CITY HALL TOURISM

Interviewer:

Good afternoon ma'am. Let me begin by introducing myself. I'm Datu Jordan A. Sinsuat II, a
third-year Master of Public Administration student at Mindanao State University
Maguindanao Graduate School. I'd want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to
interview you in person and the question I'd want to pose is about tourism growth.

Interviewer:

Does the LGU have a tourism development programs in Cotabato City for environmental
awareness, natural resources and Culture diversity ?

Participant: The tourism development planning?

Interviewer: Yes ma'am. So what are your plans for environmental consciousness in
tourism development? Can you elaborate it?

Participant: We have here the usual insured that we do regular checking of our eco-tourism
destination, for example, in Timako, we did it in partnership with Senro to do CLEAN OF
DRIVE, I believe it happened last month, and then the only focus of the city is not much on
eco-tourism destination because we don't have a lot of that and it's more on ahhh... Site of
historical and cultural significance.

interviewer: What is the nature of the partnership Ma’am?

Participant: Typically, the nature of the partnership is focused on joint activities or

something similar, and we collaborate with them as well. I'm ensuring that our eco-tourism
destination is always spotless, and then Ahh.... We've also formed an alliance with ahh... with
them in terms of appointing a key personnel to be in charge of ahh.. not just only for the
security but the cleanliness of our destination as well. For instance, in our Cotabato cave,
there is a person in charge of keeping the place clean. I believe he is from Senro, isn't he? or
is it from GSO? "from Senro ma'am" Yes from Senro, and then he was assigned there... and
his task was to maintain the cleanliness."

Interviewer: How frequently does Senro Ma'am appear on this program? Is this a yearly
event?

Participant: Aaaah.... Nope. It is not an annual event because it is already a part of the
LGU's normal operations, so....the personnel assigned to Senro is also an employee of the
local government unit. This is Cotabato cave but for the rest like ahh... we do always care for
Timako when it comes to environmental protection, we have a lot of partnership raise the
ahhh.. we already raise the concerned with our licencing office thru our city administrator
and of course also our City Treasurer nohhh? And there are so many business
establishments onsite, the first thing we do is ask for their license or permit, which
means...someone we can easily approach in terms of environmental safety. Because,
according to our shared goal, there is a program in Senro... we have solid waste
management enshrined in legislation here.

Interviewer: So, what's the protocol for resolving the ahh... thrown garbage into the water
that cause of pollution?

Participant: Ahhh.... Barangay partnership ah... like what I've said we had this law...
actually we're not the main office, Senro is. We have the program that only Senro can
manage. ahh... and then they passed it to every barangay's , what do we call it... Aaahh...
We can't call them campus area but instead designated area... of the barangay, so that we
can throw our garbage there, and then for the improper flawing of west ahh... In our water
bodies , the person who becaught can pay the penalty so... those are the things that we
knew regarding environment protection.

Interviewer: But you don't seem to have a dedicated cleaning program, ahhh...Ma'am,
how about a clean tourist spot?

Participant : Ahhh... Actually, Senro is the only place where it is consumed. We have no
choice except to... to form a joint venture with them. It's because they're the one's who has
a manpower. As you can see, Sir Jordan, all offices of the Local Government Unit of
Cotabato are operational, therefore... For example, as I previously stated, we have a
designated person who is responsible for tourism destinations, right? The city tourism office
is also a part of the concerned office, ahh... We are unable to remark on the local
government entity because we are unaware of its operations. In LGU, all I can say is ahh... If
there is an environmental protection program at the local tourism office, the mayor should
make sure there is inter-office coordination... This is also a component of Senro, and one of
the ways they accomplish it is through cooperation activities like clean-up and then ensuring
that, as I indicated earlier, one of the part destinations is the Cotabato cave together with
the personnel. That is the most important task, followed by solid waste management,
rubbish disposal in our water bodies, and so on. We have a good west management
ordinance that imposes penalties on people who are caught ahh..this is a. The tourist office
is also linked to the advocacy or object.

Interviewer : Consequently,... What are some of the cotabato's natural resources that draw
people in?

Participant : What exactly do you mean by natural attraction? We've got our Tamotaka
river, ahh.... We've got our Cotawato Cave, and we've got our Timako Hill, ahhh.... As I have
stated, this is an ecotourism location.... Because ahhh... this isn't our main destination. As a
heritage destination, the city of Cotabato offers a package.

Interviewer: Which of the aforementioned natural attractions is the most well-known and
open to the public at any given time?

Participant : Ahhh... among them ahh... Pardon? Can you repeat the line..?
Interviewer : I mean the most well-known natural attraction and open to the public at any
given time.

