CamSur was a great place, and Bicol as a whole.

Shopping was also fun especially for souvenir and pasalubong items, however, it was so sad to note that there are merchandisers who take advantage of visitors.

One comment I would like to throw has something to do with the Pili nut products. We were accompanied by an acquaintance to PNR, Legazpi City with the thought of buying cheap but quality pili nut products, however, it was some sort of deceit.

As we were entering the compound, a guy approached us and offered his merch. Our companions started buying and so did we. The person who accompanied us there was very silent....maybe he was ashamed to tell us that that was not supposed to be the person whom we should buy from. An old woman approached one of my companions and told her that she has merch in her house, so she followed. That was where we were supposed to buy. The products were pure Pili Nut.

As we were leaving the compound, we found out that the Pili nuts packed in plastic bottles that we bought from the man who met us are not pure pili nuts. Only the walls of the bottles were lined up with real nuts and the center filled with caramelized sugar.

We were cheated of course. A waste of money. I hope the local government and the provincial DTI office could monitor this matter. We must consider that both domestic and foreign tourists could help promote these products by word of mouth. We were so disappointed about it.

On our way home, we dropped by the fruit stalls along the highway at Laguna to buy Lanzones and Rambutans. While inside the vehicle, we doubted on the weight so upon reaching home, we weighed the fruits only to find out that it is short of one-fourth kilo. How can those people manage to cheat other people who pay fairly and contribute to their livelihood.

I hope that through this blog, it could somehow reach the concerned so that they could do something to correct this. Tourism is livelihood, therefore tourists should be treated fairly.

The Philippine Airlines Mountaineering Club (PALMC) was among those that facilitated the retrieval operations and found out the potential of the place as fit for a mountaineering activity. Since then, they started conducting yearly memorial climbs together with the families of the crash victims. This activity was then made known to other mountaineering groups that resulted to more visitors going to Mt. Ugo.

Having noticed the increasing number of visitors bound to Mt. Ugo, the barangay officials enacted an ordinance setting the collection of entrance, porter and guide fees in the barangay's identified tourist destinations.

The Annual Mt. Ugo Summer Climb is an invitational climb that is a promotional activity of Barangay Tinongdan in Itogon, Benguet for Mt. Ugo, the most recent is the 4th Mt. Ugo Summer Climb. It entails mountaineering activities such as hiking, climbing and, nature and culture appreciation. It also includes educational aspect because of its historical background being the site of the PAL plane crash and it is where the tri-boundary marker for the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, and then Mountain Province, now Benguet Province which was separated.

Short Term Benefits

The stakeholders who benefited from this event are the storeowners, restaurants, peddlers, transport operators, and drivers. Bus companies with provincial operations ferried the climbers from their respective provinces to the city of Baguio which is the kick-off point. In the local level, we tapped the services of all the jitneys plying the route of Tinongdan and Binga. Likewise, the stores, restaurants, and peddlers en route (including the municipalities of Bokod, Benguet & Kayapa, Nueva Vizcaya) to Mt. Ugo likewise had the opportunity to sell their local and indigenous products. /the trained tour guides and porters rendered their services with corresponding fees standardized by the Barangay Government.

Most of the participants of the organized climb came from Metro Manila and southern provinces. It somehow gave them three-days opportunity to experience the cool climate and appreciate the beauty of nature in the Benguet mountains.

Long Term Benefits

Tour guiding and porterage provides additional income for the trained locals of Barangay Tinongdan even after the organized climb. Several mountaineering clubs organize and schedule independent climbs and engage the services of these trained guides and porters. Most often, participants to the climb spread their desirable experiences during the climb which lure other interested climbers to visit the place.

The event also promotes environmental and cultural awareness. Likewise, business establishments and livelihood activities that cater to the need of the tourists are now eventually increasing in the host areas.

INVOLVEMENT, PARTICIPATION, AND COOPERATION OF GENERAL STAKEHOLDERS

Before the conduct of every climb, the Barangay Government through its Barangay Captain conducts meeting with all involved sectors in the Barangay, both private and government. The Barangay Officials, Barangay Tourism Council, the Drivers and Operators Association, the Women's Group, the Association of Tour Guides and Porters, Storeowners and Food Handlers' Association, Youth Association, /senior Citizens, the Council of Elders, Barangay Tanods, Purok Leaders, and Health Workers all convene to identify their respective roles and participation in order to ensure the smooth operation of the event and shall meet the satisfaction and enjoyable stay, and safety of the participants.

CONTINUITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE EVENT/PROJECT

The Annual Mt. Ugo Summer Climb started in 2003 and is now moving for its 5th year. It has been the word of mouth of the happy participants and contingents. After every climb, the conduct of a post evaluation is necessary in order to accommodate comments and suggestions for the improvement of the succeeding climb.

The Barangay Tourism Council and the Barangay Government expand its network through linkages with other agencies. The Local Government of the Barangay, Municipal and Provincial unit appropriate fund for tourism development where minimal support expenses are drawn or this event. Said event is also coordinated with the office of the DOT Regional Director.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY

The involvement of the community is primarily the priority of the event. The participants get the chance to interact with the indigenous people of the host community where Ibaloi and Iwak tribes reside. The social, cultural and environmental aspect is the center of the interaction process as it becomes an avenue for the interchange of sharing ideas and knowledge. It becomes a two-way learning process.

The climb has encouraged the community to:

1. Protect and preserve their environment and culture.
2. Develop and improve their communication skills.
3. Develop and improve the basic tourist support facilities in the barangay, and;
4. Enhance their livelihood opportunities

The event has also caused the conduct of several outreach programs by various mountaineering clubs in the different sitios of the barangay such as medical-dental missions, delivery of donations in the form of school supplies, foot wears, raingears, and clothing among others. Some residents also found employment outside the province with the assistance of some tourists.