MikeLigalig.com

Is the world-famous Chocolate Hills eliminated from the official contenders of the global search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature?

The same question befuddled Boholanos around the world as they discovered Monday that Chocolate Hills was dislodged from 6th place on the online rankings of the New7Wonders website and could nowhere be found in the Top 77 of the internet polling.

The Chocolate Hills have consistently occupied the top 10 for the past weeks and had been in the top 20 for the past two months.

In fact, the good showing of the world-famous tourist site in the global search prompted the Bohol officialdom, the media, multi-sectoral groups and individuals to launch a massive campaign for votes.

However, starting Monday afternoon, for no apparent reason, Chocolate Hills did not only disappear from the Top 77 rankings but was also removed from the list of official nominees.

Gov. Erico Aumentado during the "888 News Forum" yesterday at the Bohol Tropics disclosed that he already communicated with the organizers of the search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

In his letter, the governor asked the organizers for an explanation on the de-listing of Chocolate Hills.

As doubts were raised regarding the de-listing, Aumentado informed the organizers that a German geological scientist, Dr. Eric Vos, has revealed that the Chocolate Hills were created over three million years ago when the island province of Bohol was under seawaters.          

He said that the 1,268 hills located in the interior towns of Carmen, Sagbayan and Batuan were formed by undersea currents and tidal action.

"Being unusual geological formations," Aumentado said, "the hills have become the toast of tourists and nature lovers."

"In fact, former Pres. Fidel Ramos proclaimed Chocolate Hills as a geological monument" which is the "crown jewels of Bohol's tourism," the governor said.

NGO BEHIND THE SEARCH

The global search "7 New Wonders of Nature" is run by a non-government organization, and not by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

This was the information gathered by Rep. Edgar Chatto, chair of the House committee on tourism upon inquiries made with UNESCO-Manila offices yesterday.

The query of Chatto came after Boholanos were starting to "demand" that the sponsoring group of the global search should explain why the world- famous Chocolate Hills was all of a sudden de-listed from the list of nominees.

However, the NGO known as the New 7 Wonders of Nature is being managed by its director Federico Mayor, a former UNESCO director.

The information relayed by Rep. Chatto was gathered from Marinet Reyes, development management officer IV of UNESCO-Manila offices whom the congressman called in reaction to the report that the Chocolate Hills was de-listed since last Monday.

Reyes was quoted as saying that UNESCO has "no control on the mechanics of the search as it is being run by an NGO reportedly based in Europe. However, she categorically said that since the global "popularity contest" is in search for new wonders of nature, then it is in line with the thrust of UNESCO to help preserve and promote heritage destinations. This is also in line with UNESCO's program to help promote "nature" destinations. Presently, UNESCO is headed by Director General Koichiro Matsuura.

Reyes assured the House tourism committee chair to officially inquire from the NGO tomorrow regarding the existence of the global search while checking likewise why the Chocolate Hills was de-listed from the list of nominees.

Rep. Chatto will expect the reply from UNESCO-Manila office regarding the query anytime this week.

"MAYON" EXPERIENCE

Three weeks ago, a similar incident happened to Mayon Volcano, another Philippine site nominated for the search. Mayon was on the 17th place but was also dislodged from the Top 77 and the list of official nominees.

Presently, two other Philippine sites remain in the nominees - Tubbataha Reef and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River.

Tubbataha is currently ranked 9th as of latest poll. There are over 200 contenders from all over the world.

Nominations and voting for the New 7 Wonders of Nature will continue until December 31, 2008. The top 77 sites, based on the number of global votes gathered, will become the official nominees and will be eligible for consideration by a Panel of Experts who will shortlist 21 finalists.

The Panel of Experts will be chosen by New7Wonders Foundations whose names will be withheld until the winners are announced.


 NATURE'S BEAUTY AND MYSTERY. The world-renowned Chocolate Hills
spread over the towns of Carmen, Butuan and Sagbayan is Bohol's signature
 tourist attraction. Cited as a geological monument, the near perfect cone
shaped hills landed in the top 10 of the search for the New 7 Wonders of
Nature but was de-listed from the nominees since Monday

The Bohol Chronicle

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hala 6th spot naman to...ngano nawala man...huh perti raba jod nako pangampanya para sa choco hills....how sad

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nagsubay jod ko ani...ang first nawala ang Mayon...pero nag wonder ko sa choco hills kay consistent man to nga going up...until naabot siya 6th place..unya nikalit lang ug kawala..huh

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Remember the famous song "Halika Byahe Tayo", which is sung by famous singers of our country?
Bohol was never mentioned in that song. They instead included unknown places in Luzon.

Maningkamot nalang ta ug ato nga ma-promote atong province kay sa magsalig ta ug mga dili taga-Bohol.

