UPDATE (27/02/09): GMANews.TV Photo Essay - Bataan's Bird Sanctuary.

Department of Tourism will endorse Balanga City in Bataan global as the latest birdwatching site in the country.

DOT, tour operators and Wild Birds Club of the Philippines gave thumb ups to the Balanga City, Bataan after visiting the seaside villages of Tortugas, Puerto Rivas Ibaba and Sibacan.

The sites are divided into clusters: Balanga City, Subic and Candaba Swamp in Pampanga. DOT is now packaging a 22 day bird watching activity for tourists in 12 sites in the Philippines to promote Balanga City.

DOT’s manger of Corporate Relations Department, Stanie Soriano said that Balanga City would be in the first volume of Bird Watching Guidebook that will ready in time for advertising in London by November this year.

According to Dr. Joey Soriano, a member of Wild Birds Club, bird watching in the Philippines has a bright prospect because there are birds that are endemic in given areas that will magnetize tourist from the different parts of the world. And it is another worldwide record for all Bataeños to be part of the proposed bird sanctuary. [via inquirer.net]