Friday, December 27, 2019

The Role of Project Manager - 1140 Words

Introduction Nowadays, with the development of project management, project success has been defined clearly. A definition of project success from Lock is that if the project finish on time, within budget and in good quality, the project is considered as a successful project (Lock, 2007). However, our understanding about the role of project manager is unclear. Different people hold various viewpoints about it. According to Lewis, people have a vague understanding of what is the role of project manager, because a majority of project managers are promoted from other jobs such as engineers or technologists and so on (Lewis, 2007). Some individuals think that the role of the project manager is to command and control. Is it enough for a project†¦show more content†¦Actually, Project managers do need to command and control. As I stated above, project manager is responsible for the project, which means that a project manager needs to control the project’ process for obtaining a successful completion of the project as well as to command the stakeholders to follow the right path to realize the project’ objective. But it is important to emphasize that â€Å"command and control†is a purpose, not a process. Just like Bull said that there is essential difference between a dictator and a leader, a dictator gives command to people for doing something, but a leader inspires people to let them want to do things. The role of project manager should be a leader, not a dictator (Bull, 2010). Lewis also thought that the biggest part of project manager’s job is dealing with people. Even though project manager has quite little authority, it is not zero (Lewis 2010). Therefore, for project managers, the biggest challenge should be how to your limited authority effectively. To optimize the use of the authority, project managers need to build their leadership. Instead of using your authority to build your leadership, project managers should use their people skill which involves personality, management skill and communication skill. (Lewis, 2007, p. 27) So, â€Å"command and control†is a purpose, not a process. Which means that project manager should be a leader, not a dictator. More important thing than â€Å"command and control† AsShow MoreRelatedRole of a Project Manager1009 Words   |  4 PagesProject management The role of a project manager is the most challenging roles within the project team. As the project goes on and takes advances in its various stages a project manager should ensure that they are able to adopt according to the demands of the project that are ever changing. Clearly this particular project in the organization has been marred with many challenges. These challenges need a good project manager who ill ensures that the project gets completed successfully. The currentRead MoreRoles Of A Project Manager1647 Words   |  7 PagesThere are many roles that a project manager must fulfill. The most important roles of a project manager though, may not be the roles one may first think of. Of course there are the visible roles such as integration of processes, managing project scope and cost, and managing risks (Gomes, Yasin, Small). Less visible roles such as effective leadership and communication affect all of the visible roles of the project manager. Because these less visible ro les take on many forms and touch many aspectsRead MoreRole of Project Manager2484 Words   |  10 PagesNICMAR ASSIGNMENT ON â€Å"ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS† SUBMITTED BY: JHA PRAVIN KUMAR JOSHI SOURABH MALANI GOVIND 221071 221074 221094 GUIDED BY: Prof. T.K.GANGULI ACM 22-SECTION 2 NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH, PUNE ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGERS Page 1 NICMAR INDEX Contents 1. Introduction 2. 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A project manager sets up the estimates, budget and construction timetable for the clients and alsoRead MoreProject Management And The Roles And Responsibilities Of Project Manager922 Words   |  4 Pages Initially I had a view that project management is organized planned objective of an organization with the consideration of all other constraints like budget cost, man-power and utilizing resources. From the classes my knowledge on project management has enhanced. Here I comes to know the different kinds of management in an organization and the roles and responsibilities of project manager, line manager, functional manager and sponsor. Project manager responsible for coordinating and merging activitiesRead More1.The Role Of The Project Manager On Construction Projects..1062 Words   |  5 Pages1.The role of the project manager on construction projects. Generally, as a project manager, he(or she) should be able to have thorough control of time, cost and quality of the project, and have the overall responsibility for the successful initiation, planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of a project. The following are some specifications: 1) Leader of the team A project manager should form and lead a team which has the professionals and specialists, and enable themRead MoreProject Manager s Role On Construction Project Essay1802 Words   |  8 PagesPart 1. Investigation 1. The project manager plays a vital role on the construction project, from the very beginning of its initiation and planning to execution, to completion and handing over the complete project to the client. The project manager identifies and select the discrete processes to meet the project objective and target, considering the constituting inputs and outputs for the process (Project Management Institute, 2013). 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INTRODUCTION: In management, command and control refers more generally to the maintenance of authority with somewhat more distributed decision making [Command and Control Research Program 2011]. Being an effective project manager is among the most challenging jobs in the industry for two reasons. First it requires management skills and abilities different from those required in a traditional functionalRead MoreRole Of A Project Manager Within A Building Information Model2240 Words   |  9 PagesBefore we delve into the role of a Project Manager within a Building Information Model (BIM) project and how, if at all, that role has altered, lets step back and understand how BIM evolved. The concept of BIM has actually existed since the 1970’s with the term building model first used in papers in the mid-1980’s. However, it wasn’t until around 10 years later that the terms Building Information Model and Building Information Modelling (including the acronym BIM) became more mainstream

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Design And Cross Pollination Of Fields And Practices

