Dragon Boat Team tapped to promote unknown territories, tourist spots

STA. ANA, Cagayan - The military has tapped the internationally-acclaimed Philippine Dragon Boat team to drum up public awareness on the country’s lesser known territories and tourist spots.

The campaign, which aims to lure investors and encourage support for agencies protecting these territories, started with an exhibition of three teams of rowers Friday at the San Vicente Port in this picturesque town.

“The objectives of this activity are two-fold – the propagation of tourism in the northern portion of the Philippines and the propagation of public awareness,” said Maj. Emmanuel Garcia, chief of the 1st Civil Relations Group

“Our countrymen are not specifically aware of the existence of some of our country’s territories especially in the northern and western portion so we need to show them that these parts of our country should also be protected,” he added.

Garcia said these lesser known areas include the seven unexplored islands of Batanes and parts of Cagayan Valley, which is earning the reputation of being the “paradise of the north.”

Security forces in these northern areas have been tasked to ensure that the country’s natural resources are enjoyed exclusively by Filipinos.

“The military is involved because there are no civilian agencies that can go to these places,” he said.

“At the same time, the islands are being protected by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines). We want our countrymen to know how the AFP protects those territories and how they can extend their support.”

During Friday’s demonstration, members of the Philippine Dragon Boat team were divided into three groups for an exhibition race.

The event was witnessed by hundreds of local residents who cheered as rowers of the Army, Navy and Armed Forces General Headquarters teams tried to outdo each other. The Army rowers emerged as the toughest during the exhibition, winning two of the three rounds.

The exhibition was held through the efforts of the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, and the office of Sta. Ana Vice Mayor Pinky Rodriguez.

The military hopes that through the staging of activities with the Dragon Boat Team, people would be encouraged to research about these places and to help the agencies that are protecting them.

Garcia said they would conduct a similar awareness drive in Batanes especially in the northernmost Y'-ami Island.

The Philippine Dragon Boat Team brought honor to the country after it posted a new world record during the 10th World Dragon Boat Championships held in Florida and participated in by 17 countries in 2011.

The team bagged five gold medals in the 1000m men’s event, 200m men’s event, 500m men’s event, 200m mixed event, and 500m mixed event.