TPB Champions Tourism Recovery and Community Resilience in Catanduanes following Severe Tropical Storm Kristine

The Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines successfully conducted the TPB Members’ Inspection Tour with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Activity under the Destination Marketing Assistance for Tourism Recovery Program (DMATRP) from July 8-12, 2025 in the island province of Catanduanes.

This island province in the Bicol region is home to the proud and resilient Catandunganons. Once called “The Land of the Howling Winds” due to its location within the typhoon belt and the frequent setbacks it endured, Catanduanes now embraces its more fitting moniker after having tourists casually remarking the province as a “Happy Island”.

The DMATRP aimed to foster community resilience, promote volunteerism, and support tourism recovery following Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which struck the island province in 2024. TPB brought this program to Catanduanes to engage its members in meaningful, tourism-driven initiatives. This marks the second leg of DMATRP’s inspection tours with CSR, following its first leg in Batanes, held from May 19 to 23 earlier this year.

The five-day inspection tour provided 14 TPB members an opportunity to explore the communities and tourist attractions of Catanduanes. Upon their arrival in Virac, the delegates were warmly welcomed by Governor Hon. Patrick Azanza and Provincial Government Tourism Officer Carmel B. Garcia, followed by a courtesy visit to the Provincial Tourism Office and its museum.

The program’s CSR activities included a series of meaningful initiatives, including the ceremonial turnovers of donations such as school materials and an art therapy session for the students of Talisoy Elementary School; protective gear for the Agricultural Division of Virac’s Local Government Unit, which oversees sea turtle conservation; donation of tourism site signage; and uniforms for community tour guides. To further highlight environmental protection efforts, the CSR component included root crop planting at the community garden of Summit View Park, a “One Tourist One Tree” tree-planting activity at Binurong Point, and mangrove planting at Batalay Mangrove Ecopark.

“The TPB Membership Program has always been about building a stronger tourism community; and our members are as dedicated as us in this endeavor. This (DMATRP) program has become an avenue for tourism stakeholders to join our collaborative efforts towards resilient, sustainable tourism recovery,” said Marge San Jose, Chief of TPB Domestic Promotions’ Industry Relations and Services Division.

In between CSR activities, the tour brought members to Tuwad Tuwadan Lagoon, Cagnipa Rolling Hills, Puraran Beach, Bato Church, and Maribina Falls. The itinerary also featured island-hopping adventures to Patag Islet, Poseidon’s Rock, and Turtle Island, along with a demonstration of the making of latik, Catanduanes’ iconic rice cake delicacy.

TPB members engaged with the local tourism sector in the Networking Dinner, where the delegation met with 21 Catandunganon private sector stakeholders to explore business opportunities in support of the province’s recovery efforts. Assistant Department of Tourism – Regional Office V Director Maria Salee O. Mora and Provincial Tourism Officer Carmel B. Garcia graced the occasion, presenting product offerings and updates of the region and the province, respectively.

“Catanduanes, truly the ‘Happy Island,’ embodies a spirit of remarkable resilience among its people. We want to support this province in showcasing their island’s unparalleled beauty along with the stories that define the Catandunganons.” added TPB Chief Operating Officer Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles.

With 40 CSR programs implemented nationwide since 2015, TPB remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting local economies through community-driven tourism. The Catanduanes leg exemplified the same core values and mission that have guided the agency’s initiatives throughout the years.