Island Paradise Adventure Race Kick-off
December 10, 2005, Saturday
5:00 a.m.
DOT Grand Staircase, Agrifina Circle, Manila
SOME 60 adventure racers hoping to bag the P1-million top prize in the Island Paradise Adventure Race (IPAR)-Visayas Leg or IPAR2 of the Department of Tourism (DOT) were flagged off at 6 a.m. today (December 10, Saturday) at the Agrifina Circle in Rizal Park, Manila.
IPAR is the biggest adventure race event in the Philippines today in terms of prizes offered (P1-M for the champion, P300,000 for the 2nd runner-up and P100,000 for the third placer) and the size of its area coverage. It is staged by the DOT in coordination with the various local government units (LGUs), which hope to promote tourist spots in their localities, and corporate sponsors.
Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the DOT intends to popularize and institutionalize IPAR into a bi-annual adventure race event, and make it one of its products in promoting the country as an adventure tourism destination and a safe, fun place to visit.
The initial IPAR or Luzon Leg was held in May this year. It featured 16 teams that used 4×4 vehicles to cover some 2,000 kilometers from Manila through 11 provinces in Northern Luzon and back to Manila in nine (9) days. The localities that served as check-points and pit stops for the adventure racers used the event to showcase their unique culture, products and tourist spots.
Unlike IPAR1 (Luzon Leg), IPAR2 is a race of two-man teams of backpackers. The racers will rely on the various public transport modes – LRT, buses, jeepneys, tricycles, RO-ROs, ferries, etc. – to bring them to their daily destinations, where festive atmospheres have been assured by the hosts LGU officials.
The racers will trek more than 2,000 kilometers of road networks and the Strong Republic Nautical Highway from Manila through Southern Tagalog (Laguna and Batangas), Oriental Mindoro, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental and Oriental, Bohol and Cebu in nine (9) days.
In between the destinations or pit-stops, the racers will visit mandatory check-points to hurdle physical and mental challenges to get clues and gain points. The challenges are fashioned to highlight the tourism potentials of the localities serving as check-points and pit-stops.
Saturday’s flag-off ceremonies were led by Tourism Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab, to represent Secretary Durano. Other DOT and Manila’s officials graced the occasion, which has also been so designed to usher-in the celebration of Christmas in the country.
Meanwhile, the City Government of Cebu City has announced that it will host the grand awarding ceremony and party for the IPAR2 racers on December 18 at the Ayala Center.
IPAR2 and all the human drama and festivities attending it will be covered by Studio 23 of the ABS-CBN radio-TV network. A TV Special on this unique tourism-oriented adventure race will be aired in February next year.
Challenge #1: Dance like the Harbor Babies!
