BUENAVISTA – This northern municipality attempts to get a slice of the eco-tourism pie by continually investing on infrastructure facilities as the recently inaugurated Buenavista Eco-Tourism Business Center in barangay Dait. Gov. Erico B. Aumentado and Vice-Gov. Julius Herrera, together with Mayor Elsa Tirol, heads and representatives of national agencies, led the inauguration and blessing last week of the said facility, which serves as the hub for eco-tour and adventure come-on, like the Cambuhat River and Village Tour. Aumentado said in his speech that this kind facility of is a welcome development to boost the province's claim as the prime eco-tourism destination in the country today. In addition, the governor vowed to pitch in more funding assistance to pave roads linking to the area and for easy access of farm products to the market. For his part, Herrera encouraged the massive food production he espouses, not only for their own consumption but also to provide food supply to the tourism related activities. The vice-governor has been calling households for backyard gardening for cushion the impact of the crisis by subsidizing vegetable food seeds to the barangays.

Mayor Tirol told the audience that her administration is very grateful for the different assistance the governor and vice-governor had extended to improve the lot of the residents through various development programs. The Cambuhat River and Village Tour is recognized internationally, said the Provincial Tourism Office. It is a community-based with strategies in managing the coastal resources where the residents livelihood largely depend upon. Cambuhat River is where the oyster (Talaba) culture flourished in its riverbanks and it becomes viable in the growing demand for eco-tourism. The Cambuhat river “has been awarded as the cleanest river by Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran.” Among its come-ons include oyster and milkfish mariculture, handicrafts, raffia weaving, food and delicacies or sago making, buri dance/ and Agta sand and boat paddling. Cambuhat River and Village Tour is one of the five eco-tourism projects that were awarded. This includes the Pamilacan Island Marine Life, Pamilacan off Baclayon town; Basdio eco-tourism, Guindulman; Man-made mangrove forest in Getafe ; and the Panadtaran Mangrove Adventure, Panadtaran, Candijay, Bohol . (RVO)