Fun day at Carmona, Cavite

At the lobby of Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club

Nathan Mazo of Manila Jockey Club

Kart champion kids of Carmona Racing Circuit

Just like in the past years, I was on travel during my birthday on January 17.

Last year, I was in the Queen City of the South to cover Sinulog Festival. Walking a kilometer or two to be able to come near and to get away from the center celebration of the Sinulog parade was really tiring.  But I had the grand time of my life savoring the sights and sounds of the paradise resort of Shangri-la Mactan where I stayed for two nights!

This year I went to Carmona, Cavite upon the invitation of the Department of Tourism and its local counterpart in Cavite.

I decided I needed to travel and unwind – on my special day. I needed to relax my mind, gather myself and think of the new career and  its responsibilities. After two years as head writer for a  TV show, I’m back to my first love, the print media.

More than the place, my Cavite travel turned out to be one of the best travels I had in years. That’s because I travelled with long time friends and colleagues, media friends, and new friends.

Cavite has been known to be one of the most historical sites of the Philippines. This is one of the key places where Filipinos struggled against their foreign enemies in order to gain their freedom. However, the different municipalities inside it have evolved from rural towns – which were used as strongholds back in the war – into urban cities with stable economies. One of these renewed places is Carmona, a city that prides itself to be the investment and sports capital of Cavite.

Back in the ‘80s, Carmona used to be the relocation site for many Metro Manila squatters and informal settlers but soon it has become a busy metropolis with its own culture. For Manila residents, it’s reachable through the South Luzon Express Highway. The city has prioritized the accessibility of this town for many people and companies who wish to open or expand their businesses or create investments. With its success in inviting potential investors, the economy of the municipality has boomed. Today, the city has a total of eight industrial complexes and an enormous supply of manpower to serve the needs of any business out there.


CARMONA: SPORTS CAPITAL OF CAVITE

Yet another reason to travel to this newly industrialized haven is because of its reputation as the Sports Capital of Cavite. Our first stop is Carmona’s paragliding and hang-gliding site. The prevalence of hanging Amihan or Northeast winds in the months of November to April favors Carmona’s location since the thermals coming from Laguna de Bay allow paragliding pilots to navigate along the ridges of Barangay Lantic.
The discovery of the site in 2009 made Paragliding more convenient to enthusiasts since they would not have to travel far for the hobby. Because of this the Philippines is also becoming an alternative Paragliding learning ground to Bali, Indonesia, according to Philippine Paragliding and Hang Gliding Association (PPHGA) President Buko Raymundo who heads the paragliding and hang-gliding sports in Cavite. While strong winds did not allow members of the media to try paragliding, several hobbyists enjoyed the sports to their hearts content.

Next stop is Carmona’s pride, the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, a two-course golf haven designed by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus. No wonder, it is comparable with the world's best golf courses. After a tiring day, one can relax and enjoy at the Manila Southwoods Sports Club complete with full-size swimming pools and outdoor jacuzzi, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, badminton courts, a full-service gym and spa, and an indoor wall climbing and paintball arena. At day's end, the Manila Southwoods Manor, could be your home away from home.

The Carmona Racing Circuit is another popular venue for tourists. Popular karting competitions have been held in this venue. Young Filipino kart racers practice here regularly to join exciting races at the regional and international levels.  Some of the activities being hosted at the Race Track include: Philippine Karting Super Sales; Asian Karting Open Championships; and Inside Racing Grand Prix.

Some members of the media  were given the chance to enjoy fun kart rides of the 1.2 kilometer race track . TV and movie actress Francine Prieto joined the fun for her TV show, Biyahero, aired every Saturday at PTV4.

Carmona fam tour participants at View Fort Terrace Hill

After the adrenaline rush, the group found some time to relax  at View Fort Terrace Hill. Dubbed as  Carmona’s “Best kept secret,” View Fort is a picturesque venue for relaxation and family gatherings with breezy mountain top view and lush gardens. The venue is also an ideal destination for group of friends and huge families who do not want to go farther South to enjoy swimming and picnic.  View Fort also offers packages for outing events, reunions and birthdays, weddings and receptions.

Capping our visit to this booming town is a trip to the San Lazaro Leisure Park, home to the Manila Jockey Club, the Philippines’ oldest racing group established since 1867.
The state of the art facility was designed by leading architectural firm Recio and Casas and it’s an integrated horse racing complex that blends world class sports, leisure, entertainment, and business facilities.
The Manila Jockey Club also hosts betting for beginners lecture to allow visitors to learn about the game that has become the favorite of ‘ilustrados’ or the elites since the Spanish era.
The “Betting 101” lecture is part of the tourism program to allow visitors in Carmona to get the feel of horse racing and to experience responsible betting.

I got the birthday surprise of the day when Nathan M. Mazo , head of marketing  of Manila Jockey Club, Inc., arranged for the kids of Children of Joy Foundation to greet and sing me “Happy Birthday.” That was most appreciated.

Indeed, Carmona has transformed much over the years. Director Louella Jurilla, regional director of DOT Southern Tagalog said Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) is the country’s top region in terms of domestic tourism arrivals, currently at 4 million.
Jurilla said the presence of huge business establishments and technoparks in the region should encourage cities and municipalities to develop leisure and sports activities to earn income for their local governments.
“We need a lot of support activities for the region’s 4 million tourists every year,” said Jurilla in the press briefing during the DOT familiarization tour. And Carmona is doing its share – with another unique festival.  

SORTEO FESTIVAL

Soon, on February 17,  Carmona will celebrate its 153rd founding anniversary with the traditional week-long Sorteo Festival.

The  one of a kind festival in the country, it’s a three-day and four-night event called “Sorteo ng Bukid ng Bayan” (Lottery of Town Land Parcels) set from midnight on Friday (February 19) until Tuesday (Feb. 22). During the Sorteo, 109 land parcels will be given to raffle winners who will return the land to the local government after three years so that others may have a chance to get the farm lot, also through draws. The idea is for the landless residents to experience owning farm lots and earn from them.

According to the town’s  history,  Sorteo was first done  in 1861 or four years after Carmona, then called Barrio Latag, was separated from its mother town of Silang on February 20, 1857, through a decree approved by the Spanish monarch.

Come and visit Carmona and experience a one of a kind festival in the country. Enjoy its recreational and tourist attractions as well.