The Bangon Tours Project is a project of the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board undertaken by travel agencies and tour operators to maintain and strengthen the health of the country’s domestic tourism, to push international tourism, and to speed up recovery. Bangon Tours encourages the Filipino market to travel within the Philippines during the holiday period from December to February, to visit our country’s fun destinations, and to contribute their share in our recovery and rebuilding efforts. We all know that for the few remaining months of 2013, a number of consecutive calamities happened in our country. And because of this we have experienced a slowdown of arrival growth rate in our domestic tourism. This project of the Department of Tourism is a great opportunity to help victims and survivors of the calamities that happened and at the same time, I think this is also a great way on how to promote domestic tourism in the Philippines. It is true that domestic tourism has indeed slowdown because of the calamities that happened especially to our major tourism contributors like Bohol, Cebu and Northern Palawan. We saw trees being toppled down by the raging storm, roads were devastated and blocked by fallen trees, broken bridges, and heritage sites like Loboc Church in Bohol collapsed due to a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Visayas region last October 2013. But despite all of this, it’s overwhelming to see the efforts from our fellow countrymen who dedicates their time in helping the victims and survivors. I believe Bangon Tours is an effective way in gaining more tourists for our country and at the same time helping victims of calamities as well. Many tourism establishments and travel companies have signified their continued support for the Bangon Tours program so I think that this project will be a success. Although many of our tourist attractions are damaged by the calamities, tourism activities may still continue and Bangon tours has come up with eco-cultural tours as an alternative to other damaged tourist destinations. Just like the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, where it has been reported that a handful of Chocolate Hills sustained cracks or erosion from the earthquake. Ever since I was a child, I have heard about these hills, seen them only in pictures and dreamt of seeing them in person. Knowing they were damaged doesn’t really change my view of them. So what if they’re damaged? Who cares? Chocolate Hills is still Chocolate Hills and it will never change. I think it’s still beautiful just the way it is. For me, I think one of the great things about DOT’s project is that it is a proof that we are still proud of our country’s natural attractions and tourist destinations even if they are damaged. Bangon Tours is a great plan to keep tourism alive especially in affected areas. It doesn’t only boost our tourism but it also helps our fellow brothers and sisters who were greatly affected by the calamities that ravaged the Philippines that portrays the helping nature of Filipinos. This project of DOT really suits its name. It shows the optimism of Filipinos. We never let anything bring us down, we never lose our hope and we still manage to smile knowing that there is a rainbow always after the rain.