THE Panaad sa Negros Festival made it to the Hall of Fame of the Pearl Awards after it was hailed Best Tourism Event in the Provincial Festival Category for the third time Friday night at Iloilo Convention Center in Iloilo City.
The province won the award for three consecutive years – in 2014, 2015, and 2016, which covered last night’s awarding rites organized by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines and the Department of Tourism.
This year, Negros Occidental bested Bataan, Pangasinan and Bulacan, making it as the second Hall of Famer in the category. The first is La Laguna Festival of Laguna.
Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Ma. Lina Sanogal, Panaad Festival executive director, said the recognition is a “nice gift” for the 25th edition of the festival slated on April 14 to 22, 2018.
With the win, the province will no longer join the Pearl Awards next year, Sanogal said.
Dubbed “festival of all festivals,” Panaad features the festivals of the 13 cities and 19 towns in Negros Occidental every summer.
It also showcases an array of themed pavilions of 32 localities that highlights their history, arts, culture, commerce, trade and industry.
Other winners
Other tourism events of the local government units in the province were also recognized in the Pearl Awards.
These are the Sipalay Kite Festival, grand winner for Best Tourism Event-Sports Category; Sagay City, grand winner for Best Tourism Month Celebration-City Category; Suyac Island Journey: Coastal Communities Resources Advocacies to Boost Sustainability, grand winner for Best Practices on Community-based Responsible Tourism;
Sipalay City, first runner-up for Best Tourism Month Celebration-City Category; Victorias Agri-Ecotourism Enhancement Program, second runner-up for Best Practices on Community-based Responsible Tourism; Silay Heritage Program, second runner-up for Best Community-based Heritage Conservation Project-City category; and Cadiz City, second runner-up for Best Tourism-Oriented LGU-City category.
Joining Sanogal in the awards night were Provincial Tourism Officer Cristine Mansinares, Special Programs and Concerns Division head Ian de Ramos, and other local officials.
The annual search recognizes exceptional practices, projects, and innovations in the Philippine tourism arena in the past years.