ANGARA LAUDS GOV'T PLAN TO BOOST CULTURAL TOURISM

"Our country possesses such a rich cultural heritage. We should share the beauty of these historic sites with the rest of the world so that they, too can appreciate what our country can offer," said Senator Edgardo J. Angara.

The immensely popular travel guide "Lonely Planet" cited the Philippines as one of the top-value destinations this year because of the archipelago's numerous sun-and-sand locales. However, instead of our famous beaches, the Department of Tourism (DOT) recently announced its plans to promote the country's cultural and heritage sites as hotspots for international travelers in 2010.

According to Angara, board member of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, boosting the traffic to the nation's historic places would create a positive impact on our countrymen's morale as well as on the economy.

"By developing these cultural heritage sites as tourist destinations, we not only celebrate our national identity, but we also tap new markets to generate additional income and create new job opportunities for Filipinos."

Angara authored the National Cultural Heritage Act which was passed into law mid-2010. This law seeks to protect, conserve and promote places, institutions and artifacts that reflect our rich culture and history. According to the veteran lawmaker, the next step now rests in the implementation of the government's tourism programs.

"We now have legislation supporting this movement towards promoting and preserving these sites. It is now up to the government--especially the DOT--to make sure that these projects take off and gain the attention that it deserves," he asserted.