Jonathan Frederic De Santos

Kalayaan town to launch ‘patriotic tours’ to Pag-asa Island in April

Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774059540296HD5eSZyXUAABmyx.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Pag-asa Island. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News"/>Pag-asa Island. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — The municipality of Kalayaan will launch “patriotic tours” to Pag-asa Island in April, offering Filipinos a nationalism-driven alternative in the West Philippine Sea to traditional leisure travel.</div>Kalayaan Vice Mayor Maurice Phillip Alexis Albayda said the initiative aims to “revive” visitors’ sense of patriotism while asserting the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights in the area.“We have rebranded the kind of tourism we will offer… Ang aming pag-offer nito ay, ibig sabihin, kapag ikaw ay pumunta ng Pag-asa Island, bubuhayin mo ang iyong pagka-Pilipino,” Albayda told reporters on Pag-asa Island on Friday.(We are offering this to say that if you are going to Pag-asa Island, you are going there to reaffirm that you are a Filipino)The tour will include singing the &quot;Lupang Hinirang&quot; while facing waters where China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia vessels have been monitored, waving the Philippine flag, immersing in the local community, joining fishing activities, and visiting Philippine troops stationed on the island.Albayda said visitors may come to the island as tourists but will leave &quot;with something to continue fighting for — the Kalayaan Island Group and the West Philippine Sea.&quot;He stressed that the tour will not be for leisure travel and will be limited to Filipinos, particularly residents of Palawan for now.“Unahin natin ang mga kapwa nating Pilipino (Let&#x27;s give Filipinos priority),” he said.Albayda said transportation from Puerto Princesa City in Palawan will be free, with the municipal government providing a vessel.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774059611792HD5eSZVWcAAfQlN.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News"/>Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News</div>On Pag-asa Island, visitors will arrange accommodations through transient houses facilitated by the Municipal Tourism Office under a do-it-yourself setup to minimize costs.Interested participants must apply via the Municipality of Kalayaan Tourism Office’s Facebook page and submit a short video explaining why you want to join the tour.Participants will be picked based on their video applications.The vice mayor said they initially planned on offering 15 slots for the tour but may add more based on demand.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774059657156HD5eSZjWIAERJrs.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News"/>Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News</div>“This is the best that we can offer. Kung hindi man tayo makapagoffer ng leisure tourism, kaya po nating buhayin ang ating pagka-Pilipino dito sa isla,” he added.(If we cannot offer leisure tourism yet, we can help them revive their being Filipino)

The municipality of Kalayaan will launch “patriotic tours” to Pag-asa Island in April, offering Filipinos a nationalism-driven alternative in the West Philippine Sea to traditional leisure travel.

The municipality of Kalayaan will launch “patriotic tours” to Pag-asa Island in April, offering Filipinos a nationalism-driven alternative in the West Philippine Sea to traditional leisure travel.