TOURISM Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Friday joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the celebration of the Tan-Ok Ni Ilocano 2023: The Festival of Festivals at the newly inaugurated Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Stadium in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

Marcos, the guest of honor of the event, said he made sure that the tourism chief is present to witness the best of Ilocos Norte through the festivities.

“I wanted her to see the traditional culture of the Philippines at ito’y nagiging mahalaga para sa kanyang pinapaano para ipagmalaki ang kultura ng Pilipinas, ipagmalaki ang mga Pilipino sa buong mundo nang sa ganon ay tayo’y matulungan sa ating pagaahon sa ating ekonomiya sa pamamagitan ng turismo,” shared President Marcos Jr., who previously served as vice governor and governor of the province.

“Beyond today’s revelry, this event is expected to stimulate economic activity and support Ilokano families by driving the tourism industry, sustaining local livelihood. I assure you that the government’s commitment to strengthen the domestic tourism industry remains a top priority and Ilocos Norte will play a very large part of that,” the President continued.

Frasco, along with other Department of Tourism (DOT) officials, also conducted a technical inspection of various tourist destinations in Ilocos Norte, including the Museo Ilocos Norte, Paoay Church and the Nagbacalan Loomweavers Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC).

Museo Ilocos Norte houses the rich heritage of Ilocos and the ethnography of the Ilocanos, Igorots, Itnegs, Yapayaos and other ethnicities of the province. It contains various historical artifacts and tomes that tell the story of the people in the region.

The Saint Augustine Church, more commonly known as Paoay Church, is a National Cultural Treasure as declared by the Philippine government in 1973 and is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the collective group of Baroque Churches of the Philippines in 1993.

The Nagbacalan MPC is headed by its leader, Charito Cariaga, when they decided to band together in 1992. It grew gradually, initially making Abel blankets and pillowcases, expanded their product range, and is now a multimillion-peso organization.

Joining the tourism chief were Undersecretaries Shahlimar Hofer Tamano, Myra Paz Valderrosa-Abubakar and Ferdinand Jumapao as well as Directors Ronald Conopio and Joseph Francisco Ortega of Region 1.

The Tan-Ok Ni Ilocano Festival celebrates the 205th founding anniversary of Ilocos Norte through a monthlong calendar of activities featuring the province’s cultural heritage, history and people.

For Ilocanos, Tan-Ok is a reminder of the town’s identity and heritage as well as a tourism driver for the province’s rich gastronomy and local livelihood.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Cristina Lee-Pisco