Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Treasures Of The Western Frontier

Introduction


        One could appreciate fully his cultural heritage only if the tangible aspects of his culture are accounted, unraveled and appreciated. The material aspects of one’s culture include the land, water, natural resources and tourist spots. These physical evidences of our material culture are so concrete so familiar and trivial such that scanty resource materials and references could be found, if any, which contained the data needed in writing this article. Perhaps this seemingly muted if not listless attention given to the patrimony of our region could be attributed to the misconception that what are found in the region could similarly be found anywhere else in other regions. It is hoped, however, that what are revealed in the following articles, insufficient they may be, can help deepen our awareness and heighten our appreciation of our region’s rich natural resources and endowments which could equal if not surpass those of other regions.
         Our region is blessed with countless scenic and historic tourist destinations whose beauty could cause viewers to marvel, drool and dumbfounded and whose historic significance could evoke in one’s memory our glorious past. Included in the later articles are profiles of those destinations found only in the printed pamphlets and other reading materials published and compiled by the regional office of the Department of Tourism in Iloilo City. Sadly, however, these references are found wanting in accurate, compete and definite descriptions of the different places of interest mentioned therein.What is most noticeable in the published materials compiled and disseminated by the Department of Tourism is that more emphasis and attention are given to the already popular tourist destinations to the detriment and disadvantage of the less famous though equally attractive ones. It is there, expected that with the following articles those obscure and unnoticed tourist destinations will receive the proper attention they deserve.