Bohol bestowed as ASEAN Cultural Capital for July 2010
THE PROVINCE of Bohol was conferred as the ASEAN Cultural Capital for the month of July 2010 after the province of Batangas in Southern Luzon.
Gov. Edgar Chatto received the plaque and the ASEAN flags from Dr. Vilma Labrador, Chair of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Undersecretary of Education; UNESCO Commissioner for culture Ms. Cecile Guidote-Alvarez; and UNESCO regional director for Asia Dr. Hubert Gijzen.
Batangas Governor Vilma Santos who was also invited failed to attend.
The awarding of such title took place during the 156th Foundation Day celebration of Bohol at the Bohol Cultural Center in time for the Blood Compact or Sandugo annual celebration commemorating the friendship pact between Datu Sikatuna and Spanish Gen. Miguel de Legaspi in the14th century, held said to be the first treaty of friendship between a native and foreigner.
Bohol gained its independence from Cebu on July 22, 1854.
Witnessing the bestowing of award were Tourism Sec. Alberto Lim, who was the guest speaker of the celebration, 2nd Secretary Tran Trong Duan of Vietnam, Congressman Rene Relampagos (1st district), provincial board member Cesar Tomas Lopez, Tagbilaran City Vice-Mayor Nuevas Montes and other officials and hundreds of spectators that jam-packed the Bohol Cultural Center.
Alvarez said in her speech that “the Philippines has a distinct honor, it is a privilege as the first ASEAN capital for 2010-2011.”
The country has a unique opportunity to really showcase and banner the wealth of our diversity. Not just in Manila, but it embraces all the regions f our country to show what the Philippines can offer, she said.
With this title and honor, it will use the two years to highlight the cultural aspect and “highlights all of these incredible treasures.”
In March, she said, the title of being the cultural capital began in Angeles, Pampanga, then Capiz province for dance exchange. It went to Santiago, Isabela for Pataraday festival and to Batangas for the longest painting on canvass on “how to impact this on climate change.”
And the fifth such feat went to Bohol in the series, she said.
Bohol has been chosen as the cultural capital for the month of July because of its natural heritage and treasures, which she cited as the “tarsier, your Chocolate Hills, your wonderful river cruise, your incredible murals of your churches, and the incredible talent,” citing the Alicia Musika Kawayan, a bamboo ensemble of Alicia town kids using bamboo in musical instruments they played during the affair. Bohol will be an inspiration for the rest of the country, she said, adding that “tourism must be culture-based,” in consonance with the blue print in tourism of the new administration.
Labrador, for her part, said they chose Bohol for the title because “of your wealth of culture.”
The award cited the “value of the Abatan river system toward performances, to habitat preservation and the parallel of the Abatan River to the Mekong River delta” in Vietnam.
The province of Bohol is also cited as the “site of launching of the Dia del Galeon festival 2010 following the UNESCO Resolution passed last year which honors the Galeon trade between the Philippines and Spain via Mexico that took place for 250 years from 1605 to 1816.” (RVO)
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