Albay recently bagged a series of national awards in tourism, governance, and disaster preparedness.

The province won two Best Tourism Practices Awards at the national convention of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines held in Roxas City.

The Mayon 360 Degrees Ultra Marathon, an extreme sports adventure event, got first place in the Best Tourism Event: Sports/Wellness Category Provincial Level.

Regarded as among the most challenging runs in the country, Mayon 360 takes runners around the volcano’s circumferential road and passes through the scenic towns of Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, Malilipot, Tabaco City, Ligao City, Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, and Legazpi City.

Meanwhile, the Magayon Festival, Albay’s provincial festivity, got runner-up honors in the Best Tourism Event: Festival Category Provincial Level.

A month-long celebration depicting the legend of the Daragang Magayon or the origins of Mayon Volcano, the festival showcasing the cultural heritage of the province.

Aside from Mayon Volcano, which draws droves of tourists even during eruptions, the upscale Misibis Bay Resort in Cagraray Island in Bacacay is among the province’s top attractions.

Complementing this tourist cluster are Spanish-era Franciscan churches, fine sand beaches of volcanic nature, dive sites, tropical eco-parks, enchanting waterfalls, and the spicy exotic local cuisine.

Albay’s gateway is Legazpi City, the provincial capital, and the gateway to major points in the Bicol region.

In a related development, Albay was also accorded the Biyaheng Pinoy Award by the Department of the Interior and Local Government as part of the 20th anniversary celebration of the Local Government Code of 1991.

Albay was named the best in Bicol region in governance practices in the provincial category, while Tiwi and Ligao City topped the municipal and city categories.

Moreover, the province was also given the Gawad Kalasag Award for bagging the Best Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for the third consecutive year.

The annual citation is given by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for outstanding practices in disaster preparedness.

Last year, the province and Albay governor Joey Salceda Salceda were recognized Disaster Response Campaign Champions by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction.