila.

Boncato said the Department of Tourism wants the museums to be its inanimate spokespersons.

“We would like to open the museums to all guests and residents to see the real Mindanao,” Boncato.

He stressed that the news emanating from Mindanao must not dictate its image to the world.

Boncato graced the opening of the Subangan, the Davao Oriental Provincial Museum January 8 in a ceremony headed by Governor Corazon Malanyaon.

He said Davao Oriental plays a crucial role in the tourism industry in Davao Oriental.

“It is the only province in the country that is supported by a law, declaring it as a tourism development area, thus it has in its disposition all government agencies to support its effort in developing tourism,” Boncato said.

He also said that the government envisions Davao Oriental as a third-generation tourism destination where it leads in promoting tourism in Mindanao.

Boncato congratulated the leadership of Governor Corazon Malanyaon for putting resources on tourism development by coming up with a museum.

He said the development of a museum is aligned with the National Tourism Development Plan, especially on the product development strategy.

“The museum is a repository of things that had been found in the past, that we have in the present and definitely will house what we have in the future.  It is a wonderful for the tourism industry,” Boncato said.

Governor Malanyaon said the provincial government has spent a total of P25-Million for the development of the Subangan.

She said part of the funds is the P10-Million released by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.

Malanyaon said the museum is open to both domestic and foreign tourists for affordable fees that will defray in the costs of its operation.

“The museum features the interactive audio-visual aids of the beauty spots in the province,” she said.

Malanyaon said the museum preserves and shows the 50-foot skeletal remains of a Sperm Whale which beached on the shallow waters of Governor Generoso, the beautiful beaches of Dahican and the islands situated near the Davao Gulf and Pacific Oceana, the entry of the Catholic Faith in the 1600s, the scenic spots of Mt. Hamiguitan, the photo exhibit showing the impact of typhoon Pablo in 2012 and the effort of the province to be resilient and to restore back the lives of the people in the affected communities after the storm through its build back better program.  (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)