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MAITUM, Sarangani—This province is not just world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao’s home. It is also home to an outdoor sports haven.
The village of New La Union here, gateway to 1.6-kilometer Pangi River, is about one and a half hours from General Santos City by land.
Vincent Yabes, a son of Maitum’s former mayor, discovered the tourism potential of the white water tubing here in 2003, says tourism operation assistant Arlex Narte.
Since then, the town has hosted about 250 guests a month, said Narte.
What’s the difference with white water rafting? No muscle pains because instead of paddling, adventurers just ride down the river on a tube made of recycled truck rubber tires.
A fee of P120 is equivalent to about 30 minutes of thrill; fee includes a life jacket and a helmet for protection. Thrill seekers are advised to wear outdoor sandals with straps rather than slippers because of the strong current, as well as goggles.
Guests who are under 18 are asked to get consent from their parents, even as a local guide takes care of the guest from the back tube.
“Sometimes, there's a tendency for the tube to turn over. So, we remind the guest not to panic and hold the rubber handles attached on the tube firmly,” says Narte.
Izah Morales
