United Efforts to Promote Philippine Tourism

December 14, 2016 will forever be etched in Enchanted Kingdom history as one of the most significant milestone occasions in all its 21 years in the Theme Park Entertainment and Amusement Industry.  

The Formal Opening and Inauguration of EK’s biggest and grandest park attraction, the revolutionary flying theater named AGILA The EKsperience happens today, after four years of immense efforts from concept to construction, design to installation, and collaborative work rendered by hundreds of exceptionally talented individuals, enjoining corporate and media sponsors, as well as dedicated partners in both private and public sectors and other key agencies.

It was truly an ambitious feat to bring an attraction the size and magnitude of the AGILA flying theater to the Philippines, let alone incorporate such state-of-the-art features like its patented motion-theater simulation technology, amazingly vivid 6K resolution aerial cinematography, a giant 544-square meter panoramic screen, and motion seats that combine better than 4DX special effects of wind, mist, scents and seat shakers.  All these work to give audiences the most awesome and life-like sensation of flight, as if riding on the mighty wings of the Philippine Eagle and seeing the country from its perfectly clear sight.

Enchanted Kingdom’s commitment to Nationhood, the Environment and Philippine Tourism are clearly manifested in AGILA The EKsperience.  

The total experience is replete with messages that spark awareness and appreciation for our nation’s symbols, among them, the Philippine flag as seen from the Agila’s iconic building design; the Philippine Eagle, whose critically endangered state is an urgent cause EK seeks to help reverse, with guests contributing P1.00 of their ticket purchase to the conservation and breeding of our endemic national bird; the showcase of our country’s breathtaking sights from North to South as beautifully captured in the six-minute feature film, allowing audiences to witness twenty must-see destinations from the vantage point of a soaring eagle, without having to spend thousands on actual airfare.  More messages and learnings are to be derived from the wonderfully immersive nature of AGILA’s flight.

As very active members of the private sector for more than two decades, EK owners Mr Mario O. Mamon and Dr. Cynthia R. Mamon have made it their personal mission to partner with Local Government Units (LGUs), the Department of Tourism’s regional offices and the Tourism Congress, in joint and continuous efforts to promote and boost the country’s tourism.  It is by working together with key agencies and private companies aligned for a common purpose, that success in building up Tourism can be achieved.

EK lives up to its name as the first and only world-class theme park in the country that remains true to its Filipino identity.  Proof of this is the 2015 Travellers’ Choice Awards by TripAdvisor, where EK was among the prestigious roster of Top 25 Amusement Parks in Asia.  It can also be noted that Enchanted Kingdom accounts for the biggest share of Tourist Arrivals in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, and it hopes to draw even more local and foreign tourists with the opening of its ground-breaking flying theater AGILA.

The eagle takes flight

After four years of conceptualization, design and manufacture, 16 months of construction, and a collective 100,000 man-days of about 400 dedicated individuals, Enchanted Kingdom, the country’s only world-class theme park is now set to unveil its largest and most ambitious flagship attraction, AGILA The EKsperience.

So named as a fitting tribute to the country’s national symbol of strength, courage and resilience, the Great Philippine Eagle or Agila is the sole inspiration behind this towering attraction that will take guests on a magical flight like a majestic eagle. Deemed as a groundbreaking achievement in the world of themed amusements and attractions, AGILA The EKsperience soars high as the first and only flying theater in the country.  Housed in an iconic 9-storey high, glass encased structure with a 2,000-square meter park footprint, it is the largest single flying theater of its kind in the world.  It employs patented motion-theater technology to simulate the most life-like flight of an eagle, complete with sensations of wind, water, mist, scents and shakers that heighten the realism of flight and complete the magical EKsperience.

AGILA will be the only Filipino themed attraction of this scale and magnitude, and symbolizes EK’s commitment to build national pride in the best of the Philippines. A fascinating nature story uses stunning aerial cinematography to capture a most vividly brilliant montage of 20 breathtaking locations from Batanes to Cagayan de Oro. Guests “fly with Agila” over breathtaking beaches, swoop down raging rapids, and glide across incredible islands to marvel at magnificent panoramas from the extraordinary vantage point of the mighty Agila. Only this magical flight with the eagle gives riders glimpses of the awesome beauty and diversity of our archipelago, filmed in brilliantly clear 6K resolution, and splashed across a massive 544-square meter cinema screen. AGILA The EKsperience packs Destination: Philippines in one thrilling, engaging and memorable flying adventure.  ALL ABOARD!!!

AGILA: The Eksperience officially opened its doors to Enchanted Kingdom’s loyal park goers, to the Filipino public and foreign tourists on December 15, 2016. Leading to this much-awaited public opening, several events were organized to welcome this biggest and grandest of EK’s attractions, starting with a Thanksgiving Mass Celebration on December 8 to honor EK’s third-party suppliers and and builders of the attraction.  This was followed by a Ceremonial Unveiling of the “Mag-anak” Eagle Driftwood Sculpture of British-born, Cebu-based sculptor James Doran Webb on December 11, 2016, led by EK’s Special Guest Vice-President Leni Robredo, herself a symbol of strength, hope, unconditional love for family and the indomitable spirit of the Filipino people.  

