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Philippine Island Named Tanaka, Inoue or even Koizumi? Don’t be surprised.
In its effort to lure more Japanese tourists to the country, the
Department of Tourism, through Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano, recently
launched a campaign called “An Island in your Name” at a press conference at
the Jata World Travel Fair in
Tokyo.
The campaign aims to strengthen the country’s image as “premium resort
islands” by honoring 25 Japanese tourists who bought travel packages to the
Philippines from Highest International Standards (H.I.S.), one of Japan’s
top travel wholesalers.
The contest is open only to tourists who fly Philippine Airlines, one of
the contest’s major sponsors. The country’s flag carrier flies to Japan
daily from
Manila and
Cebu.
Also present during the launch were Akira Hirabayashi of H.I.S. and
Genaro Velasquez, PAL’s country manager for Japan and Korea.
 The 25 lucky winners will have 25 out of the country’s 7,107 islands
named after them for a period of one year. DOT has ironed out an agreement
with the city government of Alaminos, Pangasinan, to have 25 of the famed
Hundred Islands tapped for this purpose.
“We chose 25 of the world-renowned Hundred Islands in Pangasinan for two
important reasons,” said Durano. “Most of the islands are not yet named, and
are therefore perfect for this campaign. Moreover, they’re easily accessible
from Manila if the winners so desire to go and visit their islands.”
Durano also took the opportunity to announce that 2006 marks 50 years of
formal diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan. As such, DOT
is preparing a series of programs and promotional activities in Japan, which
will culminate in July with several grand Philippine fiestas in
Tokyo,
Nagoya and Osaka. Alex Y. Vergara
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