It is believed that due to the high level of risk undertaken by the client and intrusted in the designers that it is now a safer option to put the contractors in the driving seat rather than the architects who simply provide the design (Jamieson.C, 2010and that larger multidisciplinary practices containing architects, surveyors and contractors would be even more prevalent in fifteen years time because they are able to carry the risk on behalf of the client (Jamieson.C, 2010). So surely if architects are no longer trusted or believe in themselves there is no longer a need for them to carry out certain duties or training? If an architect no longer carried the same responsibilities then there is no need for them to work in the same methods.†¦show more content†¦Weston believed that ‘the stylistic postmodernism of the 1980’s (risk), had threatened to reduce architecture to a stylish fad.’ He believed that the risk architects felt upon themselves meant that â €˜In its place it was argued the case for buildings that are monumental and anti-heroic, and grounded in the familiar routine and environments of daily life( Weston.R, 2011). Due to the amount of money and time needed to be invested into building architecture the industry can take astronomical hits during financial crisis such as the credit crunch in 2008. Risk plays a huge part in the way we build and create architecture. For the architect, a great deal of risk is encountered by intrusting the client to pay for our services. One London based boutique architecture practice described â€Å"our main threat is not being paid for the work we do- particularly the brief making part- but we never turn down unpaid work because It might lead to paid work in the future†(RIBA the future for architects, 2010). But it is not just the architects who feel the ‘risk’, it is also the clients who are effectively putting their money, land or property and quite often their reputa tions at stake, so there is a lot riding on the architects back to make the whole operation run smoothly. The guardian stated that in 2008 ‘40% of architects lost their jobs’ causing many practicing Architects to brake off into different fields. For example in the 1970’s, 50% of architects

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Cloud Computing and its Services

Question: Discuss about Cloud computing and its services. Answer: Introduction Deployment of applications in the cloud has not been rampant among the cloud consumers because many consumers have been ignorant on what it takes for one to deploy an application and the roles that they play in ensuring the success of the application. When the client is aware of their roles and does a proper planning prior to the deployment of the application, the success rate in the performance of the application in the cloud increases. To guarantee this, the customer to the cloud service must go to an extra mile and gauge what is required of them by the cloud provider and what the service level agreement entails as a guarantee of the services offered. However, these services have not been utilized by the customers because most of them do not understand what services the cloud vendor offer. The SLAs provided by the cloud service providers are often drafted in a way that terminologies and jargons used in its content are difficult for the consumers to decipher hence making the resulting relationship between the cloud vendors and the consumers a challenging one. Misconceptions also exist in that most of the consumers believe that their responsibilities and duties as it pertains security and management of the deployed application ends immediately the application has been deployed to the cloud. The end result is a failed application that does not meet the expectations of the consumer and ends up being withdrawn from the cloud hence mistrust by the consumer on the capability of the cloud services. To curb these misconception and to reduce the fallout between the cloud vendor and the consumers, it is mandatory for the consumer to understand its roles and responsibilities together with those of the cloud provider before it does the deployment of the application to the cloud. Before making any agreement with the cloud providers, customers should seek to understand what to expect from the vendors and what its SLAs entail. This will give an easier platform for the enterprise to make comparisons of different cloud vendors and to get to know which of the vendors offer the best in terms of their services. The following subsections discusses the requirements that DSI should adhere to when deploying the OSDS application to the cloud. The requirements are broken down into remote administration, SLA management and resource management. This is coupled up by the guarantee for application resilience by the cloud provider and the backup and recovery services offered by the cloud. The paper also discusses the general standards followed when coming up with an SLA agreement. Management Requirements Management is the major role in cloud computing and this is necessary for all the parties to the cloud computing services. Understanding the proper management roles necessary for the cloud service provider and that of the end user is mandatory as it helps to ensure that the services of the cloud are well enjoyed by the customers to the cloud. Several things come into play when management in the cloud is talked of and this involves remote management, SLA and resource management. Dalbhanjan and Morad provides a clear specification that is essential for the management needs of the cloud services. The specific requirements for each category of the cloud management services is discussed in details in the subsequent sections. Remote Administration Requirements When remote administration is mentioned in regard to cloud computing, the same is actually used to mean the configuration and management of the cloud provided information technology resources by the enterprise administrators. This is normally done through the tools and interfaces like portals, which have been developed by the cloud providers for such purposes (Mustard Harrison, 2004). Several remote management tools have been provided by the cloud vendors and this can be used by the clients as the basis for choosing the best cloud vendor based on the provided tools (Rimal, Jukan, Katsaros, Goeleven, 2010). Amazon Web Services provides some of the tools that can be used for remote administration and this are listed below; The users to the cloud services are granted access with the help of an identity management tool known as Identity Access management abbreviated as IAM. Clients who wish to make requests to the cloud services are identified using particular credentials that are provided prior to the access. The cloud vendor utilizes a good operating system for client access credentials which guarantees that each and every client is issued with a unique identifier and this identifier is matched with AWS key pair such that everyone has its own unique way and does not need to share details with that users. Agreeing to business or endeavor bolster AWS represents the creation of the application and consolidating it with the AWS Trusted Advisor reports. Resource Management Requirements Resource management is yet another term that is tied with cloud computing and it simply means the coordination of IT resources by the cloud vendors and the clients who use the cloud services. Resource management in the cloud is the most essential thing as it determines how best the resources can be put into use for the betterment of the cloud services and to guarantee the application success in terms of performance and availability (Schubert and Jeffery, 2015). Using the AWS checklist for cloud management, there are several tools available offered by cloud vendors and can be utilized by cloud clients to ensure that the resources