Tabonan Beach Wins Banton 2003 Best Site Contest

Tabonan beach (Barangay Yabawon) was voted the best tourist site in Banton by members of the Municipal Tourism Council winning the first prize of P 25,000.00. The second prize of P 15,000.00 went to Tambak Beach (Barangay Banice) while Recodo Beach (Barangay Balogo) got the P 10,000.00 third prize.

Endowed with a beach of golden fine sand and an islet just a few hundred meters from the shore, the Tabonan beach was the most frequented site in Banton throughout the year despite of the fact that it could not easily be reached by land. Barangay folks put up beautiful cottages and other facilities for beachgoers.

The contest was sponsored by Banton 2003, a project which aims to develop Banton as an eco-cultural tourism destination. It is committed to hold the contest annually. For this year, a total prize money of P 28,500.00 is being put up.

The prizes were awarded during the Rizal Day ceremonies. Also given during the ceremonies were the prizes for the Search for the Most Progressive Barangay topped by Balogo, Mainit and , in their respective order.

In related developments, Banton 2003 is gearing up for the coming 2004 Summer Festivities. Already lined up in the events calendar is the Sanrokan Festival to be sponsored by Greenhorns, the Cultural Games to be sponsored by RDL-CLEAR and the Lenten Basketball Tournament to be sponsored by BNHS Class of 1994. More activities are being planned but are yet to be finalized. This includes the May Festival.

As part of its preparation and fund-raising campaign, Banton 2003 is holding a Valentine Party on February 7, 2004 at the Clubhouse, BF Resort Village, Las Pinas City. The party will also serve as a recognition night for the groups and organizations who participated in the Banton 2003 project. The major awardees are the RDL-CLEAR which put up funds for the staging of the Cultural Games and Tree-Planting and conducted a medical mission, BMHS Class 1990 for holding the Yuletide Basketball Tourney, BNHS Class 1994 for spearheading the 2003 Valentine Party, BNHS Class 1993 for sponsoring the 2003 Lenten Basketball Tournament, the Executive Committee of Balik-Togong and the Executive Committee of the Tungonan National High School 25th Founding Annivesary. Everyone is invited to the affair. Tickets are available at P 150.00 (with free seat and dinner) and P 50.00.

Banton 2003 has also started soliciting sponsorships and ad / greetings for the 2004 Sanrokan Festival Souvenir Program. Sponsorship costs P 5,000.00 but with the following privileges: whole page advertisement in the souvenir program, inclusion in the sponsors streamers to be placed in strategic areas of the town and the right to claim sponsorship of the event in streamers and other advertising media. The costs of ads or greetings are as follows: one page - P 2,500, half page - P 1,500, quarter page - P 800 and one-eighth page - P 500. Interested parties may e-mail banton_2003@yahoo.com.