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The tourism mafia is at work, ladies and gentlemen. It's a multi-trillion business. If the mafia have no stake in Bohol, then the "conspiracy theorists" must promote places in which they have invested their money.

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correct ka dyan mike, lakas ng akyat ng chocolate hills kaya napag initinan na pwedi mag top..

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naaahhh ka sayang sa akong pag spend ug time promoting....unya ingana ra diay..huh

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Or maybe because of this criteria:

GEOGRAPHIC DIMENSION  
Monuments and buildings from all countries and continents in the whole world were eligible and invited to be nominated. However, only 21 Candidates from 21 countries were selected as Finalists (see Authority entry below) to be brought to vote. (Only 1 Finalist Candidate was allowed per country).

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It's all about business. Wa jud ta'y mahimo. Let's promote Bohol tourism in our own little way.

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Correct me if I'm wrong. The way I understand it, the voting until December 31, 2008 is to select the top 21 or 14 (?) new wonders of nature out of the top 77. From there, there will be a selection of the top 7. Perhaps the rule on 1 country 1 site is true for the top 7. I also couldn't understand why the Chocolate Hills would be de-listed when it was way ahead of Tubataha Reef.



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Yeah! That's cool!



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Hahahahha, time na para mabuking si GEC..pero u can trust Ginger anyway..

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Good Idea!


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Gee, thanks Mike



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bitaw Mike, I just actually change my email ganiha lang gyud to my tubagbohol address.

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Yes Mikey, your website is one way of promoting Bohol. I've been telling your website to my brother and relatives in northern CA.

Beth, I too started using my tubagbohol email. It makes me feel elite and cool. I sent emails to my friends and they responded saying "Viewha Kaayo Bay". To non Boholano audience, that is equivalent to saying "cool" in Boholano language.

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The message is clear ---- VOTE BUYING & OTHER MANIPULATIVE VOTING HAS NO PLACE IN THE SEARCH FOR THE NEW 7 WONDERS.  Unta mag bag-o na ta!
 

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Maningkamot nalang ta ug ato nga ma-promote nato ang Bohol. We know best of our province and what it can offer to tourists. Kung magsalig ta anang mga foreign websites, wa tay mahimo kay sila man ang ga-control. New7Wonders.Com is a non-government entity, but it is for profit, money-making activity. The highest biddger gets to the Magic 7.

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Naa siguro hotel or country nga maapiktohan kung mo daug ang Chocolate hills, mao nga mi bagsak ug millions. Kay kung mo daug ang Chocolate Hills, ang bulk sa Tourists adto na sa Bohol ilang destination. Syempre na kita sa marketing department sa hotel nga ma lugi sila ug millions karong tuiga kung ma divert ang flow sa tourists. Mao nga mi bagsak sila ug certain amount sa ilang projected target this year para ma save ilang projected sales. As above fact, puede man paliton ang votes. Siguro ilang gi anticipate sa dili pa Summer. Note nga ang average tourist once a year ra mo biyahe unya iyang pili-on kung unsa ang trend/sikat or bag-o nga destination.

Bisan daghan ta, wala man tay millions puro votes ra man.

Imbis mo vote mo sa 7Wonders, maayo pa mo sign na lang mo ug petition para sa Electricity Hike kay makatabang pa mo sa mga pobreng Filipino nga naapektohan. Here's the link: http://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=12079.0

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corruption is everywhere Ms Haps, sayang ang choco
nahimo man lang nga tinughung.

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napolitika na pud ang tourism nato Haps, basin hinay ta manghatag
ug wawarts sa organizer.

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Haps, time to buy parachute...aron di naka agi sa dalan kun dili adto na sa kahanginan.

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It was taken off the list because they say it was being ilegally advertized.
how are people suppose to know about voting if they are not informed about voting chances to begin with?

I do not feel it was ilegal as it was not paid for advertizing now if paid advertizing that is different but to inform about voting for it is okay why not we have a right to choice what we like and if people want to campaign for things it is also their right again.

I think it was a sad thing to be removed from the list.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=12061.0

What's this supposed to mean, Olintaha?  How was it possible to involve vote buying in the online voting?  And manipulative vote?  Was the website hacked by Filipinos so Chocolate Hills can be in the top 7?  I have to admit I have not been following the website to know the developments and when I searched, Inquirer didn't give any reason to connote that there was "vote buying and manipulative voting".  Please help me in understanding what you meant kay galibog ko why Chocolate Hills wa removed from the list.  I am pretty sure you know more than I do to say this.  Salamat po!

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=12061.0

Tingali somebody needs to cough up an amount so that Chocolate Hills will be back on the nomination list. After all, its a for profit corporation man kaha. 




