LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—In continuation of the 2023 Pangasinan Tourism Month celebration this September, the Provincial Government of Pangasinan, through its Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Office (PTCAO), held the Tongtóngan: See Pangasinan Tourism Conference with the Department of Tourism for Local Tourism Establishments last September 20, 2023 at the Sison Auditorium. This conference ultimately stood as a venue for the province of Pangasinan and the Department of Tourism Region 1 (DOT-R1) to present their tourism agenda and to capacitate tourism players from both government and private sectors about the national accreditation standards. In addition, representatives from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) were also invited to provide an extensive background on their specific fields and how they could provide assistance to local tourism enterprises.
Hon. Vice Governor Mark Ronald DG. Lambino represented Hon. Governor Ramon V. Guico III at the conference, sharing the provincial government’s plans to improve and develop better infrastructure within the province such as the construction of the Pangasinan Link Expressway (PLEX) which aims to reduce travel time from eastern Pangasinan to the province’s central and western areas, as well as to better manage traffic during summer when vacationers usually flock to the province.
“We are here… also as customers and clients who rely on your capacity as tourism officers, as stakeholders in the tourism industry. Let us know what is needed. Let us know what needs to be done. Let us know what needs to be improved on,” Vice Governor Lambino said in his speech during the event, further explaining that the provincial government would need the expertise of tourism stakeholders in order to plan more and better programs for the local tourism industry. Vice Governor Lambino also reiterated Governor Guico’s stance on tourism which he acknowledged as one of the major driving forces of the economy.
Present at the event were Provincial Tourism and Cultural Affairs Officer Maria Luisa Amor-Elduayan with guest speakers Ms. Catherine E. Sta. Clara from TIEZA, Engr. Lee Ann Elisterio and Ms. Jo Ann G. Tomeldan from the MARINA regional office, and Ms. Marie Nelna Lantano and Mr. Alex Lazaro from the DOT-R1. Tourism stakeholders from all over Pangasinan took part in the conference where they learned more about TIEZA’s incentives program for tourism stakeholders and MARINA’s policies and requirements in acquiring recreational boat certificates and recreational boat safety certificates. DOT also lectured on the introduction to the updated progressive accreditation system (PAS) and tourism enterprise standards.
These lectures are all imperative to the overall development, improvement, and enhancement of local tourism enterprises and capacity-building of the tourism workforce especially after the repercussions done by the pandemic.
/MCDG-U
Photos: RSR
