“Market Eastern Visayas as a Region”

“Market Eastern Visayas as a Region”
“We need to market Eastern Visayas as a region,” this was according to Regional Development Council Chair and Calbayog City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento in a press interview adding that the RDC is now focused in increasing productivity in agriculture and in promoting eco-tourism..

“We have to come up with something that could market us because we are one unique region divided in three major islands yet connected with each other by bridge,” Mayor Sarmiento added referring to the islands of Leyte and Samar connected by San Juanico Bridge and Leyte and Biliran connected with Biliran bridge.

“We have lots of natural wonders as compared to other regions in the Visayas, but we need to look, what do we need to promote them first,” Mayor Sarmiento said mentioning tourist sites in the region such the Sohoton Cave and Calicoan Island that had caught attention of both local, national and foreign tourists.
“But we need to package Eastern Visayas as a region and we need to look for our best assets in promoting the region,” he added.
Mayor Sarmiento also mentioned the newly inaugurated Agas-agas Bridge in Southern Leyte where tourists can experience extreme sports such as bungee jumping and rappelling.
Moreover, he added that the Local Government Executives must also give their share in promoting their local tourist areas and their local products, which is supported by the governments program One Town, One Province which is implemented by the Department of Trade and Industry.
He also said that upon promoting local products, the LGUs and local producers must not sacrifice the quality of their products just to meet the demands of the products.
In Eastern Visayas region, among the tourist attractions aside from the Sohoton Cave, Calicoan Island and Calbiga Cave, are the rock formations in Biri Island in Northern Samar, the Shifting Sand in Biliran Island, the various diving spots in Southern Leyte, the Quatro Islas in the Southern Part of Leyte Province, among others.
Popular products or delicacies from the region are “binagol”, ”chocolate moron” , ”roscas”, and tuba.