Sunflower Field is Newest Tourism Attraction in South Cotabato

Thousands of visitors have flocked to a new tourist attraction here that mainly features a sunflower field, the first of its kind in Region 12, which is also known as the Soccsksargen region.

Arturo “Tol” Mariano, co-owner of the family-run Blooming Petals, Inc. Agri-Tourism Park, said they imported the sunflower seeds from Japan.

“Over 2,000 visitors have come to admire our five varieties of sunflowers,” he told the Philippine News Agency.

Mariano said they also sell the sunflowers along with the other cutflowers they produce at the park located at Purok 3-A, which is just less than 10 minutes away from the main highway in the town center.

They sell a cut suanflower for P100 or less, depending on the size.

Blooming Petals also produces chrysanthemums, anthuriums and roses in their various farms in the town.

The family-owned business sells their cutflowers at their display center in the town’s poblacion and also distributes them to different parts of the country. It maintains a flower shop in Dangwa, Sampaloc, Manila. The family opened the agritourism park last May 27, a move seen to further boost the tourism industry in the region.

Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

Since the opening, with the help of social media, visitors flocked daily to marvel and take their photographs with the blooming sunflowers, said Mariano.

Entrance to the agritourism park, where various vegetables are also planted, is P30 for adults and P20 for children.

It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until June 16, the company said.

After June 16, the park will be opening only on weekends.

Blooming petals explained that they will be needing the time on weekdays to replant and prepare the park for it next flowering season tentatively in September.

Sunflowers have a three-week lifespan only, after which they will start to wilt.

Tagaytay City in Luzon is known as the country’s major producer of sunflowers, Mariano said. (RSS/PNA)