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A DIFFERENT SUNRISE
Tourism Strategies in Gangwon-do and Eastern Samar
Marc Titus D. Cebreros
Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
University of the Philippines in the Visayas Tacloban College
Tacloban City, Philippines
Lee, Chang Ho
Department of Mecatronics Engineering
Kangwon National University
Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Korea
EATOF 2005
Kangnung National University
Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Korea
Tourism plays a vital role in the activities of human societies. As an industry potentially worth billions of dollars, it is a main contributor to the economic well being of a country. It is so easy, however, to over-value the economic impact of tourism, to wax over the humane interior with astonishing descriptions of incomes and profits contained in glossy folders, that the culture-based and traditional foundations of the industry are often overlooked. This paper seeks to describe, compare and analyze the tourism industries of two provinces – located in different countries and soaked in different historical and socio-cultural, as well as political conventions. It would be noteworthy to consider the differences and similarities in tourism in Gangwon-do, Korea and Eastern Samar in the Philippines using both the macrocosmic approach and a locally based perspective.
Gangwon and Eastern Samar share few similarities outside the fact the both are located on the eastern part of their respective countries, facing the Pacific and characterized by hilly, often times mountainous terrain. Yet anyone with an eye for discovering relationships could always build on this similarity, however stark and incomplete it may seem; especially when one talks about tourism, an industry as old and as universal as man.
“East” enjoys special reverence among many Asian cultures. Filipinos like to build their churches facing east, towards Jerusalem where Christ was born. But more than this reason, it is for the fact that the East symbolizes rebirth, triumph and hope that Filipinos give prime importance to that direction. Koreans, Chinese, Japanese and virtually every other Asian nation are no different. Since culture and tradition serve as the foundations of tourism, it is highly interesting to note what role this concept of “east” plays in the development and sustainability of the tourism industry in the two provinces.
Where the Sun Rises Early
The coming of the Spaniards under Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 highlights Eastern Samar’s role as the Pacific gateway to the Philippine archipelago. Magellan and his men briefly anchored at Homonhon Island, on the tip of the province, on March 16 of that year ushering the era of Hispanic colonization. Today, Homonhon forms part of the municipality of Guiuan and its few thousand inhabitants barely recall their island’s historical importance, too occupied with the problem of surviving the economic woes that continue most Filipinos.
The province of Eastern Samar belongs to the 20 most economically depressed provinces of the Philippines. With a population of 375,822 (2000 census) inhabiting a land area of 4,339.6 km², the burden on the environment would, theoretically, not be so heavy as in most urban and urbanizing areas of the country. The high rate of poverty incidence however leads to the prevalence of slash-and-burn method (“kaingin”) of agriculture and guerilla-type extraction activities that greatly threaten the province’s natural resources.
Twenty-four municipalities (“municipio”) led by mayors and 10-member local legislative councils (“Sangguniang Bayan”) comprise the province which in turn is headed by the provincial governor and the “Sangguniang Panlalawigan” (Provincial Legislative Council). The capital, since the province’s creation in 1963, is Borongan. Overwhelmingly Catholic and Waray as the dominant language, Eastern Samar can be characterized as ethnolinguistically homogenous.
Politicians and administrators in the past years have been calling for the transormation of the province to an eco-tourism haven. Millions of pesos have been channeled to fund roads and the hotel magnates from Cebu and Manila are scrambling to buy beach-front properties in the south, driving land prices up. Unfortunately though little investment have been poured to alleviate poverty and improve the economic condition of the people; the government believes prosperity comes once eco-tourism is in place.
Incumbent Governor Ben Evardone proudly calls Eastern Samar as the “land where the sun rises early.” But the promise of a bright morning could be overshadowed by poor planning and hasty vision-setting. If tourism were to develop into a successful industry, just as the politicians want, then priorities have to be set on the right place and development efforts should not discount the people and the environment, the two main stakeholders.
Blessed Land, Breathing Land
Gangwon-do holds the sad distinction as the world’s only divided province – the direct result of the stalemated Korean War. It is the second biggest province in terms of land area but the mountainous terrain dominated by the Taebaek range restricts arable land to only 8% so that the population is the next smallest in the country (after Jeju-do). It has seven cities and 11 counties with Chuncheon as the seat of government.