Participant : Timako Hill is currently the highest point in the area...

Interviewer : Are Timako Hill and Timako Port the same place, Ma'am?

Participant : ahh.. Yes, they are same. This section of Timako Port is still being built, but it
has become a tourist attraction, so.... In the Timako area, it's the same.

Interviewer: With all of that said, Ma'am, what do you believe needs to be improved?

Participant : When it comes to ecotourism, where should you go? Do you mean everyone?
Ahh.... All in the city of Cotabato, ahh. Currently, we are concentrating on our culture and
heritage site, which has a deadline for implementation this year. First and foremost, our
entire city hall must be renovated. We're going to organize it, as well as the area's needs...
That is what I believe. They can't think about it, ahhm. Isn't that what comes first? –
Ahhm... Those who have preceded us the area involved with joining etc. and positioning of a
creation will become larger as the city grows. There's a component and what else ahhm.. to
the rehab of all city halls out there, for the implementation of this project. Also, we're
paying attention to what's going on in Timako right now because the region contains a lot of
commercial establishments, so I don't think there's anything to be concerned about. as a
result of ahhm. Tourism brings business, or as I like to call it, economic enterprise! That is
why it must be regulated in this manner... I believe there is more... ahhm. Our tourism
destinations there aren't yet optimal, therefore. So, what were we doing at the time ahhm..
Our tourist code is about to expire this year, so... The tourism code will be used in
conjunction with our tourism development plan, which states that the tourist code will be
used to supplement the city's tourism development plan for the purpose of betterment, and
then we will come up with a name. west, as well as means for our destination's economic
activity...For example, everything in city hall requires minor repairs. No, we haven't opened
it yet. However, when we open it, we can notice the progress, despite the fact that ahhm...
Who will be...all individuals who wish to travel to any municipal hall will have to pay a
minimal entrance charge, as would those who want to open a legitimate business. Those
who have a license in their business permission will, of course, be required to pay in Timako
Hill.

Interviewer: What are some of the lesser-known natural attractions in Cotabato City?

Participant : ahhhm..Yes, I mean, we are well-known, but natural attraction seems to be

non-existent. We don't appear to be short on destinations to promote. I hope we don't want
river smashes like that once we finish the tourism code.

Interviewer: Ahhh... What kind of cotabato diversity programs do you have?

Participant : We're almost done with the cultural mapping, ahh... This is like a heritage or
resourcefulness partner with the national commission and culture in art, where the cultural
and heritage research found here in Cotabato City is located, and then I indicated the
restoration of the city hall, and then what else ah... We also placed a LAND MARK
throughout City Hall, which we claim is the NATIONAL QUENSINTANIAL land mark
from the times of Ferdinand Magellan 500 years ago.

Interviewer: What are the most popular culture attractions in cotabato city ma’am?

Participant : hmmm...most popular ahh...It may be.... Despite the fact that it is a holy place.
We can consider the Grand Mosque because it is also a part of the city's culture, and it
continues to be the main attraction.

Interviewer: how about the tamontaka church ma’am ?

Participant : hmmm...The Tamontaka Church is not the most important destination, but it
isn't the most important either, because, as I previously stated, you don't go as frequently as
the amount of people who visit the Grand Mosque.

Interviewer: Ma'am, what are the main cultural activities that you organize in Cotabato
City?

Participant : hmm.. cultural events ah.... Every December, there are Sharif
Kabunsuan events. Cotabato City's significant cultural events are listed below.
Actually, it's also one of the city's two festivals noh... ahh.. Araw Ng Cotabato
can also be considered because there are social and cultural events taking place
there, but if you're looking for something cultural, the SHARIF KABUNSUAN
will do. We also have here a what we call paliit-liit, or mini festival, for
example, CHINESE NEW YEAR, which is considered a culture because ah...
It's a unique type of celebration.
Interviewer: ahhhm..what are the popular historical sites?

Participant : historical site ahh... all in City Hall.

Interviewer: What is it about SHARIF KABUNSUAN that makes him the most cultured?
Ma'am, how did that come to be?

Participant : Before we got together, I'd been feeling for a long time. ahhh... ahhm, how did
we say that... Before I became a tourism officer, I believe we will be unable to reach an
agreement since all I know is that it will become private. However, it has been going on for
more than a decade.The celebration of SHARIF KABUNSUAN is a trademark of the
cotabato city festival, therefore ah... For example, in Davao, when it comes to cultural
festivals, we have KADAWAYAN; in South Cotabato, we have TINALAK; and in Cotabato
City, we have SHARIF KABUNSUAN festival, which has a presidential decree proclaiming
December 15th as a holiday because it is SHARIF KABUNSUAN's day.
Interviewer: So, how long is the program with the senro's collaboration?

