LOREN URGES UNITY BASED ON ETHNIC RESPECT

Sen. Loren Legarda today appealed for national unity based upon understanding and respect for the culture of various ethnic groups, particularly the indigenous communities in the Philippines.

"I believe that we should embrace our differences and allow mutual understanding and respect to strengthen our unity as a Filipino people," said Loren in a speech keynoting a forum in this city on the cultural village project of indigenous peoples. The forum is sponsored by the Department of Tourism.

Loren disclosed that in this regard she had filed Senate Bill No. 2594, "An Act Prohibiting Religious or Racial Profiling Against Indigenous Cultural Communities." Cultural preservation, which naturally goes hand in hand with environmental preservation, is part of her advocacies.

Loren said that preservation of different cultures is one of the attractions of tourism that bring foreign currency and investments, aside from many foreign friends, into the country.

She cited a tourism department report stating that 330,247 tourists arrived in Davao in the first semester of 2009, which was a 2.7% increase as compared to the same period in 2008. Davao remains as the fifth top tourist destination in the country.

However, Loren pointed out, the report showed that the tourism industry in Davao was relatively stagnant compared with other destinations in the country, especially Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte, which posted 194% and 115% tourist arrival growth rates, respectively.

She lauded DOT Director Sonia Garcia and the tourism team of Davao for undertaking the Cultural Village Project, which includes a benchmarking study tour to Bali, Indonesia and the development of Village Tourism Councils in selected project sites. "This project will serve to energize Davao's tourism industry, thus bringing in jobs and income to the Davaoeños."

However, she added, the Cultural Village Project is not just about tourism. "It is also about the preservation and enrichment of the culture and identity of the indigenous peoples and residents of the chosen project sites. Thus, ecotourism allows the locality to benefit from the tourism but not at the expense of the environment and the local culture."

Loren said the forum on cultural tourism projects also ensure that indigenous communities of Davao, are not just heard but are actually made part of planning for local ecotourism. The Kadayawan Festival, which is currently being HELD here, is already a testament to how the Davao community has embraced the importance of the local indigenous communities, she averred.

For her strong advocacy of cultural preservation, Loren has been awarded the title of "Tukwifi" or "Bright Star" by the Cordillera Indigenous Elected Women Leader's League. She is also a Bai Alabi or Honorary Muslim Princess of the Marawi Sultanate League.