As the attraction has at its core a celebration of the Filipino’s indomitable spirit, EK has extended an invitation to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as Guest of Honor to officially lead the AGILA’s Formal Day of Opening and Inauguration on December 14. As it coincided with the President’s state visit to Cambodia and Singapore, Department of Tourism Assistant Secretary Ricky Alegre attended on his behalf. Members of the Media, VIPs, Enchanted Kingdom’s Media and Corporate Partners, and Representatives from the Tourism Sector participated in inaugurating EK’s most remarkable attraction.

The inauguration rites were led by Mr. Dennis Salvador, Executive Director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), with whom Enchanted Kingdom has built ties to support the protection and preservation of the critically-endangered Philippine Eagle. Asec. Alegre was also invited to participate in the Lighting Ceremony of the attraction.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Industry Promotion Group Undersecretary  Nora K. Terrano was likewise on hand at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Agila’s Pugad merchandise area, which supports the agency’s Go Lokal initiative by showcasing local and indigenous products from the DTI’s One Town One Product (OTOP) project.

With the successful launch of the theme park’s latest world-class attraction, EK’s Chairman and President Mario O. Mamon hopes that the project will become instrumental in instilling Filipino pride and love for country, along with highlighting the importance of environmental conservation, particularly among the youth.

Driftwood sculpture

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“I’ve had an involvement with wood since a very young age.  My parents are antique dealers and I remember, even as a 5-year old, they were already taking me on their buying trips…I’ve had such a close involvement with art and antiques for such a long time that it’s hardly surprising I’ve made this into my career.”

British-born, Cebu-based artist James Doran Webb is the man behind the inspiring sculptural masterpiece “Mag-anak,” a work of art that represents his fascination for the eagle family, masterfully brought to life from scattered driftwood collected close to his home or purchased from his network of wood gatherers.  Webb’s close affinity to the Philippines began as an avid sports enthusiast travelling the country in the name of outdoor pursuits.  In those years, James was immersed in sports of every sort, from mountain biking, kayaking, hiking, adventure racing to Iron man racing, thus becoming a familiar and friendly face in countless local sporting events.  His love for travel and adventure took him to see more of the Philippines than the average Filipino traveler, and this exposure inevitably brought familiarity and passion for the land that made this foreigner decide to stay.

It is in Webb’s studio in Cebu that he began designing driftwood furniture in the early 2000’s.  His abundant supply made the artistry flow naturally because from his driftwood pieces, he saw animal shapes take form, leading to his creation of such elegant and dynamic works of animal art, as visible in his masterpiece “Mag-Anak.”

“This is the Haring Ibon, or the king bird, the largest eagle in the world.  During the research of the sculpture, I travelled to Davao City a couple of times to visit the Eagle Center there, and what really struck me was this life-long bond in between parent eagles, such a really strong bond, and because of this, I decided to represent a family.”

It took James 12,800 hours to complete Mag-Anak, which utilized dead wood dating back to the 1800’s and needed about 2,300 pieces of bolts and screws to set all the parts in place.  The towering sculpture measures a total of 6 meters from the ground up and weighs a total of 3,300 kilograms.  So striking and life-like is Webb’s depiction of the eagle family that even the claws of the eagles were said to have come from 200-year old nails.  The mother eagle is larger than the father eagle and is shown landing atop their towering perch with outstretched wings, where the father looks up while tending to their eaglet.  It is an amazing scene straight out of the eagles’ natural habitat that exhibits the strong familial bond shared by these mighty winged creatures.

An advocate of the environment, Webb explains the connection between the raw materials he used for the sculpture with the magnificent but sadly, endangered creature he has such a big heart for.    

“One of the most prominent features of the sculpture is the tower, and I used 19th century Molave sugarcane sleepers for this.  This represents the industrial revolution which has a major factor in the loss of habitat.  This has brought the eagle to the very brink of extinction.  What I’ve learned through the process of making this sculpture is that this magnificent bird has no place in our modern world.  And you know the irony is, that we are the ones that have killed it.  And yet now, it’s only through our direct intervention that we can save the Philippine Eagle from total extinction.”

The Philippine Eagle’s critically endangered status is a sad reality we are facing today.  Its numbers have dwindled to a low of only 400 pairs in existence, and as man is the culprit for this alarming decline, so too should man’s collective efforts be fast tracked to reverse this situation.

If a foreigner like James Doran Webb can see the beauty and relevance of this majestic bird of prey endemic to our lands, invest so much of his time, passion and creativity to bringing its plight closer to our hearts, how can we Filipinos not draw inspiration from him and begin to take action.

This is a sponsored content from Enchanted Kingdom.