Participant : hmm.. It's been a long and winding road... I am unable to provide a precise
figure. ahhm.. Even before I became a tourist official, I had already established a partnership!
Ahhm.. Please stay with me. Because it's Senro's newest innovation, eh? So I'm going to send
you a mail when I find out when Senro was founded. Senro used to be a part of GSO, but
since the DILG requires it, we now have our own office environment.

Interviewer: ahhm..So, how long have you been doing your programs promoting the natural
attractions of Cotabato City, ma'am?

Participant : ahhh....I'm not sure when it's been, but it's been a long time.

Interviewer: Same with cultural ma’am?

Participant : ahhhm.. same same

Interviewer: How effective are your programs in terms of attracting local tourists?

Participant : What makes it effective? Well, it's quite effective, ah. They did ahhm during
the first opening of all city halls, which was during my time. Jojo Guiani, the mayor, and
Atty. Chyntia and the City administration collaborate on a report. Sir Jordan, I wrote a letter
to the Department of Tourism Xii to see if they can assist us in restoring the property because
it did not look like this before. Those structures are really close together. So, I'd say it's quite
effective because we can POTAPLIKA, which means mission. It has artefacts from NOTRE
DAME UNIVERSITY, so...I'd say it was quite successful. As a result, cotabato city has a
physical infrastructure that all local visitors are welcome to see when it comes to history and
culture.

Interviewer: What are the nationalities of the local visitors who are visiting here, ma'am, and
where do they come from?

Participant : ahhh..... Nope. They aren't only from Mindanao, since ooh... Tours from
Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are also welcome.

Interviewer: In what year, ma'am, did the city of Cotabato record the biggest number of
visitors?

Participant : I can't say, but you can, and you will ahhm... ooh, with tourists. What exactly
are tourist arrivals, ahhmm.. 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Interviewer: In terms of recruiting international tourists, Ma'am, ahhh... how effective are
the programs?

Participant : In any case, it's effective... ah.. We recognize that our foreign visitors do not
come for the sole purpose of tourism, thus... many of them come here for different reasons,
such... It is effective in the sense that they are able to persuade them to visit our tourist
attraction.
 Interviewer: Ma'am, how effective are you at developing physical tourism development
programs?

Participant : Very effective because, as I previously stated, if the tourist destination is not
developed, no one will visit it. We wouldn't have a cultural and historical site in the city if we
hadn't fixed the entire city hall.

Interviewer: So, what are the top five most visited tourist destinations?

Participant : The Grand Mosque is first, followed by the Timako Hill, where we have
already established all of the municipal halls due to our historical landmark, and last, ahhm....
We can also mention the Tamontaka church because it is included if there are guests, as well
as our river system.

Interviewer: So, ma'am, as I've notice, the baywalk is no longer included among the tourist
attractions. Why?

Participant : Because bay walk is already a part of timako, and the tamontaka river is the
primary attraction of bay walk, thus bay walk was included because that river is part of the
river system owing to granded.

Interviewer: Why should the ORG compound, which has a large number of visitors and is
one of the BARMM's cotabato city Senro, be included in the total?

Participant : ORG compound is not included since the physical structure does not exist for
tourism, thus it is not included in those structures that exist because of the government
agency, and when the government agency is gone, no one will visit there, sir Jordan. Because
for entertainment purposes, for use purposes, and for people, and then for tourists who want
to relax, consider related establishment no. 1 our accommondation establishment, and then
our establishment food, our wellness tourism, those places we call spot, static beauty, and
then they are establishments what we call tourist destination primary exist for tourists and
visitors, so that's why we don't consider the BARMM area as a tour destination. But, Sir
Jordan, you realize that there is a true tourist spot there, eh? The highway is the old runway of
this city's first airport, therefore you can see Jollibee and then the Sardonyx area ahhm. From
there, you can view the street. Then everything will draw away, so if you have visitors or
tourists, we'll give them guided tours ahh.. We recruited them, but your reference of the
BARMM complex was left out, ehh? because, yeah, it's government infrastructure. Similarly,
the People's Palace is a stop on our tours since it is our mayor's office, and people come here
to meet her or contact her to see the infrastructure because our mayor's office is here.

Interviewer: so oh.. Ma'am is there any ongoing progress in the physical development of
tourist attractions?

Participant : ah... Yes, it does. We have a plan to renovate all of the city halls by 2022, but it
hasn't started yet eh! However, this timeline has already been set for 2022.
Interviewer: So, how are effective are this term of attracting local business ?

