ALFONSO LISTA, IFUGAO– It is often said that a leader shaped by humble beginnings finds little difficulty in investing his or her time, resources and talent to make an endeavor remarkably productive and fulfilling because his or her feet are always on the ground. One such individual is businessman and civic leader Paul Perlado of this farming town.
“I always recall where I came from,” he said.
Raised in Santiago City, Isabela, educated in Baguio City and trained in Metro Manila’s cut-throat work environment, business is not only Perlado’s outlet for creativity. In the past, he travelled to Bohol, Palawan, Batangas, Sorsogon, Mindoro Oriental and Mindoro Occidental provinces where countless tourists were awed by the pristine waters of their beaches.
Alfonso Lista residents find it easier to cite his contributions to the tourism industry. Presently, Perlado is the vice chairman of the town’s moribund tourism council. Unfortunately, the council’s activities are hardly significant. In short, it is not making a dent in the tourism industry. Nevertheless, Perlado continues to invest in the development of the town and its people. This time around, at the fast-emerging village of Sto. Domingo. Clearly, he should extend his talent to the public out there. Based on the scenario described above, what would you do if you’re in his shoes?
From the famed “Rancho Domingo,” he drove on a drizzling afternoon to the bird-watching site at Sitio Minanga. It was closed because of the SARS-CoV2 or the COVID-19 disease to check the place’s condition. Construction of a comfort room was halted.
Earlier, after sipping coffee and taking a light breakfast at home at Barangay Sta. Maria, Perlado went to the same place. Again, for the same purpose.
Perlado says he intends to complete it as well as a Salintubig project when construction works resume.
With public and private resources crucial to the site’s development dwindling, and possibly to be channeled to other priorities in the post-COVID-19 period, Perlado has to be creative in tapping new sources of funding. He has no choice but to explore alternative funding mechanisms.
The intervening days between now and the eventual lifting- full or partial, of the imposed community quarantine in Luzon island are crucial to reviving the tourism industry here and elsewhere.
Good thing is that Perlado has the courage to try and do the right thing at the right time for the tourism industry and its beneficiaries.
“My advantage is I came from a family of the ‘common tao.’ So I will do my best to help others improve their lives,” he said in a recent interview with the ZigZag Weekly. A generous and kind-hearted man, Perlado has overcome criticisms from envious folks who belittled his accomplishments in life. Alas, he has proven his worth!
Translated, his intentions are essential in generating jobs and incomes for the marginalized sector. Perlado, through various initiatives at the town, did vouch safe to give hope to the poor. He possesses the traits for building the goodwill and protecting the reputation of the stakeholders of the tourism industry in this part of the country.
For now, he has to really focus on Barangay Sto. Domingo. Perlado’s successful efforts in the business world and knowhow in tourism are seen to be most helpful in this barangay’s plan to jumpstart its tourism development program. He shall be rewarded enormously for working along with the barangay tourism officer and Punong Barangay Jovito Valenzuela. He is fully aware of the village’s vast potentials to draw local and foreign tourists.
“The strategic plan is one of the most important and critical undertakings to be taken by the Sto. Domingo Barangay Council in recent times,” he said.
“Dedicated and intelligent individuals in the private sector and Punong Barangay Valenzuela are lining up high-impact development projects for the barangay,” Perlado further stressed.
Perlado should be a great asset to the Office of Barangay Tourism at Sto. Domingo, its plans and overall promotion and marketing program.
The barangay council is expected to widen its network of infrastructure projects in strategic sections throughout the village to provide innovative income distribution schemes for the people. This distribution platform, in turn, shall cover a wide range of beneficiaries. In other words, substantial growth in revenues derived from these projects will take place and the result would be most helpful in curbing poverty incidence.
The barangay tourism officer himself is batting for an integrated end-to-end, forward-looking tourism program that provide seamless supply chain solutions to present-day problems of Barangay Sto. Domingo’s tourism attractions.
Barangay Sto. Domingo is still the best place for a vacation when you’re looking for a far, far different destination- the needle in the haystack. So it pays well knowing helpful and caring persons like Mr. Perlado are around and who is spending a great deal of his time in the barangay.
If Mr. Perlado decides to stick with well-meaning and reputable individuals at Barangay Sto. Domingo rather than elsewhere, he’ll get defined the outcomes- increased in tourism arrivals, receipts and number of destinations developed. Not wasted precious time, energy and resources with the others.
According to an official data, on April 19, 2019 (Good Friday), only three foreign tourists (a Lebanese and two Canadians) visited the municipal eco park here. On the other hand, Department of Tourism (DOT) records show that for June 2018, the arrivals in the country tallied at 528,747 posting an 11.35 percent increase, compared to the 474,854 arrivals of the same month in 2017.
This early, the barangay tourism officer is already planning a Lenten rites program for 2021 to draw devotees and tourists to the village. Faith-based pilgrimages are popular in a predominantly Roman Catholic country like the Philippines.
Today, Barangay Sto. Domingo is widely acknowledged as the “agro-tourism” center of Ifugao. The suggestion to declare the barangay as the “tourism center” of Alfonso Lista by the Sangguniang Bayan, therefore, is unnecessary, thus uncalled for. After all, the Sangguniang Barangay itself is not just a local government unit (LGU). It is an autonomous unit of government. The barangay is the fundamental unit of government in the Philippines. That when the barangay opted to hold its’ Barangay Fiesta or conduct a Barangay Assembly meeting, the Sangguniang Barangay acted on its own. In short, there is no need whatsoever to ask permission from the Sangguniang Bayan to hold said undertakings.
