Kabankalan City mayor Benjie Miranda is pushing for the development of riverside tourism to expand the city’s tourism offerings, starting with attracting more local tourists.
Speaking during the 1st Bangkarera competition on Wednesday, July 30, Miranda said the administration will explore plans to develop tourism activities along a portion of the Ilog-Hilabangan River in Barangay Talubangi, envisioning it as a new attraction that could later draw in foreign tourists as well.
He cited successful river-based tourism destinations in Bohol and Thailand, which he recently visited, as inspiration for this initiative, believing that if local engagement is strong, international interest will follow.
His announcement may also pave the way for the protection and rehabilitation of one of the country’s most important rivers.
Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) in Negros Occidental, earlier warned that the degraded state of the Ilog-Hilabangan Forest Reserve has increased flood risks in southern Negros.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.