Cotabato City executives want to replicate One Visayas

CEBU, Philippines - Impressed by the recent success of the “One Visayas” expo, an official of Cotabato City said they intend to copy it by making Cebu as its working model.

During her visit to the office of Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia yesterday, Bai Sandra Sema, chairperson of the tourism council of Cotabato City, said that they were impressed by Cebu province’s hosting of the One Visayas expo.

“Cebu radiates itself to its neighboring provinces,” said Selma, who is also the wife of Cotabato City mayor and MNLF Secretary-General Muslimin Sema. 

She said they are coming up with their own tourism plans with Davao City, which plans to have a “Lingaw-Lingaw sa Davao” that is actually patterned after Cebu’s Suroy-Suroy Sugbo program.

Sema invited Garcia to attend Cotabato’s golden anniversary celebration on June 20, saying she also wants the governor to share her experiences in successfully promoting Cebu’s tourism.

According to Sema, the Region 12, which Cotabato City is part of, and the rest of Mindanao have long wanted to counter the “war-freak” image that they have to the public.

For her part, Garcia said she is willing to assist the Cotabato City in any way she can, considering that Cotabato and Cebu have a lot in common. Both are considered as melting pots and centers of trade in their respective regions.

“Arts, culture and tourism are actually what bind us,” Garcia said, adding that since she became governor, her programs have always been initiated with the knowledge that Cebu is part of the country and that it is also responsible to the country.

Areas of cooperation have already been plotted out between the two local government units. In fact, Garcia already invited Cotabato City to join Cebu for its month-long anniversary celebration in August as a participating guest.

According to the governor, a space will also be provided for the Cotabato City during the One Cebu Expo so it can also showcase its products.

Garcia also extended her invitation to Region 12 to become participating guests during the “Pasigarbo sa Sugbo: Festival of Festivals” so they can also present their own festival dances.

“We actually do not compete with each other, but rather, we complement each other. And in so doing, everybody goes up,” Garcia said. — Garry B. Lao/WAB   (THE FREEMAN)