In achieving this vision, the barangay embarks on projects to fast-track the development of the agriculture and tourism sectors.
Presently, Perlado has a dream to share with others. Verily, the barangay tourism officer is extending a helping hand for its realization.
For one, the still underdeveloped bird-watching site is open to everyone who has a passion for studying the flight patterns of birds. It is a place where both the curious and adventurous are welcome to share interests and explore the wonders of an unspoiled landscape. Here one gets to see countless birds in their rhythmic glides. It also gives a feeling through the heart what it’s like to be a bird- free to fly above the high ground and free from the hustles and bustles of life. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly what is essential which is simply invisible to the eye.
At the bird-watching site, the key to experiencing the foregoing is first-hand. And it matters!
As a practical matter, tourists go to this place and leave it almost immediately because of the absence of a hotel or lodging inn. Are the visitors going to sleep at the birds’ nest? This looks to be extremely unlikely. It is like a trivia game in which you know the answer, but can hardly realize that infrastructures are no longer considered as support systems. Iconic facilities bring a distinct kind of attraction and satisfaction. The real problem then is the lack of understanding of the globalized character of the tourism industry.
“There is a growing concern on the lack of hostels that is why, we are considering some options,” Perlado said, when asked to comment on this matter.
When the COVID-19 nightmare is finally over, travel plans are incomplete with a visit to Barangay Sto. Domingo not in one’s itinerary. Look for Mr. Perlado as well as Punong Barangay Valenzuela. Also, look for and seek the assistance of the barangay tourism officer, who is for a vigorous campaign to draw visitors to the barangay. His ultimate goal is to put Barangay Sto. Domingo on the map of global destinations.
Barangay Sto. Domingo’s economy is inextricably linked to agriculture and tourism. The barangay tourism officer’s blueprint is an interactive program geared for villagers and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) that need to equip themselves with a broader perspective of the tourism industry vis-à-vis the overall development agenda of the national government through the understanding of basic tenets of travel and tours.
Tourism and partnerships are two different terms bonded together by the same purpose- to achieve a common goal.
It is high time to look into policies, programs and other concerns that are within the realm of the tourism industry with the goal of uplifting the conditions of the widest majority of the population. In other words, tourism benefits are focused for the “greatest good of the greatest number of the people.” It should go beyond the conduct of food fairs and the like.
Perlado now takes the dual role of empowering Filipino lives and advancing the poverty alleviation program of the government.
As a leader, he also advocated “culinary tourism,” “sports tourism” and “farm tourism.”
“I know that teaching tourists how to prepare and cook nutritious and delicious meals shall attract them to visit us. That’s why I also want the barangay tourism officer to include it in his program,” he uttered.
Information from the barangay council and the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) suggests the support of NGOs, POs and other civil society organizations (CSOs) here and adjacent villages for mountain biking races is strong. Moreover, Perlado disclosed that trekking is another point of interest for domestic and international travelers.
Indeed, at present, Barangay Sto. Domingo has been blessed with a hilly terrain for these activities.
Today, looking at “Rancho Domingo,” also known as the Domingo Integrated Organic Farm, one can say that the trust and confidence placed upon its owner, the Department of Agriculture Gawad Saka awardee Jesus Domingo as chairman of the town’s tourism council is well-placed. Like Perlado, Domingo, however, should now refocus his attention on Barangay Sto. Domingo.
Perlado is set to conquer new horizons, helping poor folks thread the way towards growth and progress. The expectations are always great and the responsibility, heavy. He has another option. Stay put and take orders from other quarters. And entertain the idea of drawing foreign tourists to a food fair with fish ball and “kikiam” on sale. This is pure fantasy. He knew the town and its inhabitants that well, most especially those from Barangay Sta. Maria.
Indeed, Perlado is a rare and singular character in the town’s history, a young pillar in the tourism industry and now, a leader who is willing to listen and learn from his peers. He is on his way to real-world transformation. All he needs to do is connect a treasured past to a globally-connected future. The “good news” is that Perlado is listening well to the call that the village’s attractions must be disseminated to the public by the most competent individual. Only through a strong partnership with the barangay tourism officer will the benefits of tourism shall be reaped. The bird-watching site belongs to Barangay Sto. Domingo folks; they can develop it. This is the task of the barangay tourism officer.
It is not hard to entice tourists to this part of the province since Barangay Sto. Domingo is so blissful to behold, the place offers a tranquil respite. According to the barangay tourism officer, he can triple tourist arrival numbers by providing incentives for building iconic tourist sites. “The biggest incentive is building world-class infrastructure. That’s what tourism is all about, not who is more accurate in counting the birds at the bird-watching site. That tourists come back again. That’s all I want them to do. That is what is at stake,” he asserted.
Modern facilities are among the most-sought after things by high-end tourists and which serve as impetus in sustaining the upward trajectory of foreign tourist arrivals in accordance with the National Tourism Development Plan. Implementing it is a big job. Perlado will just have to do it! He is an optimist. **By Anthony A. Araos
