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| Location of Mati City |
Mati is the
only city in, and the capital of, the Province of Davao Oriental, Philippines,
located on the southeastern side of Mindanao. This year, the city won the bid
to host the swimwear competition for the Misters of Pilipinas, the search for
the country’s epitome of the Filipino gentlemen. In this blog post, I would
like to give our Misters candidates, handlers and pageant netizens what they
will see in Mati.
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| The Sleeping Dinosaur |
One of the most unique in
formation would be the Sleeping Dinosaur Island in the city of Mati in Davao
Oriental. The island is usually a stopover for most visitors, and its curious
shape has garnered plenty of myths and rumors. The exact shape of the dinosaur
island is identified to be remarkably similar to a Plesiosaur, with its long
neck, paddle-shaped limbs and a short tail. Depending on which story you believe
in, there could have been dinosaurs existing in this place, and the shape of
the island resembles the relics of the dinosaurs left behind. Or perhaps it’s
all just a lucky coincidence of nature.
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| Dahican Beach |
Dahican Beach is awesomely
sweet! Depending on the time of the year, waves can get really high (read: excellent
for skim boarders and surfers!) If you're an adventurous type of person, you
may try riding an ultra light plane which will give you a bird's eye view of
Dahican Beach.
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| Waniban Island |
Waniban Island
is a four hectare -
island. The seawater surrounding it can be perfectly identified; it’s like
strata of the different shades of blue which include aqua blue, blue green, and
dark blue. The best description of the island comes from the pen of
photographer-writer Jojie Alcantara. In an article which appeared in Mabuhay
magazine, she wrote: “Surrounded by aquamarine waters that hypnotically turn
deep blue, Waniban’s attraction is more than just its powdery white sands,
sturdy mangroves, a glimpse of dolphins cavorting by, or the fact that you can
cover the whole island on foot in less than an hour. One can suddenly step into
some fantasy of owning the island to yourself for a day.”
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| Pujada Island |
Pujada Island, sandwiched
between the fishing villages of Taganilao and Macambol, is a thickly forested
156-hectare island with a freshwater lake in the middle. Its landscape shows
innocence to mankind’s innovation. The island is privately owned by the
Angliongto clan of Davao City. Its cream powdery sands are much better than
those found in Boracay. If your thing is nature at its best, then Pujada Island
is it. It has no huts, kiosks or commercial establishments. What you have are
only the talisay and coconut trees that provide cover against rain and sun.
Perfect!
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| Guang-Guang Marine and Research Center |
Guang-Guang Marine and
Research Center, is a protected mangrove forest spanning 21,000 hectares in
Sitio Guang-Guang, Barangay Dahican. 18 of the rarest and endangered mangrove
species in the Philippines are found and nurtured here. A joint project of
Guang-Guang Community and the Philippines' Department of Environment and
Natural Resources or DENR, this vast mangrove forest provides good
yielding grounds and habitat for marine lives like sea turtles.
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| Amihan sa Dahican |
Amihan sa Dahican is
actually the name of a group of young kids who take surfing and skimboarding as
a passion. The kids have this shack in one of the best spots of the 7-km
stretch of white sand Dahican Beach in Mati City. The Amihan boys are very
friendly. They will teach you to skimboard if you want. Or they will talk to
you about the dolphins, whales, and turtles that inhabit the place.
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| Provincial Capitol |
The Provincial Capitol is located
at Capitol Hill, Mati City. It has also a park were you can have a date or play
with the kids. Popularly known as the White house, it exudes a commanding
presence and serves as the seat of the provincial government. Another good spot
for photo ops!
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| Carmelite Monastery |
Carmelite Monastery is located
in a hilly part of Mati City. It is a 16-hectare monastery and one of the
busiest places during Holy Week. Roman Catholicism is the major religious group
of Mati, comprising the 80% of the total population.
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| Philippine Eagle Sanctuary |
Philippine Eagle Sanctuary
in Mati is a 7,000-hectare forested area which has been declared as the country’s
first-ever sanctuary of the almost
extinct Philippine Eagle. Come and see this place as you will understand how
these eagles are preserved and taken care of.
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| I LOVE MATI CITY! |
Believe me, I still have
many things in mind that our Misters of Pilipinas candidates can expect as soon
as they set foot in Mati. But the space is simply not enough. Please come to
Mati, and experience it yourself.
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