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NegOr eyes joint food tourism, organic agri push under NIR

Woodrow Maquiling Jr., executive director of the Negros Oriental Provincial Tourism Board (left), at the opening the 16th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival.*Ronnie Baldonado photo

Negros Oriental is looking at food tourism and organic agriculture as bedrocks of its relationship with Negros Occidental under a Negros Island Region (NIR), Woodrow Maquiling Jr., executive director of the Negros Oriental Provincial Tourism Board, said.

Maquiling represented Gov. Manuel “Chaco” Sagabarria at the opening program of the 16th Negros Island Organic Farmers’ Festival and 1st Terra Madre Visayas at the Negros Residences in Bacolod City on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

He said Sagarbarria fully supports the creation of the NIR, which will be composed of Negros Occidental and Oriental, and Siquijor.

The House has approved a bill creating the NIR and a counterpart measure is pending in the Senate.

Sagarbarria and other Negros Oriental stakeholders are anticipating and excited about the proposed NIR, Maquiling said.

Prior to the creation of the proposed Negros Island Region hopefully both provinces can already jointly push food tourism, Maquiling said.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, in his speech, also stressed the importance of promoting of food tourism.

Bacolod City with its delicious food, hospitable people, good ambiance is a winner for food tourism, he said.

“I am confident that the simultaneous celebration of Terra Madre Visayas and the 16th Negros Island Organic Farmers’ Festival will mark our collective journey towards a sustainable and environmentally conscious future as well as promote small-scale, traditional, and sustainable food production,” Maquiling said in his speech.

“Together, let’s amplify the message of sustainability, celebrate the richness of organic practices, and forge a path towards a future where Negros Island thrives, ensuring prosperity for generations to come,” he added.*

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