Voluntourists for Capiz
The provincial government thru its Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO) has launched “Tindog Capiz” which encourages tourists to help rebuild the lives of Capiceños severed by supertyphoon Yolanda early this November
"Tindog Capiz", which means Stand Up Capiz, is simply a vacation option for all tourists who would like to come to Capiz and be one with the Capiceños in their effort to rehabilitate the province.
PTCAO head Alphonsus Tesoro said that rebuilding the lives of the residents needs help from all those who are willing to become a “voluntourist” in the province.
Apparently, voluntourist refers to a volunteer tourist.
“Experience Capiz First! Your voluntourism destination!” stressed Tesoro.
Voluntourists must register and be accredited by PTCAO to participate in the various activities at identified voluntourism sites provincewide.
Upon registration, PTCAO will refer the voluntourists to specific sites depending on their preferred or chosen activity.
A registered voluntourist may choose from among the activities like tree/mangrove tree planting, arts therapy/arts for healing, coastal clean up, building houses or schools, clearing operations, cultural caregiving, feeding and scholarship programs, livelihood training and other life-enriching activities.
Qualified to participate in Tindog Capiz are international and domestic tourists, private companies, international socio-civic organizations, religious organizations, government agencies and academic institutions, among others.
The various sites for the activities were identified at community-based rural tourism, indigenous people’s communities and other tourism attraction destinations such as heritage, pilgrim and ecological sites.
PTCAO noted in its concept paper about the initiative that participants on Tindog Capiz will enjoy discounted rates among participating accommodation establishments and restaurants, get local tour guide assistance and receive a certificate of voluntourism.
The tourism initiative is also expected to pave way for a participant’s significant and meaningful vacation while exploring the unique and captivating beauty of the province, gaining new friendships and lifetime memories, experiencing harmony with the environment, interacting with IPs and learning the richness of their culture and making a deep impact on the lives in the communities.
Other collaborators of the tourism initiative are Department of Tourism, concerned national government agencies, local government units and various tourism stakeholders.
International and domestic tourists, private companies holding team-building and corporate social responsibility activities, international socio-civic organizations conducting immersion, religious organizations holding pilgrimages, government agencies holding outreach programs and academic institutions having lakbay-aral/educational tours, can participate, PTCAO said.
Participants can avail themselves of special rates in PTCAO’s partner accommodation establishments and restaurants.
Interested voluntourists can contact PTCAO at (036) 6210042 local 133, (036) 6212935, email: capiz.tourism@yahoo.com , or facebook.com/CapizTourismAndCulturalAffairs. (JCM/Alex A. Lumaque/PIA 6 Capiz)
