Caraga takes a bow in Manila

CARAGA is one region that has yet

to seep into everybody's geographic

sensibility because four years after its

creation, it is still being mistaken for

an acronym.

In orchestrating efforts to go mainstream, Caraga mounted

''Caraga Goes To Manila'' at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall

in Mandaluyong City in late April.

A sort of ''coming-out party,'' the CGTM showcased everything

the region could offer, like trade opportunities, investment

potentials, resources, people and culture.

The well-attended opening ceremonies had Caragnon Rep.

Robert Barbers as guest speaker. Caraga is the next important

investment destination in the country, Barbers boldly said,

citing its vast potentials.

The welcome remarks of Agusan del Sur Gov. Valentina G. Plaza

were in part a lesson in Caraga 101. Quoting largely from the

book ''Caraga: A Region Reborn'' by Fernando A. Almeda Jr.,

she shared some helpful information about the region.

Land of the brave

Caraga was derived from the old historic Caraga, an extensive

land mass covering several provinces in the northeastern

seaboard of Mindanao during prehistoric times. The term caraga

was derived from two Visayan words, namely, ''calag,'' which

means soul or people, and ''an,'' which means land. Caraga,

therefore, means land of the brave or fierce people.

This description is not without historic basis. A noted

missionary chronicler, Fr. Pablo Pastells, described Caraganons

as a fierce and brave race.

Caraga originally extended from the deep south, starting at Cape

San Agustin and going by Surigao to Iligan up to Dapitan. By

today's reckoning, it would include some parts of Davao

Oriental (particularly the towns of Cateel, Baganga and Caraga)

and Gingoog City.

The old territorial and large Caraga region was divided in 1847

by a decree of Gen. Jose Narciso Claveria. Agusan became a

separate province in 1901. Through Public Law No. 82, Butuan

became a provincial town and later a chartered city.

In 1960, Surigao was split into Norte and Sur by virtue of RA

2709.

RP's youngest

Caraga breathed life anew on Feb. 23, 1995 through Republic

Act No. 7901, making it the country's youngest

politico-administrative group. It is composed of 1,306 barangays

spread across 71 towns in Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur,

Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and the cities of Butuan and

Surigao.

Situated in the northeast section of Mindanao, Caraga has a

total land area of 1,884,697 has., encompassing 18.6 percent of

the total land area of Mindanao and 6 percent of the Philippine

archipelago. It is home to at least 2 million people.

Trade Undersecretary Ernesto Ordo?ez congratulated the

Caraga producers for product quality and craftsmanship. He

singled out Purino's Jewelry, whose bamboo-inspired gold

necklace was an eloquent testament to the Caraganon's artisan

spirit.

The fair was attended by 37 producers, whose combined sales

of P12 million surpassed the P7.5-million target by 60 percent.

This sales figure is expected to climb within the next six months

when repeat orders start coming in.

Marketing clinics

But more than just a selling and order-taking encounter, the fair

provided Caraga producers the opportunity to undergo

marketing and product clinics with 30 merchandisers from

leading department stores and other trade associations in the

country.

The investment-cum-funding forum netted a total of 246 project

commitments, including an initial fund release of P1 million for

Caraga's ''Gender and Development Mainstreaming Project,'' a

P120-million agreement between Filipinas Palm Oil Plantation

and the Federation of Community Resource Development Corp.

to develop and manage a 2,000-ha. oil palm plantation, a

P40-million contract between the Tamaco Tree Farmers

Cooperative and Newtech Pulp Inc. for a 1,000-ha. abaca

plantation in Agusan del Sur, a marketing agreement between

SM and El Ni?o Banig of Surigao del Sur, and a deal between

Alpha Marketing Inc. of Cebu City and the Unlad Surigao

Foundation to establish 200 seaweed farms in Dinagat and

Siargao.

The cultural show unfolded before an SRO crowd at the Manila

Galleria Suites. The audience, composed of Manila-based

Caraganons and other guests, was regaled by the sounds and

dances that evolved from Caraga's rich cultural heritage. The

performers were at their best, gracefully and mellifluously

affirming the regional mantra that in Caraga, even those that

don't glitter are gold.

The organizers are ecstatic that the CGTM generated awareness

and, most importantly, established linkages whose translation

into sustainable, long-term investments will be zealously

pursued from hereon.

It has been weeks now and the euphoria has yet to die down.

Already, the organizers are thinking of an encore.