CHRISTMAS VILLAGE — The Christmas village in Calasiao town, Pangasinan showcases the Dubai Miracle Garden-inspired display. It was opened to the public on Nov. 28 and will run until February next year.
Photo courtesy of Mayor Mamilyn Agustin Caramat’s Facebook page
Xmas village to boost Pangasinan town’s tourism, economy
CALASIAO, Pangasinan –- The municipal government here has turned the town plaza into a Dubai Miracle Garden-inspired Christmas village which is expected to boost tourist arrivals and generate income, as well as promote anew “puto” (native rice cake) delicacy.
Filled with a thousand colorful lights at night and scenery to behold by day, every corner of the plaza, the municipal hall and puto stalls is Instagrammable or picturesque.
In an interview Tuesday, municipal administrator Patrick Agustin Caramat said they hope the Christmas village would draw more tourists from nearby towns and cities, and encourage economic activity in their town.
“We hope this will become a tourist spot and strengthen the puto industry here. This is one way to give vendors an opportunity to sell and expand their market. We wanted to enable our kababayans to enjoy and at the same promote our town and its one-town-one-product that is puto,” he said.
Vice Mayor Kevin Roy Macanlalay agreed, saying that Calasiao has no tourist spots or destinations except for St. Peter and Paul Parish Church, which is known as one of the oldest churches in the country.
The town’s Christmas village conceptualized by Couple Minds Events Studio was truly magical with Dubai’s Miracle Garden as the inspiration, especially with the designed heart-shaped arcs filled with different colors of decorative flowers.
AUTHOR PROFILE
Christmas tree