GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/03 May)– Saying it could be the country’s “next Boracay,” movie and television celebrity Kris Aquino expressed interest Thursday of putting up an investment in the famed white sand beaches of Gumasa in the coastal town of Glan in Sarangani province.
Aquino, who joined the campaign sorties here of administration senatorial bets re-electionist Senator Francis Escudero and Grace Poe, disclosed that she made some inquiries to possibly acquire a property along the popular beach strip.
The presidential sister said she is presently looking at bringing in a partner to jointly invest in the development of a resort in the area.
“I think we should promote more the tourism here because you have a beautiful airport and beautiful roads,” she said in a press conference.
Aquino hinted that she has been trying to work out an investment arrangement in Gumasa with Escudero whom, she said, has been “looking for something to procure” for his girlfriend, actress Heart Evangelista.
“I’ve been calling some of my friends (to help out) so we can procure that gift for their first year anniversary,” she said.
Aquino said she was immediately smitten by the pristine white sand beaches of Gumasa during her first visit in the last week of January to shoot her birthday episode for her daily talk show Kris TV.
She added she was specifically charmed with the beauty of the place, the good food and the amiable folks in the area.
Aquino, who spent some time then at the Rosal beach resort, pointed out that it only takes about an hour and 10 minutes from this city to reach Gumasa and enjoy its natural beauty.
“It’s less hassle to get there than going to Boracay,” Aquino said, referring to the world-famous Boracay Island in Aklan.
Aquino said it’s been her “dream” to put up a resort project, noting she has found “the opportunity to make it happen in Gumasa.”
“Who knows? I hope it will become our next Boracay,” she said.
Gumasa, which was christened by locals and visitors as the “Boracay of the South,” boasts of natural white sand beachfronts that are lined with lush greenery.
Its clear waters have been popular among tourists for swimming, diving, snorkeling as well as other leisure and adventure activities.
The area hosts seven beach resorts that had been declared by the Department of Tourism as “tourist-ready.”
On May 24-25, Barangay Gumasa’s seven-kilometer beachfront will take anew the center stage as the main venue of the 8th Sarangani Bay (SarBay) Festival.
Around 70,000 local and foreign tourists are expected to join the SarBay fest, which is dubbed as the “biggest beach party in the country.” (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)
