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Bohol Tourism Highlights

Aug 2, 2025

Overview

This lecture covers key facts about Bohol tourism, including festivals, laws, significant sites, notable figures, and cultural heritage for quiz preparation.

Festivals and Holidays

  • Agbunan Festival is named after San Isidro's old name and marks town independence by RA 5662.
  • Sinugbuan Festival is celebrated in Garcia Hernandez on May 27.
  • Saulog Tagbilaran honors St. Joseph The Worker Parish's anniversary.
  • Ubi Festival is held annually every January.
  • First Calamay Festival occurred on April 28-30, 2015.
  • Suroy sa Musikero is a concert event from December 25 to February 2 in Loboc.

Laws, Policies, and Organizations

  • Proclamation No. 1037 protected the Chocolate Hills (signed July 1, 1997 by Pres. Fidel V. Ramos).
  • National Tourism Act of 2009 (RA 9593) integrates all tourism efforts and policies.
  • Republic Act 9446 declares Bohol as an Eco-cultural Tourism Zone.
  • TIEZA replaced the Philippine Tourism Authority to regulate tourism enterprise zones.
  • Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage Council is the provincial policy body for culture and art.

Notable People, Books, and Achievements

  • Head of CCAD is Romulo Tagaan.
  • Hermogena Lungay is the matriarch of Bol-anon visual arts.
  • Regalado Trota Jose wrote Visita Iglesia Bohol.
  • Ubay's milk processing and Loboc River Cruise cited as community-based tourism models.

Significant Natural and Cultural Sites

  • Chocolate Hills designated a natural monument.
  • Loon Church is Bohol's architectural "crowning glory".
  • Danajon Double Reef is a well-known coral reef.
  • Himontagon Hills offers views of the Mindanao Sea.
  • Cambuyo Rice Terraces are a local version of Banaue's terraces.
  • Panglao Watchtower is the tallest in the Philippines.
  • Dimiao Twin Falls/Pahangog Falls is a famous waterfall.
  • Mabaw Reef is a notable marine protected area.

Miscellaneous Facts

  • Panglao is top in tourist volume among municipalities.
  • Tagbilaran City has nearly 175K combined tourists.
  • Medical tourism in Bohol includes affordable surgeries.
  • Bien Unido is the seaweed capital of Bohol.
  • The first Miss Bohol Tourism came from Garcia Hernandez.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Agbunan Festival — Festival named after old San Isidro.
  • Proclamation No. 1037 — Law protecting the Chocolate Hills.
  • TIEZA — Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.
  • CCAD — Center for Culture and Arts Development.
  • Sustainable Tourism — Resource management balancing tourism needs and ecological integrity.
  • Speleothems — Another term for stalactites and stalagmites.
  • Encomienda — Feudal right to collect tribute during Spanish regime.
  • Carrageenan — Product from dried seaweed used in pharmaceuticals.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Review key festivals, laws, and sites for the quiz.
  • Memorize important names, dates, and locations noted above.
  • Study definitions of key terms for better recall during exams.