By Roel Amazona (PNA)
BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar — Making Eastern Samar as the center of the 13th Ironman Motorcycle Challenge, Visayas leg will promote tourism and the rich history of this poverty-stricken province.
More than 300 motorbike riders from different parts of the country converged in this city over the weekend for the BMW Owners Society of Safe Riders (BOSS) 13th Ironman Motorcycle Challenge.
BOSS president Lito Flores said on Sunday that participants from Metro Manila, Cotabato, Davao, Nueva Ecija, Cebu and Ormoc, and bikers from the Highway Patrol Group and Philippine National Police also joined the challenge.
The event that concluded Sunday coincided with the week-long celebration of the 53rd founding anniversary of Eastern Samar. The activity is aimed at promoting road safety at the same time highlight the tourism potential of Eastern Visayas, especially Eastern Samar.
“Iloilo and Cebu bikers asked the organizers of BOSS Ironman to hold the Visayas leg in their area, but we chose Eastern Samar because of the province’s historical significance,” Flores said.
Eastern Samar province has a great contribution to the pages of the country’s history, he said.
In March 16, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator who sailed under the Spanish flag, set foot for the first time in the country in Homonhon Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
The group of Magellan then sailed to the southern part of the region and reached Limasawa Island where the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines was held on March 31, 1521.
Eastern Samar is also known for white sand beaches on Calicoan Island and Tubabao Island where the White Russians of the International Refugee Organization stayed immediately after World War II. Both sites are in Guiuan town.
Eastern Samar Governor Marcelino Picardal said the event will promote the tourism potential of the province as it will also open the eyes of their residents on road safety.
“After this event, we will partner with organization to conduct road safety orientation among motorbike owners to reduce the number of road accidents,” Picardal said.
Picardal added the provincial government did not spend a single peso for this event.
“Thank you for choosing Eastern Visayas particularly for choosing Eastern Samar. This event is a boost to tourism. We all know that Eastern Visayas is a road less travel or off the beating track,” Department of Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said on Sunday.
“We are still lacking tourist arrivals, but when they are here, they find out themselves like in an uncut diamond. We are like jewels awaiting polish because wherever they go, they find beautiful places, beautiful people, great culture, warm and friendly people of Eastern Visayas that we are proud of,” Tiopes added.
Eastern Samar tourist arrival recorded at 78,422 or at the 10th rank among six provinces and seven cities in the region.
Meanwhile, the motorcycle riders drove 1,200 kilometers for almost 24 hours from Borongan City, passing through and making stops within Taft-Buray Road; Naval, Biliran; Ormoc City; Southern Leyte; Abuyog, Leyte; Palo, Leyte; then back to Eastern Samar capital through Guiuan road.
Despite heavy downpour, the group left Borongan City past 11 p.m. on Saturday and arrived in Palo town around 3 p.m. They made a stop at the iconic McArthur Park in Palo town before heading back to Guiuan and Borongan in Eastern Samar.