allotted to them are well managed. These tools are listed below together with their requirements. Understanding which of the venture examples is Amazon Elastic Block Store (Amazon EBS) - supported when contrasted with occasion put away sponsored. The undertaking ought to pick what is best for them as far as capacity and see the type of implications that this will have on the information tirelessness, reinforcement and recuperation (Lee, 2016). The DSI should be able to decide on whether they need to combine the working framework together with the AWS EBS volumes or have them stored separately. The DSI ought to comprehend the requirement for a customary reinforcement of the Amazon EC2 occurrences either with the assistance of the Amazon EBS depictions or by using an outsider for the administration. SLA Management Requirements SLA management is the actual things undertaken on the part of the cloud vendor and the cloud customer to ensure that the agreement entered between them is binding. Management of SLA ensures that whatever service is guaranteed in the SLA document is actually offered by the cloud vendor and it is to the satisfaction of the client. The same also ensures that the customer uses the services rendered to them by the cloud vendor in accordance to the agreement signed between them (Gillam, Li, O', and Loughlin, 2014). Several SLA management requirements and tools have been listed down in the AWS checklist and these include; Amazon Machine Images, Amazon EBS preview and bootstrapping are used in the routine testing of how practical it is to use the Amazon EBS volumes and the Amazon EC2 for recovery whenever there is a looming disaster. Ensuring that all possible loopholes for any failover has been identified and proper measure has been put in place to ensure that upon the occurrence of such failover, the application is able to still perform well. The features useful for provision of metrics for SLA management are routinely checked and tested to ensure that the procedure of securing and fixing them is possible and again, upgrade can be done without interruption to the services offered. The application to be deployed in the AWS cloud has been tested thoroughly and that no bug or problem has been left to chance just before the application is uploaded to the cloud. Sensitive and confidential information is highly protected and removed from the application before it is uploaded to the server. Other information that may pose security threats and become a vulnerability are encrypted just before being shared to the cloud. Backup and Disaster Recovery Application Resilience One of the basic requirement for the OSDS system is the high availability feature since most of its uses such as remote sensing, scanners, radars and photogrammetric instrumentation and these technologies are meant to constantly send data to a remote database stored with the app so that the data can be accessed by the users of the OSDS application, hence at no point should this system be down (Beach, Rezgui, Parashar, and Rana, 2013). Users to the OSDS system have varied need for the data stored and distributed by the system and may need to access it at different times. Subsequently, for an application to be sent, diverse contemplations ought to be made. Such contemplations are outfitted towards guaranteeing flexibility of the application furthermore guarantees that reinforcement of information is done at ongoing to guarantee that the information is accessible notwithstanding when there is a cataclysm that requires loss of information. For DSI to accomplish high accessibility necessity for the OSDS framework, looking for the instruments gave by the cloud administration supplier is a prerequisite. These instruments incorporate; Utilizing the auto scaling instrument this aides in running robotized example recuperation or scaling The utilization of flexible burden adjusting this is a device that help with burden adjusting over different zones that are utilized by the undertaking. The utilization of Amazon EBS previews this takes point-in-time depictions of the Amazon EBS volumes Storage of articles in Amazon S3 or utilizing Amazon CloudFront to help as a part of substance dispersion Utilization of the non-concurrent information replication innovations this incorporates such advances as database reflecting and it empowers propagation of information in a few databases such that on the off chance that one database comes up short, there is constantly another to fall again into (Varadharajan and Tupakula, 2016). Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan Thought of how the cloud administration supplier will provide food for reinforcement and recuperation of the application and information if there should arise an occurrence of any debacle is additionally a noteworthy sympathy toward the DSI division with respect to its online spatial conveyance framework (Arean, 2013). Having a decent cloud administration supplier that has great administrations for the reinforcement catastrophe recuperation will empower the association influence more from the administration supplier (Sohal, 2013). Several tools and technologies have been listed down in the AWS checklist that can be used for backup and recovery in case of an impending disaster. These tools are available and DSI can choose to leverage on them to better shield their application from unforeseen disasters. The checklist includes; Use of non-concurrent information replication innovations The utilization of EBS Snapshot duplicate crosswise over districts Capacity of information in various cloud supplier administration districts Utilizing on S3 object lifecycle arrangements to chronicle information Taking occasional EBS depictions to guarantee speedy recuperation from information misfortune Cloud Service Level Agreement Assessment Distributed computing licenses individuals, associations and general society zone to store their data and do data taking care of in remote servers, setting aside to 20% all things considered. An SLA is an agreement which describes a particular and honest to goodness parts of the organization that is provided by the administration supplier (B.S., Dakshayini, and Guruprasad, 2015). This is important for anyone that wishes to use the cloud services. Regardless, defenselessness over SLAs goes about as a hindrance which banishes the cloud consumers from comprehending how the cloud services are offered amidst the lack of clarity, vocabularies, standard structures, phrasings and estimations that specify a couple. The challenges experienced are becoming an obstacle to several customers that have a need for cloud computing and those looking forward to adopting an SLA agreement from the cloud vendors and this is the reason that explains why several people are slow to take up cloud computing services (Li and Du, 2013). Small enterprises are affected the most because they lack the necessary resources that are used by the large companies in trying to make sense of the terms and conditions contained in an SLA agreement that is to be signed between them and the service provider. Understanding and adhering to a standard method for thinking of an administration level assention is the most ideal method for unite every one of the partners (Gillam, Li, O', and Loughlin, 2014). There are a few methods that the DSI can leverage on to