The certificate of recognition was formally given by the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World to delegates of the Mati City LGU and the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental during its 16th Congress in Sihanoukville City, Cambodia.
Receiving the certificate of recognition were provincial and city environment officials Doris Valdesco and Joel Capalit along with Jovelyn Lugo, Mati tourism officer Dashiel Indelible Jr., Mati City Information Office Ben Jason Tesiorna, and Tarragona municipal administrator Zed Jal Jumawan Uy whose costal barangay is also located in Mayo Bay.
The formal awarding of the recognition was held at the Sokha Resort in the afternoon of December 10. Earlier in the morning, the formal opening of the 16th Congress was conducted which was attended by Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Mati’s three bays were initially recognized by the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World in June 2020. Few months before the recognition, two officials of the Club personally visited the City of Mati for its validation of the application.
The City of Mati LGU and Davao Oriental PLGU initially applied for only Pujada Bay to be included in the prestigious list. But the Club officials decided to include Mayo and Balete bays in the list considering the location and proximity of the three bays to each other.
The awarding of the recognition was initially scheduled in Rabat, Morocco in December 2020 but due to the Covid-19 pandemic it was postponed and rescheduled for 2022 in Cambodia.
City of Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat sent her gratitude to the members of the Club for the inclusion of the Mati’s three bays in their list. Aside from the Mati bays, the other bay in the Philippines included in the list is Puerto Galera Bay.
About 130 delegates from 35 countries attended the 16th Congress where, aside from the assembly and meetings, activities like tree planting and Sea Festival were also conducted.
The Club’s 16th Congress will run until December 14, 2022. (Mati CIO)
Photos from Mati CIO