Participant : In a way, here in the city, it's quite effective. It's ah, Sir Jordan. The connection
is ooh, how do you phrase it, interconnected. The reason we built such a large structure is
because they see the impact of people coming to Cotabato. Many people come to Cotabato
for business as well as tourism, so they can see how those people conduct business and
tourists transactions. And it's because there are so many people who want to start a
business that all we can do is improve our tourist program.

Interviewer: In terms of implementation prospects, how effective are your programs?

Participant :ahh.. It is very effective ah... Sometimes people say the population of the City is
different from morning and evening. Because the morning is ah... how do we call this ahhh....
it's too traffic. It seems like a lot of people visits, why ? because there's a lot of people who
are working at city but they were not a residence of Cotabato City like for example you ...
you know a lot of residence from Datu Odin Sinsuat works here in Cotabato, but they went
home when it's night so in terms of implement, it is very effective. We provided employment
possibilities not only to residents of Cotabato City, but also to residents of nearby
municipalities and provinces, and when the KCC is completed, they want to create more than
10,000 work chances for them, ranging from 5 to 10,000. We talked about it the day before
yesterday. As a result, tourism is also in charge of ensuring that employment possibilities are
available to everyone ooh... because they are linked! When department shops and malls open,
I believe they will supply lodging, and tourism will always be involved.

Interviewer: Is there a marketing strategy and promotion in the tourism industry that the
LGU has?

Participant :ahmm.. In all of the visuals, the marketing strategy was ranked first. We made a
tourism film for Cotabato City last year and shared it on social media; in fact, many people
shared it. We utilize social media as a second ah.through our news, friendships with people in
the tourism industry, and cotabato city was included Julian San Jose virtual concert without
charge. We did not make a payment. Julian is adamant about coming here because the
organizers of the SK province are friends of ours, so she comes here for free; number three is
the production of brochures; number four is attendance at tourism-related activities and
meetings; for example, they have a meeting on these topics, and they invited our officers. I
believe it is also quite effective that the officer is present at all times. Because she will be
able to discuss her concerns, issues, and challenges at the same time as she will be able to
share the issues and challenges of the agency meetings in order for them to address the
challenges, it is very significant. She attends trade shows, festivals, and other events where
tourism is needed.
Interviewer: Which of the marketing tactics listed below, ma'am, is the most beneficial for
improvement?

Participant : I believe it is the brochure since many people do not seek for brochures
because all of the information is available on social media. That is why our tourism page is
so important, because it is frequently visited by tourists. No one comes here solely to get
brochures. Instead, if people search for our page on Facebook, they will find it there, as well
as on Twitter, Google, and Instagram. so.. I believe ahhh... It's still effective for people who
are traveling due to the epidemic, ahhmm.... There was also a lack of traffic due to the
epidemic, but we now expect this to happen again. That is why I believe that list of effective
is useful.

Interviewer: So.. In your marketing tactics, who is your target audience, ma'am?

Participant : Ahh.... It's the local ,national and international visitors .

Interviewer: So, do you think you're getting a good response?

Participant : ah... Yes, there is a great deal. I believe you should also try to go to a tourist
attraction. You can go to the website, where there are videos, and evaluate how effective it
is by looking at the number of shares, likes, and comments, which is how we assess
effectiveness in social media.

Interviewer: Is social media indeed the most effective, ma'am, what do you think?

Participant : Yes! We live in ahmm... We live in a digital society, with globalization as a

means of sharing information digitally at a distance... What we refer to as a mechanism can
be used in the Philippines as well as in other countries. Oh, my... As you may have noticed,
many tourists and visitors are young people, therefore how they learn about social media is
really important.

Interviewer: What are the additional needs of promoting Cotabato City, ma'am, aside from
leveraging social media platforms?

Participant : Other things that need to be promoted, aah... We go to meetings whenever

we're invited, as I've told you. We go to other fields whenever we are invited. But, because
of the pandemic, everything is on pause, and everything comes to a halt. And now, we've
finally accepted the new normal.

Interviewer: Do you have a partnership with other local organizations and institutions in
order to occupy this position?

Participant : ah...No, you're referring to distinct offices of local government units.... We've
got it... We've also formed a working relationship with the company. We do. In fact, have
ah... separate it into groups for distinct food, wellness tourists, and travel trips, form a
group. Because ah.. we have that type of communication. We understand that whatever
program the local government unit has, at the present will be ineffective without the
assistance of the commercial and private sectors, so we have that, and then ah... Apart from
that, we have different social cultures and civic organizations... In reality, there's a
collaboration with ahm...many. That is all we can do, such as civic organizations such as
partnerities and rotaries.

