The Mindanao Tourism and Transport Map. Launched last August during the Mindanao Travel and Tour Expo, the map shows the intimate link between tourism and transportation. A 3-D landscaped model map of Mindanao, it shows key tourism sites and the major highways, seaports and airports connecting these destinations. MEDCo (see related article here.)

They were joined by no less than US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney. The activity also served as a reunion to all the graduates under USAID-GEM’s Congressional Internship Program for Young Muslims Leaders (CIPYML) who all had a chance to be a part in the country’s policy-making process.

Hurrah for peace and development. US Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney joins young Muslim leaders during the CIPYML Conference held in Davao City. With her is MEDCo Executive Director Janet Lopoz and USAID Economic Advisor Robert Barnes. GEM Photo

MEDCo's very own Norhana Kamid of the Office for Research and Advocacy shares her insights during the activity's open forum.

A portion of the Pagadian airport apron is shown here partially complete.

From left to right: Presidential Assistant for Western Mindanao Crisanto dela Cruz, DPWH Usec. for Mindanao Operations Bashir Rasuman, Cong. Antonio Cerilles of Zamboanga del Sur 2nd district, MEDCo Chair Usec. Virgilio Leyretana, ZamboSur Gov. Aurora Cerilles and Mayor Samuel Co of Pagadian City.

A portion of the Dapitan-Dakak road is shown here. Completion of this major road project is seen to boost tourism potential in the region.

A massive flurry of clouds marks the endsight of the Dipolog airport runway. The shoreline protection for the airport is targeted to be completed by the end of the year.

And while these critical infrastructure projects are long overdue for Mindanao, I would like to particularly take note of the unsung heroes, the “builders”, I should say who toiled incessantly even in the midst of the raging sun. I now know that an alternative and super-cheap way to get a tan is to expose yourself in airport runways and highways, hehe.

Workers level the wet cement in a portion of the Sta. Maria-Nonoyan section of the Siocon Road.

A portion of the Gutalac road being leveled by this worker.

Of course, the road trip would not be complete without the bits and pieces of amusement that we encountered along the way.

No, the world has not tilted a few degrees. Call it a breakthrough in automobile architecture, motorcycle drivers devised titlted tricycles to match the slopy terrain of Pagadian.

Break of dawn. A picturesque view of Dapitan bay in front of the DPWH staff house.

Class dismissed. Young students brave the difficulty and danger of transportation in this town in Zamboanga del Norte.

This guy comfily sits on a piece of furniture atop a tricycle somewhere in Midsayap, North Cotabato.

Don't leave Pagadian without its famous bulad (dried fish).

Alone at sea. As the sun sets, this ship sails the Zamboanga del Norte seacoast, somewhere between the towns of Liloy and Labason.

Kindly read the following article by the Department of Foreign Affairs:

UK amends Travel Advisory to Expanded Areas in Mindanao

July 15, 2009 by DFA-PISU

PR-540-09, 15 July 2009 – The Philippine Embassy in London reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that the British government has again amended its travel advisory to the Philippines allowing “essential travels” to most parts of Mindanao.

In May 2009, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) amended its travel advisory to the Philippines by lifting travel restrictions to the “east side of Mindanao.”

The latest travel advisory, issued by the UK FCO on July 12, expanded the allowable areas for travel to include all parts of Mindanao except Southwest Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago. These areas include the provinces of Sarangani, North and South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay.

The UK’s latest amendment reflected its improving outlook for Mindanao. After three years of banning all travel to the region, the FCO revised its travel advisories following representations from the Philippine Embassy in London.

Early this July, a high-level delegation from the DFA and the Philippine Embassy met with FCO officials in London to request the British government to modify its advisory for Mindanao and allow British travelers to explore top tourism destinations there.

The latest amendment is expected to encourage more British investors and tourists to visit the Philippines. British travelers remain the largest European market for Philippine tourism. A total of 87,422 Britons visited the country in 2008, registering a 9.73 percent growth from the previous year.

Eco-tourism is of particular importance to the British market, especially for bird watching. The UK is home to some two million birdwatchers, which led Tourism Secretary Ace Durano to launch a bird-watching campaign in London in December 2008.

The complete Travel Advisory is accessible online at the UK FCO website www.fco.gov.uk.

MEDCo Executive Director Janet Lopoz (far right) meets with Salamona Hakim, Abubcar Siddique Elementary School Prinicipal, during the MEDCo-NEDA project monitoring and visit on June 23-24.

In 2007, Abubacar Siddique Elementary School was fortunate to be one of the recipients of PETRON Schools, a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program of the PETRON Foundation where they give classrooms nationwide. The school building donated here costs about Php 2.5 million and now houses more than 400 students.

The Php 2.5 million classroom donated by Petron foundation to Abubacar Siddique Elementary School.

The school was a also a recipient of the Computer Literacy and Internet Connection (CLIC) program of the United States Agency for International Aid (USAID) through the GEM. Two computers equipped with Internet capabilities (through a satellite system) were given to the school.

MEDCo Executive Director Janet Lopoz checks her e-mail with the CLIC program donated computer.

On the other hand, the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao (BEAM) project of the Australian Agency for International Aid (AusAID) and the Education Quality and Access for Learning and Livelihood Skills 2 (EQuALLS) of USAID provided capacity building activities to the school’s volunteer teachers. The school have seven volunteer teachers and are regularly sent to Manila or in Cebu for various workshops. BEAM provided these teachers with the Learning Guides to help them in their daily lessons.

Linang Pacamaman, 23 years old, has been a volunteer teacher for three years now. She holds a learning guide provided by the BEAM project to the school.

The war in 2000 may have contributed significant losses to the lives of the people in this part of country, but to these school children, life goes on. AND wouldn’t it be nice if you would be part in rebuilding their community?

These children used to occupy a makeshift bamboo classroom with a tent made of synthetic fabric canvas called trapal.

With the current emerging issues on environment and its effect to agricultural production, MEDCo will be reviving this initiative. It will also pave the way to a more coordinated approach in planning through the river basin approach. To all our environmental partners in Mindanao, we hope to work together with you again para sa kinabukasan ng ating bayan. Kudos mga kapatid

MEDCo staff Fe Muñez, Elvie Tumaca, Joel Callao (front); Junee Riogelon, and Klein Fernandez plant Dao trees near the banks of the Davao River, in part of the Arbor day celebration last July 25.

We hope to see these seedlings grow tall and strudy the next time we visit them! Also in this photo is Jay Rosas (in green), with Elvie Tumaca, Fe Muñez, and Joel Callao.

Thank you to the dedicated people from DENR who assisted us in the planting. The mud, grime and dirt was definitely worth the experience.

Thanks to the dedicated people of DENR XI for assisting us.

PAHRDF aims to assist partner national and local government agencies, academic institutions and private organizations to address key organizational needs through short-term and long-term human resource development programs.

But last month the ban has already been lifted, according to the article in Philippine Daily Mirror website.

The amendment to the UK’s travel restrictions to Mindanao is a positive development that could now allow British citizens to obtain travel insurance for purposes of enjoying the surfs of Siargao, the idyllic sands of Pearl Farm in Davao City and white-water rafting in Cagayan de Oro, among others.

Travels to Mindanao by British Government officials during the past two years may have convinced the FCO that certain parts of Mindanao are relatively safe for British travellers to visit.

This is a positive development considering that our British mates accounts for the largest share of Europeans who travel to the country.

While our comm/web team is coming up with a more catchy name, you might also have something worthwhile in mind. You’ll hear from us, soon! (And hope to hear from you, too.)