Negros Occ. garners two major awards during ATOP national convention
BACOLOD CITY, Oct. 8 (PNA)-– Negros Occidental garnered two major awards during the recently concluded 9th national convention of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) Best Tourism Practices awards held in Iloilo with no less than Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano awarding the plaques and citations.
The best practices award was divided into three categories namely the culture and arts, adventure, festival and the weekly/monthly category. The festival category was further sub-categorized into the provincial, municipal, chartered city and component city.
Negros Occidental’s Pana-ad Festival earned the title as grand winner under Tourism Event Provincial Level. Anilag and Bulawan festival of Laguna and Compostela Valley landed as second and third placers, respectively.
Another major award for Negros is the Best Tourism Week and Month Celebration title.
Meanwhile other entries from Western Visayas were also able to bring home the bacon.
Tthe Kahilwayan Festival of the Municipality of Sta. Barbara, Iloilo and the Pahinis de Laua-an Festival of the Municipality of Laua-an, Antique landed as first and second placers, respectively while Davao Del Sur’s Fiesta sa Kinaiyahan (Festival for Mother Nature) for the festival category, municipal level.
Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival was declared winner under the chartered city level followed by General Santos City’s Tuna Festival.
Provincial Information Officer Ma. Lina Marlin Sanogal, who together with the Provincial Tourism Office staff and Tourism Officer Jennylind Cordero, represented Governor Isidro Zayco in the awarding ceremony.
Cordero is the current president of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines. (PNA)
