A kiss of summer in Siruma

Everyone wants to experience a memorable summer with a loved one in a most perfect place. Summertime is the best time for a getaway - to inhale the early morning sea breeze, relax on the pristine beaches, walk on a sandbar, explore the rock formations and caves, bathe in the waterfalls, or simply enjoy the captivating rugged landscape of Siruma.

Siruma is located at the northwestern topmost part of Partido district facing the Pacific ocean and San Miguel Bay in Camarines Sur. It is an emerging tourism destination about 3 hours from Naga City by land via Tinambac or via Goa, Camarines Sur. Endowed with very rich natural resources, Siruma is a haven and the life of the locals. It remains unexplored and undiscovered. Tourists have yet to enjoy its wonders.

The resource persons of the 5 component trainings - Dr. Gina Alcoriza, Prof. Samuel Rogando, Jr., Ms. Cristine L. Marasigan, Prof. Lewis Boni, Dr. Raul G. Bradecina, and Prof. Charlie Balagtas.

The participants from LGU Siruma experience the tour guiding exercise.

Leading you to this destination is the three-month-extension project of the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Partido State University. As an extension project, the tourism stakeholders and the locals were capacitated along Community-Based Tourism on December 2022 until February 2023. At the end of the five component trainings, the tourism stakeholders and the locals identified and described their tourism resources, defined their tourism circuits, prepared travel itineraries for Siruma, conceptualized and installed signages and messages, and acquired the skill of tour guiding. They also learned to make a Tourism Workplan. The locals were specially trained by tourism icons in the Bicol Region, Prof. Lewis Boni, Prof. Samuel R. Rogando, Jr., and Cristine L. Marasigan and academic leaders Dr. Raul G. Bradecina, the President of PSU and Prof. Charlie V. Balagtas, the Planning and Development Officer of PSU. The project was implemented and spearheaded by the university’s School of Graduate Studies (SGS) through Prof. Marilou P. Barcela, Dr. Mariel R. Estrella, and Dr. Maria Wendy Solomo with the full participation of LGU Siruma and the locals.

Today, the locals are organized. If you visit Siruma, the Siruma Community-Based Tourism Workers Association (SCBTWA) will meet you. They can offer you the travel itinerary that you like. You can choose any of the interesting tour packages for a day, 2 days and 1 night, or 3 days and 2 nights. And they will bring you to their finest attractions for a minimal and reasonable fee.

If you plan to spend an exciting summer, Siruma is a place to be. Breathe its fresh air and enjoy a kiss of summer. The sweetness of Siruma and the warmth of the locals linger. And these are what will make your stay memorable. Once you get to Siruma, you will always desire to come back. So start to create wonderful memories in this emerging tourism destination in Camarines Sur. All is worth when you discover the beauty of Siruma. (MREstrella)