carry out survey and get an understanding of the cloud supplier to be utilized for the organization of the OSDS application. These methods incorporate; Recognizing the partners to the SLA the partners to the consent to be marked by the DSI division ought to be resolved so as to know the sort of relationship that exists. There are five interesting on-screen characters to the cloud SLA understanding and these are; cloud purchaser, supplier, transporter, intermediary and reviewer. Each has its own interesting parts and obligations to play and the right SLA report will unmistakably set out these obligations (Stanik, Kao, and Koerner, 2015). Assessment of the business level strategies after getting the approaches which are communicated in the SLA, it is the obligation of the venture to decide and contrast these arrangements and their own business level approaches. On the off chance that these approaches are not in concordance, then it will convey an issue to the administration of the endeavor and result to poor use of the cloud administrations. In this manner, the cloud strategies ought to be predictable with those of the business. Decide the cloud measurements the motivation behind the SLA is to decide the degree to which the supplier meets its administrations that it expressed that it will give. To know whether these guarantees have been met, there ought to be a method for measuring the achievement and this should be possible by touching base at standard measurements. It is consequently the obligation of DSI as the customer to decide the measurements utilized by the administration supplier as a part of measuring such limitations as accessibility and reaction time. Security the DSI ought to decide the security prerequisites gave by the administration supplier and the necessities from its side with a specific end goal to guarantee an ensured security of the cloud assets. Discovering these necessities is compulsory since the greater part of the guidelines/directions overseeing cloud administrations differ with nations and a sweeping presumption may influence the asset security of the DSI endeavor. Understanding the SaaS, PaaS and IaaS the undertaking ought to comprehend what the terms implies and the sort of cloud that runs them i.e. private, open or half and half. Ordinarily, the terms and conditions in the SLA will be controlled by the many-sided quality of the variables which are given to the shopper by the cloud administration supplier. Conclusion The DSI department needs to carry out a lot from their side in ensuring that the application deployment to the cloud is successful. This entails carrying out a prerequisite assessment of the cloud service provider to ensure that all the services and guarantees in the service level agreement is carried out to the latter by the cloud service provider. To make the work simple, a checklist is used to ensure that all details are considered. This checklist provides a guideline for the cloud customer to ensure that he/she has met all the requirements and that all the assessments have been done in order to facilitate proper deployment of the application. The DSI departments deployment of the OSDS application has to meet all the constraints placed to it in order for the application to be successful in delivering the spatial services to the end user. To facilitate this, Morad and Dalbhanjan AWS requirements checklist has been used to counter-check all the requirements for remote administration, SLA management and resource management. This document was also considered in order to assess the services offered by the cloud vendor as regards application resilience, backup and disaster recovery. The document also highlights the proper guideline for a standard service level agreement between the DSI and the cloud vendor. References B.S., R., Dakshayini, M., Guruprasad, H. (2015). Service Level Agreement based Scheduling Techniques in Cloud: A Survey. Beach, T., Rana, O., Rezgui, Y., Parashar, M. (2013). Cloud computing for the architecture, engineering construction sector: requirements, prototype experience. Journal Of Cloud Computing: Diez, O. Silva, A. (2014). Resilience of Cloud Computing in Critical Systems. Qual. Reliab. Engng. Int., 30(3), 397-412. Herrera, A. Janczewski, L. (2014). Issues in the Study of Organisational Resilience in Cloud Computing Environments. Lee, C. (2016). Cloud Federation Management and Beyond: Requirements, Relevant Standards, and Gaps. IEEE Cloud Comput., 3(1), 42-49. Li, X. Du, J. (2013). Adaptive and attribute-based trust model for service-level agreement guarantee in cloud computing. IET Information Security, 7(1), 39-50. Meland, P., Bernsmed, K., Jaatun, M., Castejn, H., Undheim, A. (2014). Expressing cloud security requirements for SLAs in deontic contract languages for cloud brokers. International Journal of Cloud Computing, 3(1), 69. Mustard, S. Harrison, S. (2004). Future requirements for remote telemetry units. Computing and Control Engineering, 15(1), 44-47. Rimal, B., Jukan, A., Katsaros, D., Goeleven, Y. (2010). Architectural Requirements for Cloud Computing Systems: An Enterprise Cloud Approach. J Grid Computing, 9(1), 3-26. Schubert, L. Jeffery, K. (2015). New Software Engineering Requirements in Clouds and Large-Scale Systems. IEEE Cloud Comput., 2(1), 48-58.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The History of Tourism free essay sample

A popular folklore says that the name â€Å"Socorro† was delived from the Spanish priest’s plea for â€Å"help† when the sailboat he was boarding with his church worker-companions was about to capsize due to gigantic waves brought about by the coming thunderstorm while approaching towards the sitio to officiate mass on a Sunday morning in 1920 . The said priest and company were saved by the brave men of the place who rushed to the scene notwithstanding the wrath of nature. Such heroic acts prompted the priest to name the place â€Å"Socorro† in honor of the fearlessness of the men and as a way of paying tribute to the populace who were willing to offer help and assistance to others even in times of danger. Since then, the sitio, which was converted into a barrio, rose from a sleepy settlement into a progressive locality. On February 22, 1961. Socorro was granted the status of a municipality with the entire Bucas Grande Island as its jurisdiction with the signing of Executive Order No. We will write a custom essay sample on The History of Tourism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 219 by then President Diosdado Macapagal. Socorro, same as with other places, had a history to be proud of. But unlike its contemporaries, Socorro’s history is written in blood. A group with religious proclivity called the Cofradia de Sagrado Corazon de Jesus settled in the island in 1917 from Maasin,Leyte. The earlier settlers joined the group. But the leader of the Cofradia broke up with the oman Catholic Church and joined the Iglesia Filipina Independiente in 1923. The enraged Catholic priest in Dapa reported to the Provincial Constabulary Command in Surigao that a colorum group in the island will rebel against the government. A troop was sent to the island but committed atrocities and the islanders retaliated. A military mission was sent from Dapa and some members were killed. Another encounter occurred in January 1924 resulting to the death of 16 soldiers