Capiz: From 'enchanting' to 'simply captivating'

ROXAS CITY, Capiz - The local government is conducting an aggressive awareness campaign for this province to become more known as the country's seafood capital and discard notions that it is plagued with "aswang."

Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco said they are now working closely with the Department of Tourism (DOT) to promote the province as a premier destination known for its delicious seafood.

“It’ more fun to eat seafood in Capiz,” Tanco told reporters in an interview last week.

“We are closely tying up with the DOT and they will be the ones to mention the assets of our province [to the public],” he added.

Local officials said the seafood from their province is in demand due to its freshness and its distinct sweet taste.

“Our seafood tastes good because our waters are clean. Our waters are red tide-free,” Tanco said in Filipino.

Zoe Herrera, provincial administrator of Capiz, said they are in talks with businessmen of nearby Boracay Island so that their local fishermen could supply seafood to its beach resorts.

He said such set-up would allow them to introduce their seafood to visitors of the well-known tourist spot including foreigners.

Tanco noted that agro-fishery is an important component of their economy. To sustain Capiz’s image as a seafood haven, the local government has embarked on programs that educate fishermen about marine life preservation.

'Aswang' stigma

At the same time, local officials are trying to erase perceptions that the province is populated with "aswang" craving for human flesh.

Remia Bartolome, board member of the province’s first district, said Capiz should be known for its seafood and not for something created by other people’s imagination.

“The stories about the aswang were created by the minds of some people. There are no vampires in our province,” she said in Filipino.

Bartolome said the aswang stigma was attached to Capiz due to popular horror movies that linked evil creatures with the province.

The province previously tried to capitalize on the myth by organizing an aswang festival in a bid to lure tourists.

The holding of the event, however, was discontinued in 2007 after some religious groups claim that it promoted witchcraft and paganism.

The province is now being careful in its tourism programs to avoid associating it with sorcery, vampires and other creatures of the dark.

In fact, the tourism slogan of Capiz has been changed to “simply captivating” from “enchanting,” which some believe has a double meaning.

Tanco lamented that the aswang myth somehow affected the image of Capiz to tourists.

“I think we are recovering from that image. Before some people even brought garlic when they visit our province,” the governor said in jest.

"I once told them (visitors) I will give a reward to anybody who can capture in camera and identify the aswang here," he added,

Capiz officials admitted that their province is underrated and lacks exposure. It was not even mentioned in the 30-second television commercial of the DOT slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.”

“We have a tourism promotion program and we are hosting numerous festivals to create awareness,” Tanco said.

About 230,000 tourists visit Capiz every year.