ORANI, Bataan — The Department of Tourism and this municipality on Tuesday launched here community tourism, combining three sites into one tourism package that DOT described as unique.
DOT Region 3 director Carolina Uy said the agency advocates the development of tourism products, new tour packages.
“We need to develop these tour packages to cater to the demand of tourists, especially by cruise passengers from luxury foreign ships docking at the Subic Bay Port,” she said.
The director said they have taken into consideration the close proximity of Orani to the Subic Bay Port that trip by land takes only about 30 minutes.
“We have seen the viability of coming up with these tour packages combining eco-tourism, faith tourism and farm tourism into one unique countryside experience. This is exactly the kind of tour packages that our visitors and foreign tourists are looking for,” Uy said.
Orani Mayor Efren Pascual, Jr., said that the three sites in the tourism package they launched were connected to each other that will give much-needed economic benefits for the town of 70,000 people.
“We chose farm tourism and eco-tourism simply because at present, ito ang yaman na kapag napagbuti ay magbibigay katiyakan na may kapupuntahang ekonomiyang pakinabang sa mga taga- Orani,” he said.
“Walang malalaking economic institutions o industrial opportunities sa Orani. We are gearing towards eco-tourism and farm tourism combined with faith tourism that will give us better chance of ensuring better economic opportunities for our people,” the mayor added.
Included in the tour package are visits to the entrance of the Bataan National Park in the village of Tala, an aqua farm, agriculture farm and the 330-year old church of Orani.
From a viewdeck can be seen the lush greeneries of the Bataan mountain range.
While going up and down Tala, one can feel the cool breeze comparable to that of Tagaytay City.
The next stop is the 60-hectare aqua farm operated by the family of Vic Santos where shrimps, crabs, bangus and tilapia are raised.
Visitors can try catching tilapia by using a bamboo fishing rod and have it cooked and rest in one of the nipa huts in the middle of the fishponds.
In the “boodle fight” that followed, visitors feasted on shrimps, crabs, bangus and okra with bagoong.
Some meters away is the farm of Rey Diaz where visitors can pick and pay for vegetables and even medicinal plants.
Visitors can also try planting rice in a small demonstration rice paddy.
Available in the farm are halaya made from ube, biko, letche plan, cooked duck eggs and other products raised in the area.
The final stop is the 330-year old church of Orani that has a museum for the miraculous Nuestra Senora Virgen del Rosario.
At the museum are crowns and clothes worn by the Image of the Virgin Mary.
“Ipinapakita ng faith tourism ang matinding pananampalataya ng mga taga-Orani,” Pascual said.
