Zamboanga del Norte soon to be Tourism Capital

Zamboanga City development projects in the province of Zamboanga del Norte are underway aimed to make the province as a tourism center. Zamboanga del Norte Governor Rolando Yebes said three new hotels are under construction , two of which are located in Dipolog City the province capital and one in Dapitan City.

Yebes said once completed, the hotels could accomodate the number of tourist both domestic and foreign that would visit the province. He disclosed that an integrated bus terminal a golf course and a casino will be constructed next year to lure tourist into the province of Zamboanga del Norte.

Yebes is optimistic that Zamboanga del Norte could become a tourist capital, citing it is a very accessible by plane and boat travel from cities in the country.Dipolog City will soon have four flights daily from Manila and other cities in the country.

At present, there are two majors air carriers flying the Manila-Dipolog City route and vice versa. Also Dipolog City is just three hours by boat from Dumaguete City and four hours from Cebu City and the ferries to the two cities in the visayas region have a 24 hour trip.

Zamboanga del Norte, which has two cities and 25 towns that are clustered, into three congressional districts, is bounded on the north and west by the Sulu Sea, on the east by Misamis Occidental and on the south by Zamboanga del Sur.

Thep province occupies a total land area of 6,618 square kilometers. It has an average elevation of 243.8 meters, with Mt.Dabiak in Katipunan town as the highest peak at 2,600 meters.Other parts near the coastlines are plains and the province irregular coastline runs 400 kilometers from north to south.

Dubbed as the "Twin City Province" Zamboanga del Norte has been made famous by the beauty and charm of the Orchid City of Dipolog and the historycal , rustic quaintness of the Shrine City of Dapitan.

Dapitan City is where the country's National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal spent fruitfully his last four years in exile from 1892 to 1896.The original estate of Dr. Rizal in Dapitan has been declared a national Shrine and is being administered by the National Historical Institute.

Zamboanga del Norte is equally famous for Dakak Beach, the provinces foremost natural attraction, very popular and most known for its beautifully shaped cove and powdery white sand and as a diving mecca in Mindanao. Pristine blue waters , excellent dive sites with an abundance of coral reefs, and a magnificent sunset horizon characterize this tropical eden,

Dakak Park and Beach Resort boats 15 hectares of wooded land, a natural reservoir for native plants and animals, and a 750 meter private white sand beach.

Dipolog City is also famous as the producers and supllier of bottled sardines (montano, mendoza, bueno and the like) and sweet mangoes. Yebes said companies that run two of the largest and known shopping malls in the country are now scouting for lots where to construct malls.

Yebes is optimistic that the province of Zamboanga del Norte could be a tourism capital with all the natural habitat and developments underway.

As a native Dipolognon I am proud and excited to witness my City and Dapitan to grow and eventually be one of the tourist destination in the future. Adding infrastracture in the city would mean more employment. So for now, Dipolognons should wait and see till these plans are implemented.

More power to our very own Gov. Rolando Yebes!

Special thanks to Philippine News Agency!