‘Sox’ takes centerstage
MANILA, Philippines - The promotion of tourist destinations in Mindanao got another boost with the two-week staging of the “Treasures of Sox” or Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN), ongoing at the Department of Tourism (DOT) building in Makati City.
“This current showcase on south-central Mindanao supports DOT’s thrusts of developing and promoting the different tourist destinations in that part of the Philippines,” DOT Secretary Wanda Teo said.
“As a destination, south-central Mindanao’s enchanting culture and traditions as well as its pristine nature and adventure features are ideal for millennials to visit and enjoy, including those born with Filipino ancestry in other countries,” she added.
According to Undersecretary Alma Rita Jimenez of DOT’s Tourism Regulation, Coordination and Resource Generation Sector, the Tourism Showroom is geared towards creating product knowledge inter-regionally or cross-selling of tourism products and services among different regions. Primary targets are tourism employees and walk-in visitors prior to their actual travel to the regions.
“With this prior knowledge, an employee of DOT and its attached agencies as well as any visitor will not be a dayuhan (stranger) in our own country. They can then talk about the region’s distinct features to prospective domestic and foreign visitors. If you cannot go to the regions now, the regions will come to you,” Jimenez explained.
DOT Region 12 director Nelly Nita Dillera revealed that since 2013, there has been an 85 percent increase in growth rate among domestic visitors as well as international tourists like South Koreans, Americans and Japanese. DOT accreditation among mandatory and secondary establishments also saw a 44 percent increase.
Some of the SOCCSKSARGEN products on display and for sale are T’nalak cloth and brassware, fashion accessories, native handicrafts and food like tuna chicharon, taro chips, chocolate tablea by Kablon Farms, crispy dilis, among others.
SOCCSKSARGEN stands for the region’s four provinces (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani) and one of its cities (General Santos). The regional center, Koronadal is located in the province of South Cotabato, and the center of commerce, industry and the most populous city is General Santos. Soccsksargen encompasses Cotabato City, situated within the borders of Maguindanao, a province of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
