Melo Villareal
Earlier, I was with fellow bloggers and members of the media for the announcement of the 10 up and coming tourist destinations in the Philippines held at the Manila Hotel. The selection of the Top 10 Philippine Gems is part of the Isla Lipana and Co., 91st anniversary celebration and this is one of their corporate social responsibility project.
Apo Island Resort Beach Front
“The search for the ten Phillippine Gems envisions the upholding of both domestic and foreign tourism that would hopefully encourage business investments,” said Isla Lipana & Co. Chairman and Senior Partner, Atty. Alexander Cabrera. “The Philippine Gems steers awareness and appreciation for the country’s pristine and natural sites, even the underdeveloped ones. In our modest way, we aim for these places to gain local and international attention, and in due course, greater economic activity.”
These destinations were chosen from an initial list of 25 by the public through online voting, which was open from June 26 to September 25. After gathering more than 80,000 votes, here are the top 10 Philippine Gems:
- Calaguas Island
- Lake Sebu
- Tubbataha Reefs and Natural Park
- Caramoan Islands
- Biri Island Rock Formations
- Mt. Kanlaon
- Danjugan Island
- Panglao Island
- Apo Island
- Batanes
The firm started with a list 175 destinations gathered from their employees and online travel bloggers and trimmed this down to 50. The screening committee agreed on a shortlist of 25 destinations which were opened to public online voting to determine the ten Philippine Gems.
For more information about the Philippine Gems, like their Facebook Page or visit www.philippinegems.com.
