Sandugo Trade Expo 2015 opens with a bang

DTI 7 director Caberte introducing the Keynote Speaker

Mayor John Geesnell Yap welcoming the people to the Sandugo Trade Expo

Gov. Ed Chatto with his inspiring message, my ideal speaker

DTI Usec Zenaida Maglaya praising Bohol for its expanding trade expo

The Sandugo Trade Expo opened yesterday, July 22 at the ICM with the presence of Usec Zenaida Maglaya of DTI, DTI Regional director Aster Caberte and Australian Ambassador Bill Tweddel along with other regional directors, local officials, buyers and exhibitors from Regions 6, 7, 8 and the Caraga region.

The Trade Expo, now on its 10th year with the leadership of Ms. Nannette Arbon, DTI-Bohol's provincial director, showcased an eclectic mix of furnishings, fixtures, wearables, food and other novelty items.

With the theme- Fun. Fabulous. Finds.- the show is an excellent venue for our SMEs to brag their products.

So excited for Bohol for the launching of BHLi2i!

Also launch during the opening is Bohol Ideas Innovation Challenge (BHLi2i) where FabLab and students are given their chance to showcase their inventions.

Visit the trade expo until July 26.

Australian Ambassador Tweddel visiting the booths at the Bohol Trade Expo

Come to Bohol for the 2015 Sandugo Festival!

Last year's winner of the Sandugo Street Dancing (Photo grabbed from Sandugo FB)

This week, Bohol is in a celebratory mood.

First, July is the Sandugo month around Bohol. But most of the activities are focused on Tagbilaran, the province’s capital.

Sandugo, literally translated as blood compact, celebrates the treaty of friendship between Datu Si Katuna and Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1565. Boholanos often brag about this event since Spain was literally welcomed in Bohol while Magellan was killed when he and his men went to the nearby island of Cebu.

Sandugo Festival since then is scheduled every July despite the fact that the blood compact happened in March. Sandugo has become a filler because there are no big events in July and Filipinos all over the world are coming in for their yearly summer vacations.

So came the Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK).

TBTK is the gathering of Boholanos from around the world. It is a biennial activity. It was first celebrated in Bohol and various places abroad since then. Boholanos are welcomed with cultural activities in the pageantry of Boholano fiesta.

So July is actually a month of merrymaking in Bohol.

How to get to Tagbilaran

There are several flights coming in from Manila to Tagbilaran served by major airlines like Cebu Pacific, Philipine Airlines and Air Asia. The flights usually take an hour.

There are also fastcrafts coming in from Cebu, a major destination in the Philippines. OceanJet, Weesam Express and SuperCat 2Go have more than 2 daily trips from Cebu to Tagbilaran.

There are also boats coming from Mindanao and nearby islands.

When in Tagbilaran, the major transport is the tricycle. A word of caution though, tricycles have their own ghost tariff rates. They can dictate the fare as they please. Don’t mind if there are religious quotes on them. Some are rude. So a note of advice before riding in- HAGGLE. 

Important links

Tigum Bol-anon sa Tibuok Kalibutan

Sandugo Festival 2015

My friend, Chris Ramasola's winning Sandugo logo