Business Mirror
29 August 2017
THE Province of Aurora will take center stage as the Philippines’s “City of Charm” in the 14th China-Asean Expo (Caexpo) in Nanning, Guangxi, China, from September 15 to 17.
As part of the Philippine delegation led by the Department of Trade and Industry-Center for International Trade and Expositions and Missions (DTI-Citem), the local government of Aurora will highlight their province’s sights, culture and its investment opportunities in the City of Charm pavilion.
In their booth, the Aurora provincial government is also set to feature the sights and economic potential of each of its eight municipalities: Baler, Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan, Dingalan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora and San Luis.
Caexpo is the second-biggest trade event in China, with a total exhibition space of about 80,000 square meters and 4,600 exhibition booths with around 57,000 participants. It is the only international trade fair in the region dedicated to promoting the building of China-Asean Free Trade Area and celebrating regional economic and trade cooperation.
“Aurora will be given a chance to promote its premier agriculture sector and tourist destination in the Chinese and Southeast Asian market. This will lead to more employment and livelihood opportunities to its locals through the entry of foreign and domestic capital that will boost our income-generating industries,” Citem Executive Director Clayton Tugonon said.
“Harnessing the economic competitiveness of Aurora province will enable its local government to diversify its products and improve the services it can offer to the local and international markets,” Tugonon said.
Agriculture is the main economic driver in Aurora, employing approximately half of the population in this booming industry. About 49,991 hectares or 15 percent of the provincial land area are cultivated farmlands. Major crops include rice, coconut, coffee, bananas, root crops, corn, citrus fruits, peanuts and abaca. The province is also a major producer of the Philippine’s best-tasting virgin-coconut distilled wine, known locally as lambanog, which is made from the sap or tuba of coconut-tree flowers.
As a tourist destination, Aurora is filled with exciting water adventure. The Pacific Ocean brings the northeast monsoon wind, creating versatile waves suitable for surfing amateurs, enthusiasts and professionals—earning the reputation as a world-renowned surfing hub. The province’s marine biodiversity is a sight to behold for scuba divers, as its underwater terrain is a habitat for a variety of fishes, sea snakes, turtles, mollusks and other marine creatures. Some of the fascinating water spots in Aurora are the Dinadiawan Beach, Sabang Beach, Dingalan White Beach, Dimadimalangat Islet, Dicasalarin Bay and Banju Springs. Nestled in the arms of the Sierra Madre mountain range, the province is teeming with various land escapades, whether you are a hiker, trekker or simply a nature lover. It has a most captivating rainforest, a lively ecoparadise for distinct Philippine flora and fauna. “In fact, Aurora is where you can find the 600-year-old balete tree designated the official “Millennium Tree” of the Philippines, the largest tree of its kind in Asia. It is also home to the endangered Philippine eagle and other rare species of amphibians, reptiles and other birds,” Tugonon said.