TACLOBAN CITY—The head of the Eastern Visayas office of the Department of Tourism (DOT) welcomed the decision of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) supporting earlier findings that Limasawa in Southern Leyte was the site of the first Catholic Mass in the Philippines in 1521.
“I hope this decision of the NHCP will settle things because at this point in time we should actually be celebrating its quincentennial as a country and as Filipinos instead of being divided,” said Karina Tores Tiopes, Eastern Visayas DOT chief.
“We look forward to each and every one of us to join in the celebration of the 500 years of our history as a people,” she added.
The NHCP recently adopted the findings of a panel of experts reaffirming Limasawa as the venue of the country’s first Mass on March 31, 1521.
It said historians, who claimed that the historic event happened in Butuan, failed to present evidence to prove their claim.
The DOT regional office has packaged the historic island of Limasawa, which has more than 6,000 people, as a pilgrimage site though it is also known for its limestone cliffs. The town is also famous for swimming, snorkeling and diving.