and 40 local men. The American colonial government later sent men to attack and later negotiated the surrender of the local combatants. The municipality is composed of fourteen (14) barangays covering an area of 12,445 hectares. The town proper located in the eastern side of the island nestles tranquilly along the seashore of a bay where one can behold the first ray of sunlight arising out of the bosom of the Pacific Ocean in the wee hours of the morning. It has nine (9) comely natural attractions, with the Sohoton Lagoons emerging as the most popular, as well as three (3) man-made attractions that enticed a number of tourists to flock to the island. Its populace numbering 15,208 based on the 1995 census,are mostly immigrants from Leyte, Bohol, Cantilan and Tago towns in Surigao del Sur and Mainit and other towns of Surigao del Norte. The islanders are noted for nurturing and practicing the â€Å"Bayanihan† way of life, a proud legacy of their forebeas, whereunto, each and every socorronhon vow to uphold and pass on to the next generations. POCKET PROFILE Land Area: 12,445 has. Mun. Waters: 34,000 has. Population: 17,932 (2000 NSO survey) No. of Barangays: 14 Congressional District: District I, Surigao del Norte   Ã‚  Ã‚   Classification: 5th Class GEOGRAPHY The Municipality of Socorro, which comprises the whole island of Bucas Grande, province of Surigao del Norte, Caraga Region is situated at latitude 9? 33’ 49† – 9? 7’ 00† and longitude 125? 58’ – 126? 04’ 30†. It is 60 kms southeast of Surigao City. It faces the Pacific Ocean to the east (direct east towards Saipan), and the red mountain (Iron Mountain) of Mindanao in the west. In the north. It is bounded by the Municipality of Dapa (Siargao Island), and in the south by the Carrascal Cantilan peninsula and sea water. The Municipality has a total land area of 12,445 hectares. The Municipal Seawater of Socorro is estimated at 20,000 hectares. Its expense is situated at latitude 9? 32’ 15† – 9? 47’ 00† and longitude 125? 52’ 00?. How to get there? Pump-boat ride: Surigao to Socorro trip 12:30 noon at Pantalan #2 (daily) Dapa to Socorro Trip 7:30 – 8:00 A. M. (daily) 3:00 – 4:00 P. M. (daily) Cantilan to Socorro Trip 9:00 – 10:00 A. M. (daily) TOURIST ATTRACTIONS SITE ATTRACTIONS SOHOTON LAGOONS Maze of interconnected clear water pools clasped by karst hills of almost uniform shape. Most hill are thickly vegetated and wonderful water zoning like a city. Rock formation and caves along the waterways with some cultural importance. ROCK ISLANDS Scattered along the coast from Nakawit point to Poblacion Socorro. The rock island have Sculptural effect. Those with lush vegetation Have effect of dish gardens floating in the sea. WHITE BEACHES Intermittently Characterized the coast from Nakawit point to Socorro town center. Mostly Set againts karst cliffs with thick vegetation, Many are still intact forest. Some border deep Bays ATOYAY FARMSTEAD Communal housing units set-up by cooperatives amidst coconut and pineapple farm management has high human-interest value. Trails to mangrove area brook and revived forest. LIMESTONE FOREST Maybe the most accessible intact limestone forest in the country. Extra-ordinary biodiversity of plants. Shelter such endangered species like tarsier, hornbill, cockatoo, civet cat and sea hawk. LAKE There are 13 but 3 accessible. Clear water and surrounded by thick forest making these ideal trekking destinations. The three (3) are connected to the sea by underground channels and are reputed to shelter the the highly endangered salt-water crocodile. Unstudied physical and biological characteristics. COLORUM UPRISING Landmark Site of series of fighting Between the troops of American colonial Administration and native people . But the Landmark needs cleaning and sprucing up. MAGKAHUYOG FALLS the waterfall can be a beauty to see from the sea during rainy season when the stream flow is high. SPORTS FISHERIES Has good potential for small to medium size pelagic species (tuna and mackerels) and deeper water of about 20 to 25 miles of the island can yield large ones, marlins, dolphin and yellow fin tuna. MANGROVE AREAS The island is blessed with numerous Mangrove grown up to more than 40 feet High as big as a mature coconut tree. CAVES Numerous undiscovered / unknown caves. SOCORRO SWIMMING POOL A Swimming pool teemed with cool waters Source from multiple springs situated in the Scenic sitio tugop, Barangay Taruc Constructed through â€Å"Bayanihan System† In 1953 by Don Albino B. Taruc and Refurbished in 1997 under the leadership Of his son, Hon. Dominador L. Taruc, Incumbent vice-Mayor. It is perfectly understandable if you haven’t heard of Bucas Grande Island prior to reading this article. Information about Bucas Grande Island is commonly transmitted by word of mouth among locals and a few people who have visited its shores over the years. You can even say that it is a well-kept secret by those who wish to preserve this pristine paradise. And what a paradise Bucas Grande Islands truly is! Once you arrive at Bucas Grande Islands, it is like stepping into a world taken directly from imagination. Magnificent stretches of white beaches borders a picturesque landscape of islets, caves, waterfalls, and inland lakes that are deeply accentuated by lush green vegetation to give that feeling of an almost surreal tropical paradise. Bucas Grande Island is also designated as a national park registered as Sohoton Cove National Park. It was named Sohoton Cove after one of the numerous caves around the islands. To this day there are still caves that have yet to be discovered. So if you are up for some spelunking try the Sohoton Caves. Half-submerged, this cave is only accessible during low tides and features a lagoon inside which sparkles with bright reflections from the sun and illuminates the cave’s interior. Getting up close with a jellyfish is another rare experience you can have at Bucas Grande. You can go snorkeling at Tojoman or Jellyfish Lagoon which is home to millions of jellyfish. Don’t be alarmed by the jellyfish though. These particular species are non-stinging and are quite friendly and playful. With a little push from the Department of Tourism who want to develop Bucas Grande as an international tourist attraction, local businessmen have established facilities that can cater to the needs of both domestic and international travelers. The easiest way to get to Bucas Grande Islands is via Surigao City. From Surigao Airport you can get a ride to the City’s Pier 1 and then take a two-hour boat ride to Bucas Grande Island. Make your way to Bucas Grande Islands now and experience this peaceful virgin island in the Philippines Family Trip #5: Sohoton Cove, Jellyfish Sanctuary amp; the Hidden Garden  Resort Posted on  April 13, 2013  by  bukidnonoutdoors Standard Every two years, the Roque family (with the kids’ nannies in tow), embarks on a trip outside Bukidnon. Our history of family trips began in 2005. Before that, we usually had outings here at the farm (where we live) during Holy Week. However, in 2005, Grama and Grampa decided to bring us all for a trip to Boracay. That started the tradition of our family trips. These are the places our family has been to since this â€Å"tradition† started:  1)2005 – Boracay,  2)  2007 – Palawan,  3)  2009 – Camiguin,  4)  2011 – Pampanga amp; Subic (where we held a