Newest ecopark and beach resort opens in Sarangani

By COCOY SEXCION GLAN, Sarangani (May 9, 2012) – A resort with a view to two of Socsargen’s (South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos City) prominent natural landmarks – Sarangani Bay and Mt. Matutum – is the latest addition to the growing number of tourist attractions in Sarangani. BelMar Eco Park & Beach Resort opened for business Tuesday (May 8) in time for the May 18-19 Sarangani Bay Festival (SarBay Fest), the biggest beach festival in Mindanao. The resort is located in barangay Kapatan just along the national highway from General Santos City going to the town proper of Glan and to the white-sand beaches of Gumasa, main venue of Sarbay Fest. BelMar, short for the owners’ names Annabelle and Marcelino, has a resto bar and coffee shop, pasalubong center which sells local products and delicacies, a recreation center and conference rooms. Guests can enjoy snorkeling, boating and beach tour where century-old mangrove trees line the white-pebbled beachfront. Right now, BelMar Ecopark & Beach Resort has a total of six overnight cottages, two aircon and four non-aircon rooms with a capacity of six persons per cottage. It also has a mini zoo and children’s park which makes the place ideal for visitors and guests of all ages. For more information about the resort, you may contact 09089297183. “Today is a very memorable day for the tourism industry particularly in the tourism industry of Glan,” said municipal councilor Dr. Tranquilino Ruiz III. “The opening of BelMar means that Glan is really going high in terms of tourism.” Ruiz, who is also the Sanggunian committee chair on tourism, led the ribbon-cutting ceremony assisted by owners Annabelle and Marcelino Tangaro Jr. during the resort’s opening program. “I really appreciate the investment of Mr. and Mrs. Tangaro in our beloved municipality and I hope this will trigger more investments in our place,” Ruiz concluded. The resort is managed by Annabelle and Marcelino who are presently living in General Santos City. Both were born and raised in Glan. “It is a dream come true for us. It just started with a simple plan and now here it is,” said Marcelino. “We immediately started the construction on October 28, 2011 after acquiring the property in July of the same year.” For more news and updates, please visit the Province of Sarangani . Come and enjoy Sarangani Bay Festival on May 18-19, 2012. (Cocoy Sexcion/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)