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In my opinion, na ilad lagi ta sa prinsipyo, pero wala ta ma-ilad sa kwarta. Wala ta ma gansi sa Kwarta. Magpagansi ba gud ang Bol-anon sa kwarta nga hinuktan man ug lanot kining atong kwarta. Ato man ni nga kina-iya nga pugong gyud sa kwarta kay biyahero lagi ang kasagaran kanato, mao nga dili ta waldas. Tan-awa ang inyong mga lola, ang ilang kwarta gi putos ug panyo, ka pila pa gi pilo ug gi lokot, gi suk-suk pa gyud sa bra.

Sila ang gansi kay wala silay na kuha nga sapi sa mga Bol-anon. Nahago lang sila ug tally sa atong votes ug na upaw ug samot ang ilang committee sa pag tally sa atong milyon milyon nga votes. Kadtong mga mi bayad nga countries sila ang na ilad.

Bisan mi gasto ta ug plete ni Dan Lim, that was a trip worthwhile kay naka visita god siya sa America unya naka himamat siya sa mga Bol-anon didto. Feeling celebrity pod si Dan Lim, so mura to ug vacation niya. Bisan dili siya mag bawn OK ra kay daghang mo sponsor niya didto nga mga dato' nga Bol-anon. Feel honored pod sila nga naka sponsor ug mayor sa Bohol. Magpa kodak-kodak dayon sila ug ipang hambog dayon nila ang mga pictures. His trip could draw balikbayans enough to close all flights to Bohol this coming July.

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Chocolate Hills back in the race for New 7 Wonders of Nature



Cebu Daily News
First Posted 08:18:00 05/03/2008


BOHOL’S famed Chocolate Hills is back in the running to become one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature after contest organizers took it out from the final list of nominees two weeks ago.

Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado said the Chocolate Hills was put back in the list by the New 7 Wonders of Nature (N7W), a non-government organization, which launched the search, after he complied with the contest’s final requirement, which was to set up an official support committee for Bohol's natural wonder.

Aumentado appointed the Bohol Provincial Tourism Council as the official nominator of the Chocolate Hills as a requirements of the N7W.

The NGO also required a commitment of support from the local government unit (LGU).

Aumentado said the LGU support group would organize a global working committee which would support Chocolate Hills to be part of the new seven wonders of nature.

“They (N7W) had restored Chocolate Hills and the previous votes were still counted after we complied with everything (requirements),” Aumentado said.

The Chocolate Hills consist of at least 1,268 domed limestone hills that turn brown under the summer sun and are spread in the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan, Bohol.

The hills measuring 30 to 50 meters high have already been considered as among the National Geological Monuments of the country because of its scientific value and geographical uniqueness.

Aumentado said he appreciated the support from the Cebu provincial government and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“It would be an honor for Bohol if Chocolate Hills could make it to the top of the seven wonders list. Not only will it promote Bohol's tourism industry but also the Philippines,” Aumentado said.

The nomination, according to the governor, can also promote the country as a favorite eco-tourism destination in the world.

Cebu Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong asked the Cebuanos to cast their votes for the Chocolate Hills.

He said it would be a source of pride and a boost to local tourism if the Chocolate Hills were to become one of the seven wonders of the world.

“It is not only a (source of) national pride but (it will) also (boost) the prospect of promoting eco-tourism in the country...,” said Maambong in a draft resolution that will be submitted to the PB session on Monday.

If approved, Maambong wanted copies of his resolution sent to all the barangays in the province and the Department of Tourism.

Aside from the Chocolate Hills, Maambong said the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea and the Underground River in Puerto Princesa, Palawan also deserve the Cebuanos’ support.

The reef is a Unesco World Heritage Site because of its globally renowned bio-diversity. Its two atolls lie on the Cagayan ridge and encompasses roughly 100,000 hectares of corals and over a thousand species of marine life.

In the initial results of the online polls for the New 7 Wonders of Nature, the Tubbataha Reef ranked 7th place while the Chocolate Hills was 9th. The Puerto Princesa Underground River was number 20.

The need to massively campaign on the local destinations especially the Chocolate Hills was also among the concerns discussed in a local security meeting called by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the Malacañang sa Sugbu during her visit last Monday.

Those who wants to cast their votes for the Philippine's entries can log on to www.new7wonders.com

“It is fitting that we encourage and exhort all Cebuanos to cast their votes for the new seven wonders of nature in the world,” said Maambong in his draft resolution.
 

To subscribe to the Cebu Daily News newspaper, call +63 2 (032) 233-6046 for Metro Manila and Metro Cebu or email your subscription request here. 

Copyright 2008 Cebu Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 
 

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