23 July 2015 - Not even the heavy downpour could dampen the spirits of close to 200 participants of the 10th Ambassador, Consuls General, and Tourism Directors Tour (ACGTDT) held in Manila and Cebu this year from July 06 to 10.
The 10th ACGTDT started off with a tour of the City of Manila, focusing on Intramuros, Manila’s oldest district and its historic center. The delegation then proceeded to Malacanang Palace for a lunch reception hosted by Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene D. Almendras, followed by a tour of the Malacanang Museum. In the evening, the Tourism Promotions Board welcomed the delegation with a Gala Dinner at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza.
To mark the ACGTDT’s 10-year milestone, for the first time, the main program was held outside of Metro Manila, in Cebu, another historic metropolis of the Philippines. The delegation was flown out early on the second day for a fun-filled three-night stay in the Visayan island province.
In Cebu, the delegates toured historic sites such as the Magellan’s Cross and the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino, and local industries such as the Profoodcorp factory, which began as a family business and now produces the well-known “Philippine” brand of dried mangoes and other fruits.
Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III officially welcomed the delegation to the city with a welcome dinner at the Capitol, during which local cultural groups showcased the best of Cebu hospitality and its rich cultural heritage with performances depicting the various festivals held in Cebu.
One full day was spent for the “Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbo”, a cultural and heritage tour of the towns of Carcar, Argao, Dalaguete, and Sibonga where the delegates were treated to a taste of local culture through delicacies such as the famous local lechon, chicharon, and bukayo.
The last two days allowed the participants to enjoy shopping in Cebu City and enjoy the beach and pool facilities of Shangri-la Resort in Mactan.
Western Union hosted a farewell dinner for the delegates on the final night of the program, with the theme highlighting the contributions of overseas Filipinos to the progress of the Philippines.
From Cebu, some of the delegates who wished to explore more of the Philippines availed themselves of extension tours to Bohol, Boracay, Davao, Dumaguete, and Palawan.
Dr. Cleofe Casambre, a Chicago-based participant who hails from Cebu, expressed her pleasure at being able to rediscover her home city through tge ACGTDT: “Thanks to the ACGTD Tour, I was able to visit places I would never have thought of visiting. In particular, I was able to worship at the altar of the wondrous mid 18th century St. Michael Church in Argao. I also prayed to the miraculous Blessed Mother at Simala, The white sand beaches were of course so attractive. I also enjoyed being in the company of Consul General Calonge and his wife, Gloria and the rest of the Chicago visitors. Most of all, I enjoyed showing my son, Vincent, the country where I came from and the country I will always love.”
“I think we can all agree that this tour is worth repeating every year. It is a wonderful opportunity for balikbayans and our American friends to experience the best of the Philippines,” said Consul General Generoso D.G. Calonge of the Philippine Consulate General in Chicago, which was this year’s coordinator for the 10th ACGTDT. “The extensive itinerary prepared by Rajah Tours and the TPB, the wonderful hospitality shown to the delegation by Cabinet Secretary Almendras, Cebu Governor Davide, and the mayors of the Cebu municipalities we visited, even the fortunate and cooperative weather conditions, all helped in making this milestone year of the ACGTDT a huge success.”
The recently concluded ACGTDT is an annual tourism project jointly organized by the Philippine Embassy, the Consulates General, and the Department of Tourism Offices in the United States, in partnership with the Tourism Promotions Board and Rajah Tours Philippines. The tour gives Filipinos and Americans living in the U.S. the chance to experience the beauty of the country’s top destinations and witness progress in the country, with no less than Philippine Ambassador to the U.S., Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., the Philippine Consuls General in Chicago, New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu and Agana, and other Philippine government officials leading the delegations from various parts of the U.S. END