CSFP wins big in DOT TRES Awards 2023
Gigantic lanterns about 20-feet in height, palatable dishes showcasing authentic Kapampangan cuisine, colorful calesa, heritage houses, and longest mall in the Philippines – nothing beats Pampanga’s capital city, the City of San Fernando, when it comes to unique tourism stops.
Its various efforts in the promotion and preservation of its tourism sector became all worth it after it took home eight awards during the TRES Awards 2023.
Pampanga’s capital city was given the Kaagapay Award, the highest accolade given.
Its tourism officer, Maria Lourdes Carmella Jade Pangilinan was also recognized as the region’s grand winner for the Most Outstanding Tourism Officer award.
“I am very happy with the recognition that we received as these are proof of the hard work that we did for our city and for all Kapampangan. These will serve as inspiration for us to work harder, strive more in order to promote tourism development not only in the City of San Fernando, but also in the whole Central Luzon,” she said.
Pangilinan is one of the longest-serving tourism officers in the region for 17 years.
Apart from these, City of San Fernando’s Preserving Heritage for Progress program which covers research, planning, and implementation of projects and activities that preserve its heritage was placed as the grand winner under the Most Outstanding Cultural Tourism Program.
Its month-long tourism month celebration involving the Tourism Star Awards, trade fairs, cooking and art making contests, and calesa rides was also awarded as the grand winner under the Most Outstanding Tourism Month Celebration.
The city also emerged as the grand winner under the Top Tourist Destination – City Level for recording thousands of visitors.
Its Giant Lantern Festival (GLF), a 115-year-old festival showcasing the expertise and craftsmanship of Fernandinos in making 20-feet tall lanterns, was recognized as the grand winner under the Most Outstanding Festival.
Pangilinan expressed her happiness for the recognition of the GLF as it is one of the longest festivals in the country.
“I think what’s beautiful about it is that a traditional festival like it is still relevant at this time, and we’re able to live with the times and face the new challenges that the festival has faced through the years. That’s a hallmark of sustainability,” she said.
Pangilinan pledged that the city tourism office will continue to push forward for the improvement of the tourism sector, with sustainable tourism development at its heart.
“We will see that it is not only for profit, but also for people and the planet. This means, there are economic benefits but at the same time, we have to maintain the environmental and socio-cultural development of our place,” she explained.
Other accolades received by the city is the first runner-up award under the Most Outstanding Community-Based Tourism Project for its Calesa Preservation program which aims to preserve and promote calesa as heritage symbols and means of public transportation.
It also bagged the second runner-up award for Most Visited Tourist Destination based on same-day visits.
Pangilinan stated that they will begin 2024 by continuously promoting sustainable development at the community level. “We will continue lifting the life of the people in our communities through tourism development,” she added.
