The four-day 2017 World Game Fishing Competition kicked off today, April 6 in Pilar town, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte.
Ms. Mary Jean Camarin, the officer in charge of the Department of Tourism in Caraga region said 58 professional anglers have already registered to join the prestigious world event.
This year’s competition will be spearheaded by the DOT and the provincial government of Surigao del Norte.
Among those who will compete this year include participants from Russia, the United Kingdom, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan and countries in Europe, including the Philippines.
“These best international anglers are vying for top prizes. They will compete on a biggest catch of sailfish, marlin, yellow-fin, tuna, wahaoo and Dorado,” Camarin added.
The DOT has allotted P10 million budget for this year’s international game fishing competition, she said.
Close to 100 best anglers from various parts of the world joined last year’s 9th Siargao Game Fishing Tournament that was also held here, Camarin noted.
Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Matugas said Pilar town is now considered a fast-growing tourist destination in the island.
“We will be expecting big number of tourists to come for this year’s tournament, which is considered the biggest game fishing event to be held in the country,” Matugas pointed out.
The provincial government, DOT and the local government of Pilar have already finalized the schedules of the tournament as well as the other tourism activities intended for local and foreign tourists.
Aside from the tournament, some of the tourism activities include island discovery tours, cooking demonstrations, culinary arts contest, cultural street dancing, triathlon (running, swimming, boating) contest, zumba dancing, singing contest, tiange-tiange (market) and inter-school table skirting.
Guests from the national government arrived in Pilar on Thursday and joined the opening ceremony.
Among them are DOT Undersecretary Silvino Tejada and Director Shalimar Tamano.
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez will officially opened the event together with Surigao del Norte 1st district representative Bingo Matugas.
Rep. Matugas said Speaker Alvarez is instrumental to the increase of the budget of this year’s game fishing competition.
Facilities in the island has greatly improved as anglers, tourists and locals can easily reach Siargao as SkyJet airline management already scheduled their daily direct flights from Manila to Sayak (Siargao) National Airport, aside of the daily flights from Cebu to Siargao vise -versa by the Cebu Pacific.
Massive improvements in the infrastructures and other facilities in Siargao were started by former governor Francisco Matugas.
The island is now considered as the game fishing and surfing capitals in the country.
Two world surfing events are also held in Siargao every year – the International Women’s Surfing Cup every month of June and the Siargao World Surfing Competition every September.
“For the first time the national government has provided huge financial support to world game fishing in the amount of PHP10 million for this year and another PHP10 million for the upcoming international surfing competition,” Gov. Matugas said, as she expressed gratitude to DOT secretary Wanda Teo.
She added that the support was only materialized during the administration of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
