Angeles wins grand prize in ATOP Pearl Awards

• Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2015/10/05/angeles-wins-grand-prize-atop-pearl-awards-434084
• Monday, October 5, 2015

(AC-CIO with reports from Sheralee Fabian and Geomar Cordova)

ANGELES CITY -- People involvement and political will.

This, according to Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, was the winning formula for Angeles as it recently bagged the grand prize at the Pearl Awards, Best Practices in Community Based Tourism Heritage category.

The prestigious award giving body, which is composed of and organized by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines and Department of Tourism (ATOP-DOT), aims to promote the best tourism practices from local government units.

The awarding ceremony capped the three-day tourism convention hosted by Davao City and Department of Tourism-Region 11 which was held at SMX Convention Center, Lanag Premier on October 3.

The city’s entry, titled “Revitalizing Heritage in Angeles City”, detailed the government’s partnership with the local community and their efforts in the protection, preservation and development of the Angeles City Heritage Zone in Barangay Sto. Rosario.

“Our hard work has finally paid off, as this award is the true manifestation for all the efforts that we, together with the Kuliat Foundation Inc., have poured into the Heritage Zone,” the mayor said.

He mentioned the creation of the Plaza Angel where culture and arts events are regularly held.

“We embellished it with a stone paved street, adorned it with traditional lights and trellises, planted Kuliat vines, and the removed the ghastly looking, dangling and hanging spaghetti wires in front of the church, making the place a favorite selfie spot for Angeleños," Pamintuan said.

The city mayor lauded the people behind the project both LGU’s and NGO’s such as the Angeles City Tourism Office (ACTO), Mayor’s Office, City Council and the Kuliat Foundation Inc.

“It is through political will that we encouraged the community towards one vision, having no competition or reward in return. We are fortunate to document all these which became the formula for winning the most prestigious award,” Pamintuan said.

Recently, the City Council passed Ordinance no. 378, S-2015, declaring the Angeles City Heritage Zone, its administration and its functions. This ordinance ensures the preservation of the said zone, even if there is a change of administration.

Other finalists for the category were Silay City in Negros Occidental and Maragusan’s Rafflesia Conservation Project in Compostela Valley.

The 10th ATOP-DOT Pearl Award is a competition open to all local government units (LGUs) with nine major award categories on the best tourism offices/clubs/associations, best practices in community-based responsible tourism (enterprise, heritage, and campaign), and best tourism events (sports/wellness/adventure, celebrations and festival).

This is the city’s first time to join the ATOP-DOT Pearl awards.