Interviewer: So... do you print media as a marketing strategy ?

Participant :ah.. yaah ! Because, ah... there's also a print media. As far as I know, whenever
there is an event in Cotabato, we have to publicize it, advertise it in print media or in a
magazine, and before the pandemic, there were also authors who came here ah... Cotabato
city comes to mind when they think of the city.

Interviewer: Now, ma'am, what're your opinions? What will your tourism marketing
strategies be in order to boost the tourism industry?

Participant : ah.... No, there's no need to choose a tourist spot... ah.. You know, no one will
try to visit your tourist location if it is not appealing to the eye, and they will also state that
even if our tourist destination is not very appealing, as long as the promotion is good, they
will visit it. But, as we constantly say, it must be both a good tourist destination and a good
business destination. And another item to consider is our marketing techniques.

Interviewer: Is the LGU doing a market research study to determine consumer needs and
wishes for market engagement?

Participant : ah... Maybe it's in our office for the trade industry. We've done it before in the
travel industry. We have a standard for tourist arrivals in tourist data arrival.

Interviewer: so what are those hallenges, issues/problems encounter in promoting the tourist
industry in Cotabato City ma'am?

Participant : When ahh.. It is true that the exact Cotabato City is the age-old movement of
people in Cotabato City. It is quite difficult. Why do I say so? People would also have a
mental image of the Cotabato City ahh.. Something isn't quite right, ah.... Apart from that,
there's the matter of order. It's in the name, but what we're doing right now is making our
visitors and tourists feel at home in our city. Respectable persons are cordially welcomed so...
through the host's perception of our tourists and visitors, we attempt to dispel the
misconception that Cotabato City is not a peaceful City. And then there's the open source
implementation that ahhh.... we can make a post on the internet for them to see what the city
is truly like and what kind of people live in Cotabato City. So... One step at a time, I wonder
if I'll go because ahh. I recall perfectly that before ahh . the I.T organizations haven't been
particularly active in the past, but today they're more aggressive, right? ... ahh What I'm
trying to express is that they are present in City's initiatives. So what we're doing right now is
continuously saying, "Ahhh, we can now see their aggressiveness."

I'm referring to the partnering group. It is due to the fact that the city,... Jordan is one of the
first cities in south central Mindanao, as you can see. In fact, it is the oldest city in this area of
the ARMM, even in region xii, therefore the way people conceive of it differs in every cities.
When I suggested that we go to Jollibee in Cotabato City. I know you got my poiny, what I'm
talking about if you've ever eaten at Jollibee. It's difficult to advertise Cotabato City, and then
there's a period when there's a lot...They embrace the truth that the current state of peace and
order is unstable. We are ah... to convey a message. There are times when visitors inquire
about it. "Hey!" they exclaim. There's a lot of uniformed folks here, ah. So we try to explain
to them that the tourism officer is always pleasant. Bcause it's difficult to explain to them
why there are so many men in uniform, such as soldiers and police officers, and of course
they're in the ARMM noh... But we try to convince them, or I try to tell them, that we are safe
here in Cotabato City because we can ensure you that those individuals in uniform are always
on the lookout to safeguard the area. ahh.. likewise our visitors. We also need to upgrade our
infrastructure. Getting a budget from the national government is quite difficult. Our mayor
has many responsibilities in our town, but we are grateful that she has set aside a budget for
tourism. Indeed, ah... It's possible that this city's tourism development plan is solely based on
tourism. In the other places, we will have a tourism code, similar to one's step in time, to
ensure that people can view the varied aspects of Cotabato City. They're also taken aback by
the ronda and curfew we have. "How can we enjoy the moment if there is a curfew?" they
ask. And I resoponse "You know, the people here have tried to embrace it and it used to. Of
course, our generation is not that old, so we can have the party for fellowship. 10:00 o'clock
pm will be the exact time of curfew. And then the people used to it. So that the fellowship
will start at 4pm so.... it ends in 6 pm. They are also allowing them to have."

Interviewer: So, if it's the worst, maam, can you rate them on a scale of one to ten?

Participant: What to you mean?

Interviewer: The obstacles and challenges, ma'am, that you stated a little while ago.

Participant : What do you mean by how bad it is? ahh... Maybe, but not really ahh... It's not
that poor because we try to address them. I believe it's a 4, not a 5, because when we say 5,
half of the city gets worse ahh... We've got ah... We surely gets everyone to engage and we
coordinate everyone, so the partnership should benefit the individuals. So I awarded it a four
because I think there's always a room for improvement.

Interviewer; Ma'am, that's all I have for today. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with
me.