Leyte’s most remote village eyes farm tourism
By Sarwell Meniano / Philippine News Agency
TACLOBAN CITY – The most remote village in Leyte is preparing for agriculture tourism activities to increase its farm earnings, the Department of Tourism (DOT) reported on Friday.
DOT regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes said she met on Thursday with the 44-member farmers association in Kagbana village in Burauen town to discuss plans for farm tourism.
“They walked all the way to meet us and meet with them by the roadside. That’s how enthusiastic they are to augment their farm earnings through tourism,” Tiopes told the Philippine News Agency.
Kagbana, some 40 kilometers away from the town center of Burauen, is considered the most remote community in Leyte.
To get to Kagbana from Tacloban City, one has to travel for an hour overland to San Vicente village in MacArthur town, then take a less than an hour bumpy motorcycle ride, and hike for about an hour along steep slopes.
The ongoing road project funded by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and Leyte provincial government has reduced the non-accessible path to only three kilometers.
The village, formerly known as the hotbed of the New People’s Army, has 300 residents, including 25 to 30 members of the Mamanwa tribe who settled in the village since the 1980s.
Farmers led by their association president Prospera Gloria is eyeing to set up a model farm planted with high-value crops to attract tourists.
Apart from the road opening project, the Leyte provincial government has been raising the capability of villagers to produce high-value crops.
Several farmers in Kagbana have completed a 10-day on high-value crops farming.
The training, Tiopes said, is part of the preparation to open the area for farm tourism.
Farm tourism is a concept which combines tourism and agriculture by drawing visitors to the farms to experience unique agriculture activities like harvesting agricultural produce, feeding and raising animals, fishing, camping, hiking and even sampling the local cuisine. (PNA)