WV Tourism Assembly in Bacolod next year

The recently concluded West Visayas Tourism Assembly was a smashing success. Because of this, Bacolod is making a bid to host the assembly next year.

Moreover, some 300 media men who attended the Media Summit Aklan, returned home yesterday all singing paeans to Boracay Island and Kalibo, the capital town of the Panay province.

Negrenses jubilantly hailed the coronation of Lin-ay Sang Negros Jan Nicole Puentevella as the new Miss Western Visayas Tourism during the affair held in Iloilo Friday night.

What made them happier was that Bacolod’s newly crowned Miss Masskara Angelique Robles emerged as the second runner-up in the beauty contest.

Puentevella also bagged special awards like Best in Talent, Darling of the Press, Miss Popularity and Best in Public Speaking.

Ladylyn Diva of Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan Festival was the first runner-up while Arianne Arganosa, of Capiz, and Marianne Bagaporo, of Antique, were declared the fourth runners-up.

Tourism Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab announced that Bacolod will host the next Western Visayas Tourism Assembly.

Provincial tourism officer Jennylind Cordero and Bacolod tourism officer Imogene Kanatan said the province and Bacolod City are ready to host the event.

Cordero pointed out that Bacolod has enough hotels that can accommodate participants from all over Central Philippines. Regional Development Council chair Antique Gov. Sally Zaldivar-Perez said the assembly is expected to attract more tourists in Region VI.

Aklan Gov. Lito Marquez said that Aklan is still welcoming potential investors in the province, notably to develop tourist spots and aid agricultural growth. Marquez dubbed Boracay as the crown jewel of Philippine Tourism and the Orient.

The P3-billion Boracay Tourism development program, Marquez said, will include boosting room capacity, which currently stands at 4,500.

Meanwhile, the media summit was attended by 300 journalists from all over the country. It was sponsored by the PAPI headed by Juan Dayang.

The PAPI delegates visited Boracay Saturday with Mayor Ciceron Calaling hosting lunch for them at the Bakhawan Inn of New Buswang, Aklibo.

These were the heady tourism stories of the region almost on the eve of the additional All Saints’ Day celebration. But it seems that hardly anybody had noticed the controversial celebration by Roxas City of the "Aswang" Festival sponsored by the Dugo Capiznon Inc. (DCI).

Despite pressure, especially from Church authorities, the organization pushed through with the celebration last Oct. 27 and 28.

This year, however, the celebration lasted only two days, one day short of last year’s three-day observance. The "Aswang" Festival actually started in 2004. Back then, however, it was hailed as a success and did not stir up a controversy.

But in April 2005, Capiz Archbishop Onesimo Gordoncillo issued a pastoral letter denouncing the festival as an activity that insulted God and could divide the faithful. He then imposed the condition that the word aswang should not be used as official name for the event.

DCT, under Cheryl Ann Lastimoso, then offered a new name for the festival: "Lupad Capiznon Festival.. Gordoncillo, however, argued that the term "lupad" still alludes to the central figure of the festival — the aswang.

Pastoral letter

What caught my attention was the lengthy pastoral letter issued by Msgr. Vicente Hilata, vicar general of the Capiz Archdiocese. Then, there was the manifesto by Theology and Philosophy Seminarians of the Sancta Master of Regina Seminary of the Archdiocese.

Msgr. Hilata is a personal friend and Archbishop Gordoncillo was two classes behind me at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Bacolod. Thus, to a certain extent, I consider both as respected members of the Philippine clergy.

The seminarians stressed that they "can never accept Aswang Festival or any festival which carries with it the impression that aswang is a reality here in Capiz."

It claimed that in the name of trade and tourism, the organizers compromise "our dignity and identity." They also stressed that "some people had even experienced discrimination just because they are from Capiz."

They cited the pastoral letter of Msgr. Hilata, which said that "while some members of the political community in Capiz upholds the rights of the organizers of the Aswang Festival, the same members of the political community should also respect the rights of other Capicenos who are against the Aswang Festival, as justice demands."

In his pastoral, Msgr. Hilata adverted to Gordoncillo’s second pastoral, which said that there is a need to change the negative notion of Capiz as an aswang haven and turn it into an advantage by eclipsing the aswang impression through Capiz food products and the warm hospitality of the Capicenos.

"These remarkable ends of the Aswang Festival could not fully justify the shaming of the Capiceno identity and dignity in the face of national imagery. Hilata pointed out that it has become an occasion of constant ridicules and jokes on the dignified Capicenos.

"It deeply hurts to know that some Capicenos nowadays deny their province of origin and birth because of the negative perception boosted by a festival. They simply want to avoid becoming a laughing stock in cities and provinces here and abroad," the vicar general added.

But he also adverted to the fact that the festival sort of promotes that witchcraft is harmless, "not anti-God and anti-Christian." The manner of presentation greatly helps the increasing appeal of witchcraft to many people today, he added.

"During the Aswang Festival, participants as well as bystanders are merely fascinated and amused by the spectacle and parade of evil characters, unmindful of their negative implications. Many are convinced that these sights are just for fun," the letter added.

"But are these not cover-up of evils with appealing wrappers? Will these not contribute to the mentality that witchcraft is no longer scary and dangerous."

It also swiped at the traditional observance here of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, which celebrate the hope of resurrection and the joy of the faithful who centered their lives on the beatitudes.

Since the origin of All Saints’ Day in the fourth century and in the West in the eight century, this solemnity has nothing to do with witches and witchcraft, stressed Msgr. Hilata.

He enjoined the Catholic faithful during the festival to visit the churches in the Roxas Archdiocese to visit the exposed Blessed Sacrament and to maintain a prayer vigil. "We express once again our strong opposition to the Aswang Festival."

I still have to hear the feedback on the outcome of the Roxas City festival.