reunion with your Grampa’s siblings), and  5)  2013 – Surigao. During this trip, among the breath-taking sights of the Bucas Grande Islands, we explored and enjoyed three noteworthy places: Sohoton Cove, the Jellyfish Sanctuary, and the Hidden Garden Resort. Bucas Grande Islands  Ã‚  Bucas Grande Island is worthy to be called a tropical paradise. Thriving with crystal clear waters, hardwood trees (with ironwood in abundance), ornamental flowers, untouched vegetation and   bounded by fine white sands, and offshore islets dotting its surrounding waters, Bucas Grande Island is a natural wonder in itself. Its rocky islets, stalagmites and stalactites strewn caves, inland lakes, rock stacks, and pristine waters only illuminate this landscape that will surely transport you to another world. Sohoton Cove  Ã‚  Sohoton cove is situated in Bucas Grande Island, and is part of Siargao Island. The half submerged entrance is the only entrance and exit point in this blue lagoon and is only accessible during low tide. The cove is home to the  Hagukan Sea-Cave,  Magkuku-ob Cavern, and the  Dagongdong Wall. Hagukan (snoring) sea-cave is a cave which has a half-submerged, small entrance that is adorned with rock -oysters and whose ceiling is decorated with awe-inspiring stalactites. The  Magkuku-ob Cavern  offers a stunning display of mineral-encrusted stalactites and stalagmites. Once inside, a short climb brings you to a small make-shift platform where the brave of heart jump off 5-meters into the clear, blue waters below. Entrance to the Cove at high tide Inside the entrance to the Cove Magkuku-ob Cavern and jumping platform Dagongdong Wall Jellyfish Sanctuary  Ã‚  The Jellyfish Sanctuary is a landlocked region of the Bucas Grande group of islands. This placid lagoon, surrounded by islets is home to a huge population of non-stinging jellyfish called the Spotted Jellyfish or Lagoon Jellyfish whose scientific name is Matigias papua. To visit the jellyfish, tourists – only two people – ride on a small paddle boat (banca), paddled by a boat man who also acts as the guide. The bancas paddle some 10 minutes into the lagoon to be able to see these exquisite creatures. For several years, swimming with the jellyfish was a popular attraction among tourists. However this year, swimming with the jellies has been prohibited due to the decreasing number of jellyfish. It was later observed that injuries from getting snagged on life jackets or getting hit by paddling feet or hands, and the chemicals from sunscreen or sunblock lotion that tourists applied on their skin, was killing the jellyfish. This year, the Department of Tourism decided that tourists only be allowed to handle or touch the jellyfish for a few seconds so their delicate skin is not injured or affected by chemicals from sunscreen lotion. This proved to be the best and most unforgettable part of our trip. Hidden Garden Resort  Ã‚  The Hidden Island Resort at Bucas Grande is apt;y named. If you don’t know the place, it would be difficult to find as it is hidden behind a small island at the south western part of Bucas Grande Island in Siargao, Surigao. The resort was constructed at the side of an island with most of the buildings sitting on top of the water, forming an inverted letter C with both ends jutting out into the water. At one end is the Karaoke bar and the other end is a floating wharf with four covered kiosks at the edge. The waterfront teems with ocean wildlife and one is greeted by the different sea creatures that roams its depths as soon as you leave your room. Located between some of the walkways are huge fenced off â€Å"aquariums† that are home to some huge fishes, sharks and a giant sea turtle. Apart from these attractions, we also went island hopping, snorkelling and the ubiquitous past-time, swimming and shell hunting. This trip was a chance for us to experience the greatness of God’s creation and to teach RD about taking care of what God has created. We were also able to emphasize the importance of family and relationships. A bonus for the homeschooler is that these jaunts count as a field trip! 🙂 Sources: Enchanting Sohoton Cove of Bucas Grande gt;gt;  SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2008 By Alfred A. Yuson We’ve all heard of how Siargao has been attracting surfers from all over the world, along with their groupies, and in their wake, photographers, sporting aficionados, waterworld freaks and trendy spectators who can’t be caught far behind whenever a fresh recreational haunt is spoken about. Why, Cloud 9 has entered the globetrotter’s lexicon as a famous surfing spot in Siargao — certainly an elevation from its original status as a brand name for a local chocolate bar that’s chewy but holds up well in tropical heat. After frequent forays to a sari-sari store that sold  Cloud 9, some surfers appropriated the name for the area where they loved the  breaking waves. Siargao takes pride of place in the view of  Surigao del Norte’s officialdom. It’s certainly a distinctive tourist come-on, and has only just begun a sunrise industry that also relies on white-sand beaches and a wondrous environment, other than surfing delights that are but seasonal. Still relatively unknown is another island that also bids fair to wondrous discovery and enchantment. Off the northeastern coast of Surigao del Norte, a two-hour boat ride south of Siargao, lies  Bucas Grande Island, officially under Siargao’s aegis but often overshadowed in the latter’s favor. Its main town of  Socorro  is home to a population of 21,000 farmers and fisherfolk. All around are clusters of isles and islets beckoning with lovely beach strips, lustrous coves and hidden lagoons. From the air, as a promotional poster sports its bird’s-eye-view attractions, Bucas Grande appears as an emerald maze of inlets and verdant forests. Accessibility poses a hindrance, keeping visitor volume low, thus far. Come July 21 2008, however, PAL Express restores its direct flights to  Surigao City  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s airport, making both Siargao and Bucas Grande within easier reach from  Manila  . Last week, we still had to take the afternoon flight to  Butuan, then motor for 2. 5 ours to Surigao City, where we lodged at the Tavern Inn — still being rehabilitated and expanded, but boasting of a fine restaurant, free WiFi, and capacious rooms that overlook a coastal boulevard with the sea right across, thus privy to splendid views of sunrise and sunset. It wasn’t until the following morning that we motored back down the highway to Claver, where a junction marker claims â€Å"The World’s Biggest Iron Mineral Deposit. † It takes 90 minutes by road from Surigao City to Bgy. Hayanggabon of Claver, from where the pumpboat ride to Bucas Grande takes only half an hour. A morning flight to Butuan would allow one to motor from the airport to Bgy. Bad-as of Placer town, only a 90-minute ride, and which also offers a proximate takeoff point for the island. As luck would have it, our mid-morn crossing rewarded us with a close encounter with a baby butanding or whale shark that was frolicking lazily along with a school of escort fish. As its fin suddenly came to view, the 10-foot-long gentle giant with the familiar white speckles met our boat headlong. We tried to slow down. It actually grazed the side of our boat, right under the outrigger, giving