The Department of Tourism (DOT) said it is strengthening faith-based tourism in Central Luzon, in support of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year celebration themed “Pilgrims of Hope.”
The agency recently conducted a validation tour for its faith-based tourism circuit, highlighting destinations in Nueva Ecija and Aurora.
The two-day tour brought together tour operators, tour guides, and content creators to explore the shrines and parishes of Nueva Ecija, as well as the historical landmarks of Baler, Aurora.
The participants visited seven Jubilee Churches under the Diocese of Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija -- Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. John the Baptist and the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Nuestra Señora de las Saleras, both in Aliaga; the Diocesan Shrine and Parish of St. Anthony Abbot in San Antonio; and the Diocesan Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and St. Augustine Parish in Jaen.
The tour also took the "pilgrims" to the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of La Virgen Divina Pastora and Three Kings Parish in Gapan; the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Peñaranda; and the St. Nicholas of Tolentine Cathedral Parish in Cabanatuan City.
The participants were provided with prayer cards and Diocesan pilgrimage “passports”, which were stamped at each church as part of their spiritual journey.
They were also encouraged to walk through each Holy Door with solemn openness to conversion and renewal for the Jubilee Year.
In Aurora, the circuit focused on historical sites in Baler, including age-old favorites such as the Doña Aurora House and Baler Museum, along with understated historical sites like the ancient Baler escape tunnel and Ermita Hill.
“Our religious heritage is only enriched by our distinctly Filipino Catholic traditions, magnificent old churches, and stories from a time that may seem long past but are the building blocks of our contemporary world. After all, here in Central Luzon, all our stories are connected. Faith and history converge to power generations of hopeful, curious, and spirited individuals,” said DOT Region 3 Director Richard Daenos.