UNTO delegates experience Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — Over 500 delegates experience simultaneous technical tours in some Cebu Province’s tourist spots and destinations on the second day of the 36th Joint Meeting of the United Nations Tourism Commission for East Asia and the Pacific and the UN Tourism Commission for South Asia.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia led the tour together with Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco and Deputy Speaker Duke Frasco. UNTO delegates, led by its Secretary-General Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, visited the Island of Camotes.

In her speech, Secretary Frasco highlighted that Cebu is not just a destination to be visited but an experience to be had.

“Our technical tour will showcase the island’s rich culture and sustainable tourism practices offering insights on how we can replicate these best practices in other parts of the Philippines and the world,” she said.

She also added that their technical tour showcased the island’s rich culture and sustainable tourism practices. Secretary Frasco said that the tour offers insights on how they can replicate best practices in other parts of the Philippines and of the world.

This first-ever United Nations Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia showcased a technical tour in the culinary and cultural treasures as well as local industries and heritage sites in the southern part of the province.

The delegates were divided into three groups wherein the first group visited Camotes Island, while the other group explored Dalaguete and Argao towns for a heritage tour.  The third group headed to Aloguinsan town for an eco-tour of Hermit’s Cove and Bojo River Cruise.

Neighboring towns of Samboan, Santander, Oslob, Boljoon, and Alcoy also showed their support and have also set up booths in Dalaguete to introduce their tourism destinations, local industries, as well as tastiest delicacies that have made the southern Cebu a top-tourism drawer in the province.

In addition, Carcar City also welcomed the delegates of the United Nations Tourism Organization into the Department of Tourism-funded Tourist Rest Area (TRA).

From Camotes, Garcia flew all the way to Dalaguete using a chopper borrowed from Ako Bisaya Partylist Rep. Sonny Lagon. She has also visited Argao town and Carcar City.

In Aloguinsan, the UN delegates visited Bojo River Cruise, which is recognized by the UNTO as 2021 Best Tourism Villages and is part of the Top 100 Sustainable Destinations in the World.

The delegates were welcomed by Mayor Cesare Ignatius Moreno and Third District Board Member Victoria Corominas-Toribio. Showcasing Gastronomy tourism, delegates tasted Carcar’s lechon and chicharon, local delicacies from neighboring towns in the south, such as budbod, empanada, puto, biscocho, torta, and tostado, among others.

The DOT Secretary emphasized that the success of the activities in Cebu is a testament to the collective efforts of the national and local governments, private stakeholders, as well as the communities.

The inaugural UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific was hosted by Lapu-Lapu City on June 26.

In the opening remarks, Secretary Frasco highlighted the significance of Cebu, particularly Mactan Island, as the “fitting venue” because it is where Filipinos first showcased their hospitality, kindness, and generosity of food to foreigners, beginning with Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, and his Spanish crew when they landed on the shore of Mactan during his expedition.

“What better place to hold it than in Cebu, where the first vestiges of Filipino hospitality, kindness, and Filipino food were experienced by foreigners through the explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521,” she said.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan noted that food has a deep-rooted connection to their ancestors, mentioning "puso," also known as hanging rice or Filipino rice cake, made in a woven pouch from coconut leaves as an offering to their deity.

The gastronomy forum invited renowned chefs from all across the 16 regions of the nation to showcase their native cuisines. Booths were displayed in the Mactan Ballroom at the venue, treating 600 global guests to a lunch featuring their food.

Renowned chefs included Chef Waya Araos-Wijangco (Cordillera Administrative Region), Chef Xavier Mercado (Region 1), Chef Jehan Damasco (Region 2), Chef Howard Dizon (Region 3), the Lyceum of the Philippines University Culinary Institute - Laguna (Region 4A), Chef Nathaniel Imson (Region 4B), Chef Andhei Nacion (Region 5), Chef Ariel Castañeda and Chef Paul Dane Aligaen (Region 6), Chef June Rhoses Fernandez (Region 7), Chef Rolf Arwin Lopez Yu (Region 8), Chef Jose Mari Alavar Alfaro (Region 9), Chef Ruthcini Marie Tabique (Region 10), Chef Clinton Gregorio and Renante Raseroni (Region 11), Chef Ronald Fernan (Region 12), Chef Yvette Atis (Region 13), and Chef Tahir Malikol and Chef Miguel Cabel Moreno of the Office of Muslim Affairs and Mindanao Promotions (OMAMP). – Renee Ross Villariasa/FPL (FREEMAN)