DAVAO City Councilor Al-Ryan Alejandre commended the Davao City Tourism Operations Office (DCTOO) for their achievement of placing second in the Tourism Champions Challenge (TCC) during his privilege speech on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.
The winning project presented by DCTOO was the “Panunod Project: Preservation of the Unwavering Legacy of Cultural and Sustainable Tourism of the Davao City Kadayawan Village.” The project secured a grant of P15 million along with an additional P5 million for its implementation.
Alejandre highlighted that the “Panunod Project” had received full council support through a resolution passed on June 13, 2023.
He said, “This project aims to develop the tribal village into an eco-cultural tourism destination employing Moro and IP communities, boosting tourism in the city and showcasing the traditional practices of the eleven ethnolinguistic tribes here in the city of Davao.”
The awarding ceremony, held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on April 15, 2024, was attended by representatives from 90 local government units (LGUs) across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
“May this success inspire us to continue supporting initiatives that will promote sustainable tourism to serve our cultural heritage and foster community improvement,” Alejandre said.
In the TCC rankings for Mindanao, Isabela secured first place, followed by Davao City in second, Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) in third, Tagum City in fourth, and San Agustin, Surigao del Sur, in fifth place.
The Tourism Champions Challenge is a national initiative aimed at encouraging tourism development in Philippine cities and municipalities, fostering innovation to create new tourism opportunities while celebrating Filipino heritage.
The event plays a critical role in implementing the National Tourism Development Plan 2023-2028, designed to transform and enhance the Philippines through various programs and activities. RGP