The province aims to be the “center of a unified Korea in the 21st century,” perhaps to delineate its unique role as a frontier province and a direct link to the Democratic People Republic of Korea (DPRK), which currently holds a third of its territory. It is therefore no cause for surprise that the provincial administrations development thrusts are aimed at eventual reunification.
Due in part to the beauty of its forests and mountains, which all seem to be lifted straight out of ancient Chinese and Korean scroll drawings, and to the great cultural and historical awareness of the people of Gangwon, the province has become the center of tourism in Korea, with the national government declaring 2005 as “Visit Gangwon-do Year” and aiding it in its bid to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. A great deal of investment, both from the private sector and the government is being poured to the building of road networks and the development of tourism sites.
Under Governor Kin, Jin-Sun the provincial government tries to implement a policy of “total conservation, perfect development” by maximizing the value-added element of the environment and applying environmental techniques which minimize degradation. Gangwon-do is a beautiful land and the people see it as a heavenly blessing so while seeking to utilize it, they endeavor to balance such with the need to sustain nature and the resources it offers.
Through the Darkness
Much of Eastern Samar’s woes come from neglect and mismanagement. The division of the former province of Samar into three – Eastern, Western and Northern – was fueled by hopes that development would be accelerated with the concentration of resources and increased administrative flexibility. The national government too was overburdened and “overwhelmed” by the sheer size of Samar Island, which was the nation’s third largest and the tremendous costs building its infrastructure trade and communications facilities would entail.
Such hopes were quickly dashed however by the insurgency which flared in the early 70’s in response to President Ferdinand Marcos’s tight-fisted policies and suppression of democratic rights. Thousands of disillusioned young men and women joined the New People’s Army which set-up several camps in the hinterlands of Samar. The military’s response was often brutal and the civilians were nearly always caught in the crossfire between the government and the rebels. Trade was disrupted and efforts by the local governments and civic groups were always frustrated due to the deteriorating peace and order situation.
A change of regime in 1986 brought little in terms of actual results although the new governor strove hard to restore confidence in the government and to attract rebels to return to their communities. Under President Ramos’s liberalizing regime, economic benefits started to trickle. For a brief period, the people were optimistic of good times ahead as the Philippines started to emerge as a “tiger economy.” The Asian economic crisis of 1997 and a succession of inept governments would prove them wrong.
By 2000, with the general market outlook bleak, the Philippines had all but sank into a financial quagmire. Businesses closed down and the government, with little resources to spare, drastically reduced aid to local communities. Roads fell into disrepair and public utilities became even more inefficient. The political situation did not help. Local politics was as measly and chaotic as in the national level. Sound planning and management strategies were sidelined in favor of rash decision-making to ensure political survival.
Without the government leading them, the people started to go their own ways to survive. The lush Samar forests for example, which have been set aside by then President Estrada as a national biodiversity reserve, fell victim to unscrupulous loggers and ignorant forest-edge communities. Illegal fishing techniques and the destruction of coastal habitats and mangrove communities became very common, severely reducing marine resources in addition to polluting it. The prospects therefore of a tourism industry that is based on sound ecological principles are at best, bleak.
Emerging from the Pains of Division
Tenacity is a human virtue. After every pain and trial, people always would try to pick up the pieces and go on with life. This has been the case of the Korean people whose country was ravaged by internal strife and division has caused the separation of families and friends. From these challenges, the Koreans emerged even stronger, even entering the OECD in 1994.
Much of the credit goes to the prevailing Confucian attitude that fosters hierarchical respect and is heavily biased towards learning and excellence. It is an open secret that Korean mothers exert tremendous pressure on their children to study well, and the rigid educational system works in such a way that students have to devote a substantial portion of their time each day to learning activities, far more than their Asian contemporaries.
The ensuing high literacy and excellent educational grasp of the people greatly affects the internal and external workings of Korean society. They take special pride in their historical and literary heritage and exhibit deep appreciation for natural beauty. They love taking long walks in ancient forests, trekking to hidden valleys and making pilgrimages to museums, temples and other places of historical and artistic note. While Filipinos typically spend weekends resting and engaging in recreations, Koreans prefer to travel around, giving rise to a strong domestic tourist industry.
