Choco hills billboard stands in Xiamen

XIAMEN , People's Republic of China – If you think you're imagining things when you see the Chocolate Hills in this progressive city, your eyes are not playing tricks on you.      It's just a billboard erected by the Department of Tourism (DOT) under the “Wow Philippines ” marketing pitch when Sen. Richard Gordon was still tourism secretary. Boholanos inside a bus on their way to their hotel from the airport erupted in spontaneous applause after seeing the billboard displaying Bohol 's most prominent tourist destination. “It's a pleasant surprise,” remarked Tagbilaran Mayor Dan Lim who heads a 14-man Boholano delegation visiting China as part of Bohol 's sisterhood agreement with Jiangxi Province. Xiamen , a scenic city southeast of the Chinese coast, is a logical choice for the billboard.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) director for its China and North Asia division revealed that as high as 90 percent of the Fil-Chinese community traces their lineage to Xiamen. “A lot of them are from Xiamen ,” said Director Daniel Espiritu. Espiritu said the most prominent are former Presidents Emilio Aguinaldo and Corazon Aquino and comedian Dolphy. Aside from the billboard, three of Bohol 's most popular attractions are being beamed to TV audiences courtesy of a 15-second commercial. The Chocolate Hills, the tarsier and the music of the Loboc Children's Choir are featured in the background of the TV spot ran by Oishi, the Filipino snack food which is fast penetrating the Chinese market.

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