LOCAL tourists experienced the rich culture and heritage of the City of San Fernando, as the City Government staged a "Heritage Open House and Free Kalesa Tour" over the weekend.

The annual activity was made possible through the efforts of the CSFP Arts and Culture Council in line with the celebration of National Heritage Month with a theme "Mga Pinuno para sa Pamana."

Bernadette Tapnio, head of Heritage and Cultural Affairs Section, said the local government lined up several activities for this year's celebration in an aim to promote and strengthen the capital city's culture, traditions, and heritage.

She added that this year, four of the city's heritage houses were opened for public visit, including Augusto-Hizon House, Baron-Cuyugan House, Dayrit-Cuyugan House, and the house of Nicolasa Dayrit.

"For this year, nilagyan natin ng component, for open house tour, mga participants natin should register muna dito sa Train station, and then afterwards, sasakay sila ng kalesa going to four heritage houses," Tapnio said in an interview.

Meanwhile, Gina Casapao, a local tourist from Antipolo City, shared her tour experience and felt awestruck by how magnificent the ancestral houses and places in the city are.

"Isa sa mga napakagandang experience namin, dun sa amin kasi bihira na lang po yung mga heritage houses na napupuntahan namin. Nai-preserve talaga yung mga bahay at hindi po matatawaran ang experience na ito para sa amin lalo na po ang pagsakay sa mga kalesa," she said.

It can be recalled that the City of San Fernando conducted a seminar and workshop for all calesa drivers or "kutseros" to tap them as tourism frontliners, as part of their advocacy in promoting and preserving the city's rich culture, tradition, and heritage and sustaining the city's brand as "Tourism Hub" in the country.