With the liberalizing trend that started with President Roh Tae Woo and Seoul’s hosting of the 1988 Olympic Games, Koreans began to look outward to other countries in search of tourist destinations. A rising middle class bolstered by a strong national economy in the 1990s overtook the rich in terms of foreign trips for leisure and vacation purposes. Nowadays, the government’s institution of a five-day workweek is expected to further boost the local and international tourist scene leading many travel agencies to start offering short-term, weekend global travel tours catering to the needs of white-collar workers.
Increased domestic interest in overseas travel had the reciprocal effect of encouraging foreigners to come to Korea. Already, Cheju Island is well known as a destination for newly-weds and Seoul has become as fashionable as Tokyo for the trendy Asian traveler. Four to five decades after the Korean War resulted in the division of the peninsula, non-natives are starting to look away from the old notion of Korea as a strife-torn nation under repressive regimes to a new, brighter image of a country with deep historical and cultural roots and excellent prospects for the future.
Facing the Future
While Eastern Samar and Gangwon share the same geographical (except for the climate) characteristics, the way their societies have been molded through time were radically different, resulting in dissimilar results when it comes to the economy and politics in general, and tourism, in particular. In the previous pages, we have tried to examine at the two provinces in the macro-level. We now try a closer look.
Tourism in Eastern Samar
There are many tourist sites in the province; most of them nature-related while some are places of historical and cultural interest. These sites are rather underdeveloped due to lack of funds and the dearth of research information that could provide solid academic backing for their development and preservation. There simply is too few information available to justify public and private spending on sustainable historical and cultural pursuits, much more tourism.
Starting in the late 90s until 2004, the province, suffering from poor revenues and declining national aid, gave little priority to the development of tourist sites except for those, which they personally favor. Governor Ruperto Ambil (1998-2001), for example, was a retired Army general, and he naturally favored investment in the former US World War II base in Guiuan.
His successor, Mrs. Clotilde Salazar who comes from the south prioritized Balangiga as a destination for scholars, artists and academicians interested in studying Samar history. Virtually all the other tourist sites, existing or under development, were relegated to memory. Many experts dismissed as “shallow expressions of the commercializing trend” the so-called “festivals” which were commonplace during the Salazar administration.
It was only when Governor Ben Evardone, a media man who comes from Sulat, in the north, took office in 2004 that the provincial government has come up with definitive plans for the tourism industry in Eastern Samar. Well-acquainted with the urbanite ways of Metro Manila and possessing extensive corporate connections, Evardone’s administration seeks to help tourism in Eastern Samar “mature” and come to terms with modernity.
Coining the catchphrase “Eastern Samar: Where the Sun Rises Early” the governor put into place mechanisms that are expected to increase awareness in the province’s cultural, historical, natural and artistic potential. Participation in Wow! Philippines is one example, as are local initiatives such as a Provincial Song-writing Contest and a Provincial Competition for the Arts in 2005.
These and other efforts notwithstanding, tourist arrival to the province has not increased significantly, perhaps due to the deteriorating condition of roads and the lack of entry-exit facilities such as ports and air terminals. Worse, limited financial capability serves to constrain the maintenance of new transportation and transit facilities, such as the 2002 Taft-Oras Highway and the Gen. McArthur-Basey Highway.
Soaring popularity of mobile phones and Internet have led major telecommunication companies to start investing in the province which now enjoys cellular phone coverage in all but two towns and Internet access in Borongan, Dolores and Guiuan. Optimal use of these conveniences however, is rendered impossible due to unreliable electric service and the continuing security problems.
Although the amnesty program of former Governor Lutz Barbo (1986-1998) was generally successful, resurgence in rebel activity was noticed starting in the late 90’s due in part to the breakdown of peace talks between the Communist Part-National Democratic Front-New People’s Army (CPP-NDF-NPA) and the national government. As a result, investors are unwilling to put up businesses and the provincial economy remains sluggish.
Political wrangling also has taken its toll on tourism. Intense rivalry between political groups and personalities has “infected” the supposedly neutral bureaucracy to the point that the provision of services to the people is being compromised. Businessmen and investors have to keep silent if their applications are to be approved, or else pay huge bribes or give unwarranted concessions to those in power.
For these and other reasons, which will take too long to discuss, growth of the tourism industry in Eastern Samar is slow, but at least gradual. Non-inclusion of the province in the Department of Tourism (DOT)’s promotion plan for 2005-2006 have been a major blow but is indicative of the magnitude of changes which have to be made and reforms waiting to be implemented before Eastern Samar’s tourism industry comes of age.
