LEGAZPI CITY, Albay (PIA) – Bicol region, identified by its world-famous Mayon Volcano, is aligning its tourism marketing to the vision of the Department of Tourism (DOT) to integrate heritage, culture and arts into the tourism industry on a wider scale.

Inspired by the vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to further elevate the quality of Philippine tourism, Bicol hosted this week the Philippine Experience, a project that brought the DOT’s culture, heritage, history and arts caravan to Albay and Sorsogon provinces.

Dubbed “Experience Bicol: A Tapestry of History, Tradition and Arts,” the three-day caravan fulfilled the President’s directive to equalize economic opportunities across the regions by giving more tourism exposure for local and foreign tourists to lesser-known destinations, according to DOT officials.

DOT’s chief, Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco, said the DOT’s new marketing campaign has focused more on showcasing the Philippines as a treasure trove of heritage, culture, and arts.

“In fulfilling the president’s directive to spread tourism opportunities across the country’s regions, the DOT launched the Philippine Experience project—a cultural, heritage, and arts caravan that seeks to introduce tourists, both international and domestic, to the heart and soul of the Filipino,” Frasco told revelers, local chief executives, and investors in her keynote at the 10-day “Kasanggayahan Festival,” which opened last Sunday in Sorsogon. 

Sorsogon Governor Jose Edwin Jamor (extreme left photo) welcomes Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco. Frasco was the guest of honor in the grand opening of Kasanggayahan Festival at the Sorsogon Capitol Grounds on October 8, 2023. (Photos from the DOT)

She added that the “soul of Sorsogon” can be depicted through its festivals such as the Kasanggayahan, food, local makers’ products, specialties, and warmth of its people.

“We are grateful to the provincial government of Sorsogon for the opportunity to be introduced to the soul of Sorsogon through your music, your dances, your local products, delicacies including your pili, your flavors and to immerse in the warmth of the heart of Sorsoganons,” she said in her speech.  

The first day of the caravan synchronized with Sorsogon’s celebration of its founding anniversary, where the caravan promoters were treated to a festive play of native songs and dances and sumptuous sea foods and local delicacies.

Kasanggayahan is a Bicol term for prosperity. This year’s festival marked the 129th founding anniversary of Sorsogon and 454th commemoration of the purported beginning of Christianity in Luzon at the historic Gibalon shrine in Magallanes, Sorsogon.

With the new tourism slogan “Beautiful Sorsogon! Where Beauty is Everywhere!”, the province aims to promote its local tourist destinations, local delicacies and handicraft products.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and her entourage of Philippine Experience promoters are pictured at the Bulusan Natural Park (above) and Barcelona Church in Sorsogon on October 8, 2023.

The guests visited the Bulusan Volcano Natural Park (BVNP) and Barcelona Church which were among the historic gems in Sorsogon’s history and heritage. An ideal place to relax and enjoy nature, the BVNP is a declared national park where tourists can go trekking, rent kayaks or boats, swim, or simply enjoy the lakes’s tranquil waters and lush greeneries.

The Barcelona Church is one of the oldest churches in the region. It is located within a park where tourists can rest and simply enjoy the sea breeze. Nearby are the ruins of the Presidencia Building, the town's seat of government, and the Escuela Pia, a school building for children of the “ilustrados” during the Spanish colonial period.

Next stop for the caravan was the province of Albay, the home not just of the world-renowned Mayon Volcano but also of wide-ranging travel and tourism experiences.

A playful Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco is pictured at the Cagsawa Ruins in Daraga, Albay. The iconic Cagsawa Ruins has evolved into a picture-perfect destination for trick shots, a value-added service of local tour guides.

The guests were treated to a dinner that showed off local cuisines, including, of course, the famous Bicol Express and perfectly blended sweet and spicy chili ice cream, made more delectable by rhythmic music and vibrant arts and decorations at the Pepperland Hotel and Sumlang Lake in Camalig. 

In his message, Albay Governor Edcel Lagman noted the province’s significant contribution to the national tourism industry, highlighting the increase in the number of tourists in the province amid the rumblings of Mayon Volcano.

“The number of local tourists in the past nine months has increased by 49% compared to the same period last year, whereas the number of international tourists increased by 516%. While we can attribute this directly to the volcano’s periodic unrest, it has introduced people to many other treasures that Albay has to offer,” Lagman said.

Photos show Albay’s delectable Laing, Tinuntungang Manok and Buko Salad, all of which are spiced up with the staple chili.

The travel and tourism portfolio in Albay included the visits in Legazpi City, the City of Fun and Adventure where guests championed the challenge of ATV adventure; and the iconic Cagsawa Ruins in the municipality of Daraga which has evolved into a picture-perfect destination for trick shots as a value-added service of local tour guides. 

The additional must-visit places are the local churches that served as haven and solace of the Bicolanos especially in facing and moving through the disasters and calamities that beset the region. Located in Albay are the Church of Our Lady of the Gate Parish and St. Gregory Parish Church or Albay Cathedral.

Also visited was the Casa Simeon in Bacacay, a 1920s Spanish ancestral home that’s been transformed into a staycation heritage hotel.

This showcase of the best travel and tourism experience has rekindled hope among Bicolanos that their region will continue to shine as a gem in the Philippine tourism landscape. (PIA5/Albay)