A bright future for tourism

Sunday’s opening of the ofuro Japanese hot spring at the Mambukal Resort actually offers the bright hope of more Japanese visitors to the Mambukal Resort of Negros Occidental.

Why? Because the sulfur dipping pool was designed by a leading Japanese landscaper and has gained the attention of Japanese hot spring habitués.

The dipping pool or Japanese ofuro was designed and built with the help of Japanese landscaper Kouchi Yamaguchi, with the assistance of Terou Yamaguchi, Masaki Honda, and the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) represented by Shigemi Watanabe, pointed out Negros Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the province commended and thanked the Japanese for their generosity and spirit of volunteerism by providing their technical and creative expertise for free for the construction and expanding of the sulfur spring.

Key official and members of the Bacolod Capitol Lions Club attended the soft opening of the ofuro hot spring Saturday.

On Saturday they also hosted the Japanese team to a dinner at the Hoishi Restaurant and bar along Lacson Street in front of the Robinson Mall.

The Yamaguchi brothers and Honda were accompanied by a sister of Yamaguchi and the wife of his brother.

Yamaguchi disclosed that members of the Mikawa Lions Club in Japan plan to attend the formal inauguration of the Ofuro hot spring. Not only is the hot spring pool attracting attention but the fact that below it is a cool water stream that would enable bathers to take a dip in for a breather.

Yamaguchi also disclosed that the Mikawa Lions Club members intend to visit Negros sometime before the formal inauguration.

That interest by Japanese hot bath habitués had been roused by their awareness that the hot spring dip has been designed by Kouchi Yamaguchi, considered as a leading Japanese landscaper.

Honda’s involvement in the project is not only because he is a member of the Mikawa but this late father, Yukei Honda, had dreamed of leaving a legacy in Negros Occidental. He had a served in Bacolod and in the province as medical officer during the last World War.

Later, because of his dream for Negros, Honda took his oath as a member of the Bacolod Capitol Lions Club, according to past president Pons Manayon.

Honda is now managing the hotel previously operated by his late father.

But it is not just the ofuro hot spring that beckons tourists to the Mambukal Summer Resort but the fact that the province has put up seven new villas worth P27.3 million in the area.

With thousands of people making a beeline to the resort, especially during the Holy Week, Marañon foresees that the hot spring could lead to an influx of Japanese visitors in the near future.

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Bacolod Diocese’s vicar general (his replacement has not yet been formally inducted) Victorino Rivas is now in Ireland.

He is the guest of several Columbian Father’s who had served in Negros Occidental in the past few years.

That according to my son, Rolando Jr., a chief nurse of a Dublin, Ireland, hospital.

Jun Jun was amazed at Rivas’ memory. “He was asking about my sisters and brothers, whom he had known for several years before my sisters went to Manila and myself and my wife, Merci, had gravitated to Dublin,” was how Jun Jun described Rivas.

“We spent almost an hour reminiscing about Negros and Bacolod, There were later other Filipinos who joined just before the Columbian Fathers whisked him off for a tour of Ireland,” said Jun-Jun.

Jun Jun also briefed Msgr. Rivas of his involvement in the triathlon in Calgary.

There, according to Jun Jun, he finished the 100 kilometer run by 11.5 hours, and the biathlon and swimming portions of the triple event.

A local marathoner also accosted my daughter, Mate, about having seen Jun-Jun’s feat in Facebook.

Apparently, a lot of Facebook enthusiasts had known about it, said Jun Jun. He aims to visit here in August to participate in the Iron Man joust in Cebu.

But he spent more of his time over the phone talking about Msgr. Rivas and his impressive , memory and openness.

He even remembered anecdotes of Nanay and Daddy, ask he put it.

Msgr. Rivas, incidentally, had just gone to Rome where he was given the report on the elevation of the Blessed John Paul II Institute to the next higher rank of the institution.

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Our best wishes to the University of St. La Salle which opened its 60th Foundation Week yesterday with a reunion that paid tribute to La Sallian retirees yesterday afternoon.

First day activities included a fun run, bike and walk activities. These ended with the Fun Night that started at 5:30 p.m.

A well deserved salute to USLS headed by Chancellor, Brother Ray Suplido.*

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