Gangwon
One of the hallmarks of the administration of Kim, Jin-Sun, the present governor, is the transformation of Gangwon province into Korea’s tourism and logistics hub as well as the country’s ultimate destination for leisure sports all year round. Called the “Gangwon 7+3 Plan,” it is composed of seven strategies based on special relationships:
1. Creating ‘one-day industry and recreation belt in the metropolitan area' on the axis of Jungang Highway between Chuncheon and Wonju;
2. ‘Industry, leisure sports and tourism belt on the center of the country' on the axis of the Yeongdong Highway between Wonju and Gangneung;
3. ‘Logistics and tourism belt of the East Sea Rim region' in the East coast area;
4. ‘Clean industry and recreation belt' on the axis of the Dongseo Highway between Chuncheon and Yangyang;
5. ‘Plateau tourism and recreation belt' in closed mining areas;
6. ‘Peace and Eco-belt for One Korea' in border area;
7. ‘Eco, forest and recreation belt' in Baekdudaegan;
These seven plans, which are essentially tactics to enhance the mobility and logistical capability of the province’s regions, would result in the creation of three tourism zones:
1. Environment-friendly lake culture/tourism belt in Chuncheon area;
2. Culture tourism belt in the east coast region;
3. International free-traveling zone in the area of Mt. Geumgang;
To provide the technological and economic backbone for the burgeoning tourism industry in Gangwon, the provincial government also seeks to foster a ‘knowledge industry cluster’ in the Chuncheon-Wonju-Gangneung belt ‘as part of a 3-edged techno strategy’:
1. Multimedia valley in Chuncheon region -center of multimedia, animation and bio industry;
2. Techno park in Wonju region -center of medical appliances, information communication, and Traditional medical industry;
3. Techno valley in Gangneung metropolitan area - center of marine organisms, deep water and new material industry.
Taken altogether, the 7+3 Plan for Gangwon-do would result in easier travel and distribution within the province, amplify the tourism potential of different areas in the province, and spur the development of high-tech industries which would serve as economic support for the tourism industry and, in the end, ensure its sustainability.
If successfully implemented, the plan would shift the focus of the tourism industry from promotion and initiation to growth and expansion. By ensuring that the three main stakeholders in any industry– people, environment and government – have their interests amply safeguarded, Gangwon’s tourism industry is assured of bright days ahead.
Roots of Disparity
The strengths and weaknesses of the two provinces are based on reasons that are exceptionally different. While Gangwon, for example, remains the world’s only divided province its security burden is sufficiently fulfilled by the nation’s special emphasis on military and police concerts. Eastern Samar on the other hand is plagued by a protracted rebel crisis fueled by the incapacity and ineptness of the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police.
Another disparity is visible on the economic arena. While both provinces are considered “underdeveloped,” the wide gap between the economic status of Korea, a member of the OECD and the world’s tenth strongest economy, and the Philippines, a distant third-world country, already brings dissimilar interpretations on the term. Gangwon without doubts enjoys a head start on Eastern Samar in terms of trade and industry and that greatly affects the current and future status of tourism in the two provinces.
Differing socio-cultural traits between the peoples of Gangwon and Eastern Samar also determines tourism. The people of Gangwon-do are deeply aware of their past and are to a great extent attached to their environment and traditions. The absence of museums and natural parks in the Eastern Samar provide a stark contrast to Gangwon-do, and attest to the disinterest and apathy, which reigns supreme among Eastern Samareños.
Nothing Left Behind
The differences mentioned thus far are in now way comprehensive but it nevertheless partially answers the question why the tourism industries in the two provinces are poles apart. Gangwon’s administrators leave nothing behind when it comes to planning and charting their province’s future while the leaders and politicos of Eastern Samar do not seem wary at all in leaving much, if not everything to chance. But then again, different things are bound to be different.
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References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Samar <25 July 2005>
http://wow2004.samarnews.net/easternsamarday.htm <25 July 2005>
http://wow2004.samarnews.net/ <25 July 2005>
http://en.gangwon.to/cont/sub1/sub01_05_01.html <31 July 2005>
http://en.gangwon.to/visit2004/html/visit2004.html <28 July 2005>
Acknowledgements due to Ms. So Hee Kim and the CIEC Staff and the EATOF 2005 delegates, who with God were our friends and collaborators in everything |
