Changing the face of Mindanao

The Jalosjos family is bent on improving the image of Mindanao, and they will devote whatever resources they can to accomplish that intimidating goal. They’ve had enough of the misconception of their homeland brought about by countless reports of violence and unrest in local and foreign news services, reports that are about areas hundreds of kilometers away.

“We really want people to change the way they look at Zamboanga del Norte in particular, and Mindanao in general,” say sportsman and former congressman Romeo Jalosjos, who heads the family’s world-class Dakak beach resort. “Even local tourists, when they hear ‘Mindanao’ they ask, “Isn’t it dangerous there?” Especially when they hear ‘Zamboanga’. But Zamboanga City is eight hours away.”

There has been a campaign to nickname Zamboanga del Norte “ZaNorte” to differentiate it from its distant namesake, but making this official would need an act by the local government. In the meantime, the Jalosjos family has been working with local politicians to have the airport in nearby Dipolog reclassified as an alternate international airport. Dipolog airport, currently undergoing renovation, can accommodate large planes, and is only 20 minutes away from Dapitan. There has even been a move to request for the night lights from the defunct Cagayan de Oro airport, which was moved to another location, but the request was not accommodated, even if the lights will no longer be used. The eventual implementation of the Tourism Act of 2009 would lower taxes enough to allow Dakak to afford its own aircraft and bring in more paying visitors. However, the new law like many others, did not come with an accompanying set of implementing rules and regulations (IRR).

The last few years have seen great change in Dapitan City, which is known primarily for its spectacular seafood and as the place where national hero Jose Rizal was incarcerated by the Spanish for four years before his execution. The Jalosjos family has invested heavily in a theme park called Gloria Fantasyland, which has rides that rival any similar facility in Metro Manila. The park has a rollercoaster with a loop and spiral, a log ride, horror house (designed by the creators of the ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’ movie franchise), a 5D ride to challenge Enchanted Kingdom’s Rialto, and dozens of booths with a wide variety of merchandise.

Fantasyland has become a destination in Mindanao, particularly since it has been made part of a package including an overnight stay in Dakak. Dakak has shuttle buses stationed in Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Zamboanga and other strategic locations in Mindanao, and the shuttle service is part of the package. Students can now afford this enjoyable trip and have rare thrills in this part of the Philippines. And if they are interested in history, a monument called “Punto del Desembarcado de Rizal” marks where the good doctor first landed, and the local government has preserved his old house and recreated his octagonal clinic. Even the home of his European paramour Josephine Bracken has been preserved by the local tourism bureau.

Zamboanga del Norte is seemingly immune to conflict. The city hosted the International Big Bike Convention over the weekend, and it was a resounding success. There is almost no visible military presence, and the area is peaceful and secure thanks to the efforts of its local authorities and its natural topography. Dakak itself is particularly impervious to any possible terrorist activity. With its array of hills and coves, anyone attempting to enter through sea or hill would have a difficult time getting in, and would be seen from kilometers away.

“We would spot anyone trying to sneak in immediately,” Jalosjos explains. “Besides, they have no quick escape route. Everything could be covered by our security group very easily, if necessary.”

Jalosjos, himself an avid tennis player, has also invested millions of pesos out of his own pocket to fund young tennis players with constant foreign exposure in hopes of molding the country’s next international champion. His academy, situated in the southern part of Metro Manila, brought in Davis Cup veteran player and coach Manny Tecson four years ago to personally supervise the development of players. It has been a prohibitively rare experience for the academy’s teens, who have been racking up points for their world rankings.

Dapitan will reach new heights with the development of the Greg Norman course at Dakak. Norman, the first golfer in the world to earn more than $ 10 million dollars in one year, flew in on his private jet recently to survey his project, spending five hours walking and tweaking the design to attract more international players. Dakak already attracts roughly 300 European tourists a day. That number is expected to jump once the golf course is completed in 2015. That and improved port facilities will allow the city to put together golf cruises for international visitors. A new mall is also being completed next to Fantasyland, which will give families something to do while their patriarchs are out on the fairways.

Of course, Dakak is known primarily as a beach destination. Facilities for jet skiing, sailing, scuba diving, swimming and other aqua sports are readily available, and a new menu of events and activities is being readied by the resort’s marketing team. The Jalosjos family knows it will take some time for people to get used to seeing this paradise as it really is, but they’re not worried. They aren’t going anywhere until Mindanao gets the respect it deserves.