us a close-up view of its full shape. But the opportunity came too quickly and briefly for any image documentation. The fascinating creature simply moseyed along. Entering Sohoton Cove, the island’s major attraction, assured us that we were coursing into an idyllic habitat, with forested limestone mounds rising on all sides in a welcome embrace. Dominating the lush greenery were stands of a variety of agoho or casuarina that I’ve seen only in Mindanao , with curling leaf clusters that differentiate it from Luzon ’s agoho or the Benguet pine. Plentiful, too, was the Philippine ironwood, locally called magkuno, which is known to defy ordinary saws. When successfully cut, it makes good, hardy furniture. I hadn’t known that this remarkable tree sported radiant red flowers, not too many and quite small, until we glided close to some overhanging branches. Sohoton Cove has 13 inland lakes, with three of these considered accessible. They’re all part of the Sohoton Ecotourism Park , which is covered by a Protected Landscape and Seascape fiat. Awaiting us at the Robert â€Å"Bobby† Z. Barbers Visitors Center, a docking station on stilts on the water’s edge, was park rangers’ head Roger Pimentel, who welcomes visitors and collects all entrance and docking fees. He tells us how the eco-park’s splendiferous flora meet their match in the endemic exotic fauna, which include tarsiers, two kinds of hornbills or kalaw, the serpent eagle and white-breasted eagle,  green sea turtles, and 19 kinds of fruit bats! Visitors can choose among three types of boat and trek tours. Tour A, for seeing all the lakes and lagoons, costs P1,500. An additional P500 or P700 allows participation in Tours B and C, which include trekking through forest trails. The prime attraction is the elongated and seemingly endless Sohoton Cove, which leads to a point where a transfer is necessary from the large pumpboat to a smaller, low paddleboat. This allows entrance, but only during low tide, through a cavern opening to get to the Hidden Lagoon. Primeval is the look and feel of this extended maze of placid waterways that wind around limestone islets and outcroppings, with robust stalactites dropping towards the water’s calm surface. There are caves galore. One allows an intrepid swimmer to barely make it through a low-ceilinged opening and walk up a rocky passageway to a skylight that leads to a wooden platform, right on a ridge cleared of underbrush, for a dive back into the lagoon. Skimming around the water maze to marvel at crystal-clear waters, subterranean prospects and florid greenery takes about an hour, before the boatman finds another way to the same single entrance at low tide. Another come-on, this time man-made, officially opens next month. The high-end Club Tara Resort nestles at yet another cove’s end, where a breakwater creates a private  blue lagoon. A row of 10 newly-built suite-cottages stand at the lagoon’s edge, with balconies of wooden flooring featuring see-through glass for peering into the waters lapping at the concrete stilt-posts underneath. Each suite, which will go for about P10,000 a night, has a large air-conditioned bedroom that is elegantly finessed, with a California King-sized bed, a ref, cable TV and DVD features. The bathroom is strikingly charming, with flat black rocks covering the entire floor. At one end is a jacuzzi pool for two, bordered by a three-sided bay window that looks out into the blue lagoon. Majestic seduction is clearly spelled out. Eighteen-year-old Deven Joe Baculpo, nicknamed Jojo, is currently the resort’s all-around facilitator. He serves as a conceptualizer, designer, crafts artist, and when the resort opens, an entertainer. Influenced by the Talaandig tribe of Bukidnon, Jojo formed an indigenous percussion group called Kalsanon (meaning â€Å"native wildlife†) that used to perform at bars in Surigao City and Butuan. A fellow everyone calls Mr. Kang, a Korean visitor, was so impressed with his music and artistry with bamboo and wood that the young boy was pressed into service as a design consultant for the resort. Where Club Tara now stands used to be the modest resort Kwaknitan (a large bat), which had been set up by Dr. Potenciano Malvar and the Gen. Miguel Malvar Foundation. A friend of the good doctor, Mr. Kang offered to help upgrade the resort into a honeymooners’ getaway, presumably for Korean couples. There are plans to build more modest family cottages that will go for P2,500 a night. A divemaster is all set to open a dive center and chart the best diving sites around. A five-minute boat ride or 20-minute trudge up and down a green hill leads to Kanlunes Beach of fine, shimmering white sand. We had dinner and a long conversation with Governor Ace Barbers on our second and last night. The young, amiable fellow of striking good looks (nearly a dead-ringer for movie actor Albert Martinez, especially now that he sports more than a five-o’clock shadow), was both earnest and avid in sharing his plans for the province. Traditionally beholden to mining, Surigao del Norte has now embarked on an environmentalist thrust to promote eco-tourism. How can the two co-exist, we ask Gov. Ace. His answer is forthright. A balance can be struck, he confidently avers, provided that the provincial officials, led by him, do their part. The grand enchantment provided by  Siargao Island  and Bucas Grande Island alone, in particular the natural marvels of yet little-known Sohoton Cove, is guaranteed to keep Surigao del Norte on the good map as reflected on any global radar. THE JELLYFISH SANCTUARY OF BUCAS GRANDE ISLANDS September 20, 2011  By  Olan Emboscado  43 Comments Among the many breathtaking natural attractions that I have explored in the whole  Bucas Grande Islands, there is one magical place that until now bedazzled me. This place is called  Jellyfish  Sanctuary. Having toured to the key tourist spots in the whole islands, I thought I had seen enough. Truthfully, all these wonders of nature were captivating. But when our tour guide led us to the Jellyfish Sanctuary, everything seemed surreal. As if we were brought to the other world. Here’s the story. After our island tour at Bubon Group of Islets, we sailed back to Sohoton Reception Center. It was already late afternoon. Upon reaching the Center, we were told that we will be transferring to small paddleboats in going to the Jellyfish Sanctuary. Motorized boats are strictly not allowed getting inside the whole sanctuary. The small paddleboats can carry two passengers and a boatman. In my case, I was the only passenger. The sail going to the Jellyfish Sanctuary was out of the ordinary experience. The waters were calm. The whole environs were wrapped by tranquility I can hear the rowing of the paddles. The enigmatic chirping of various wild birds made the sail more exciting. I’ve tried boating in different places but this one was entirely surreal. The Entrance of the Jellyfish Sanctuary Nearing the mouth of the Sanctuary, my boatman named  Richmond  began narrating the story behind the mystical beauty of the Jellyfish Sanctuary. I learned from him that some years ago the whole place was originally inhabited by multitude of  sea urchins  locally known as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Tujom†Ã‚  hence they formerly called the place  Tujoman. One day, for some unknown reason, this huge