Ms. Diana Carmela N. Catimbang and Mr. Djon Gregorio Patricio L. Cortes, both Doctors of Veterinary Medicine 1 students from the College of Veterinary Medicine of the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture, completed the two-week International Virtual Course (IVC) on Tomini Bay Cultural Heritage from September 13-30, 2021.
Hosted by the Universitas Negeri Gorontalo, Indonesia, Ms. Catimbang and Mr. Cortes were two of the three representatives from the Philippines in this event. Other participants came from Malaysia, Cambodia, India, and Indonesia. The Universitas Negeri Gorontalo is active in initiating the transformation of the Tomini Bay into a potential economic place. Tomini Bay, the largest bay in Indonesia, is considered the spot for the world’s Heart of the Coral Triangle.
The said university conducted the virtual course so that students from other countries will appreciate Tomini Bay as a diving getaway because of its high marine biodiversity. In addition, the bay is home to seven million residents that inhabit more than 10,000 coastal villages contributing to the bay’s rich cultural heritage. This course is also essential in strengthening partnerships and collaboration with other universities. The participants gained insightful knowledge through a series of lectures: Life in Tomini Bay, Language, Eco-Culture Tourism, Oral Tradition, Creative Arts, Food and Tradition, and Handicrafts. They also experienced a virtual tour showcasing the different tourist attractions of Tomini Bay, particularly Olele and Botubarani beaches, featuring recreational activities such as swimming with whale sharks.
The event organizers likewise required the participants to make a short video of what they learned during the lecture series as a project for the course. Viewers can access Ms. Catimbang’s video through https://youtu.be/vc9TH8Hmbso while Mr. Cortes’ video can be accessed via https://youtu.be/XNnF2j28TV0. During the closing ceremony, the organizers chose Ms. Catimbang among all the participants to give a testimonial about IVC 2021. She mentioned that because of the virtual course, she had the opportunity to glimpse the beauty of Tomini Bay which she was not familiar with before. Ms. Catimbang would love to visit the place and the Universitas Negeri Gorontalo campus someday. Dr. Ilene B. Mirabeles, CVM Dean, was also present during the closing program.
News by: Diana Carmela N. Catimbang and Ilene B. Mirabeles