BUKIDNON, Philippines — The Philippine Experience Program (PEP): Culture, Heritage and Arts Caravans has been officially launched by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in Northern Mindanao.
The program, which was first launched in the Davao Region last year, will now conduct a three-day tour within Cagayan de Oro City and the province of Bukidnon.
The tour started on May 23 and will end on May 25.
The launch was led by Tourism secretary Christina Frasco together with other officials of the DOT.
“It’s high time that Mindanao fully opens up for tourism,” she said in an interview with reporters.
(It's about time that Mindanao fully opens up for tourism.)
“Dito po sa Northern Mindanao ang daming mga emerging destinations na we feel that has massive potential that offers immersive, purposeful, and experiential travel,” she added.
(Here in Northern Mindanao, there are many emerging destinations that we feel have massive potential, offering immersive, purposeful and experiential travel.)
This has been the eighth leg of the program after its last event in Palawan in April.
PEP was launched in the Davao Region last year and has since expanded its reach to various areas, including Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Zamboanga, Ilocos and now parts of Northern Mindanao.
The DOT said PEP aims to highlight the Filipino “brand and identity” in “all aspects of the travel and tourism experience.”
Through the program, the agency said that it will facilitate “cultural tourism circuit development” which will focus on heritage, culture and the arts.
The “experience” will include “thematic experience on food and gastronomy, pilgrimage and wellness, festivals, living Cultures and heritage and the arts.