number of sea urchin dwelling at Tujoman began disappearing until none of them was left. As days gone by, a smack of jellyfishes began congregating the place. It was becoming a larger group and local folks began noticing. Soon, the locals found out that these jellyfishes dwelling in the waters of Tujoman were non-stinging. The smack of jellyfishes grew into a great number. It even multiplied to millions of jellyfishes permanently dwelling in the place. Soon after, they called the place â€Å"The Jellyfish Sanctuary†. They later opened the place for tourists but intense protection and preservation of the Sanctuary were maintained. Limestone forests abounds inside the Jellyfish Sanctuary As we enter the opening of the Jellyfish Sanctuary, there was one thing I instantly noticed about the place. There was a profound tranquility that enveloped the whole environs. Everything that I see there was filled with calmness and peace. It was a very contagious serenity I can feel it inside me. The first jelly fish that i saw made me shout in amazement. Sailing forward, jellyfishes began to appear in the waters. I shouted in amazement seeing the very first jellyfish that appeared in the waters. Another smack of jellyfishes we passed by. And then another. And another. As we moved towards the very heart of sanctuary, multitude of jellyfishes surrounded our boats. Again, I felt I was on another planet. This was surreal. Slowly, I was beginning to get emotional. Teary-eyed, I looked around praising and admiring such a spectacular body of water fully inhabited by millions of stunning jellyfishes. Sitting at the edge of the boat, I noticed a smack of jellyfish flocking around out tiny vessel. I learned from Richmond that jellyfishes here are naturally friendly. They even come closer when boats are coming in. Since these creatures are non-stinging, I excitedly caught one jellyfish out of the water and held it in my hands. As soon as I felt its texture and seen its form, I let go of it. Richmond told me jellyfishes can only last for ten seconds out of the water. So, I had to put it back. I had to admit I fear jellyfishes. They are noted to be stingingly perilous. But the jellyfishes of the Bucas Grande Islands are non-stinging and friendly. They even came closer towards us. It seemed they wanted play around with us. They were so welcoming. I put my hands in the waters at once and they came nearer. They were like wonderful pets. Amazing creatures. Before the sundown, the group started to leave the Sanctuary. All of us left the place charmed and amazed by what we saw. In my case, I felt overly joyous having experienced such tremendous encounter with the jellyfish. I was very lucky too that my boatman Richmond was kind and smart enough to tell me everything I want to know about the Sanctuary. After all, it is one of their prides. This is ME with a non-stinging jellyfish in my hands. Having gone and experienced this unique adventure with the Jellyfishes of Bucas Grande Islands, I felt another dream of mine has realized. I used to dream of going to the island nation of  Palau  and swim with the jellyfishes at the  Jellyfish Lake of Eil Malk  but now I need not to go out of the country to fulfill this bizarre experience. My  beautiful island of the  Philippines now boasts the Jellyfish Sanctuary of Bucas Grande Islands that is undeniably a world-class natural attraction that can definitely put all tourists, local and foreign alike, in so much awe and amazement like those in Palau. Me and travel buddies amazed by the enchanting Charms of the Jellyfish Sanctuary. My closest encounter with jellyfish at the Sanctuary is the highlight of my  Bucas Grande Island Exploration. Other natural wonders of the Island are indisputably attractions to behold. But experiencing Jellyfish Sanctuary is absolutely an exceptional experience. It is commendable and worth to experience again. If given a chance, I shall back there and swim and play with the jellyfishes again. Meet Richmond, my gracious boatman. Many thanks. Experiencing Jellyfish Sanctuary of the Bucas Grande Islands is the final stop of my Bucas Grande Island Exploration. Jellyfish Lake Philippine Version – Where Is It? A  Jellyfish Lake, the local version of which is called Jellyfish Kingdom, is one of the emerging  natural attractions  and  tourist spots  frequented by  island vacations  lovers situated in a  seaside lagoon  with  crystal clear water  within the vicinity of the Sohoton Cove in Bucas Grande Island, Socorro, Surigao del Norte, Philippines. Jellyfish Lake Philippine Version – Why Visit The Tourist Spot? As local and foreign tourists are rolling into Bucas Grande Island, my family-owned and operated Island Vacations Travel and Tours had finally started its business with a group of 11 combined guests from Panabo City, Davao del Norte and San Francisco, Agusan del Sur in Mindanao Island, Philippines as our maiden clients. During our email correspondence, I advised the group leader to spend one full day in order to savor the beauty of the island. And true to my suggestion, they came in time for the past 4-day respite courtesy of the 2-day holiday in addition to the usual 2-day weekend break. After checking in at the Island Vacations Country Inn, we escorted the group for a 2-hour swim at the Puyangi White Sand Beach. At exactly 4:00 in the afternoon, we proceeded to the Kapihan View Park to catch-up the sunset and engage into sightseeing and stargazing activities. Back into the town center, the group went on a sunrise photography session at the feeder port . After breakfast, we proceeded to the Sohoton area doing island hopping and adventure diving at Sohoton Cove, boating at Tiktikan Lagoon and caving at Crystal Cave. We then proceeded to the Jellyfish Lake of Bucas Grande, dubbed locally as Jellyfish Kingdom, before strolling at the majestic Club Tara Resort. As all, except 2, of the mentioned destinations were already featured in my previous blog posts, I will be discussing in detail the Jellyfish Kingdom trip while the caving adventure will be featured in my future post. From the Sohoton Tourist Assistance Center,we were supposed to ride on small paddle boats with a maximum capacity of 2 persons per boat, excluding the paddler, towards the Jellyfish Kingdom. Nevertheless, the sea current was swift by that time due to the onset of high tide, hence, we opted to ride on a pump boat. On board our rented boat, we maneuvered at the narrow passage leading to the Jellyfish Kingdom . . . The tour guide expertly maneuvering the frontal section of the pum boat as it entered the narrow passage of the Jelly Fish Kingdom The area may not be comparable to the famous Jellyfish Lake in Palau as it is not exactly a lake but a lagoon with a constricted entrance. . . The azure waters of the Jellyfish Kingdom with its surrounding verdant hills. . Seen from a distance, the minute lagoon seemed to be just an ordinary scenery but as we moved forward, I had proven to myself that millions of golden jellyfish were really lurking beneath the crystal clear water. I then briefed the group that the underwater creatures surrounding us actually belong to a jellyfish specie who do sting but their stings are too mild to feel, hence, they were often referred to as non-stinging jellyfish. One of our guests enjoyed staying afloat on the water surrounded by golden jellyfish.