Big ADB meet not only about finance

Over 4,300 very important persons in the world of finance are coming to the Philippines for the 45th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on May 2-5, and the government is pulling out all the stops to make sure that they all have a great time in the country.

Even spouses have not been overlooked with the government hosting a number of tours in and around Metro Manila to give them a better sense of what the Philippines is all about.

According to the Department of Finance, which is leading the preparations for the Manila 2012 meeting, the packaged tours and activities were designed to include a mix of culture, history, as well as shopping for the “accompanying persons” of the ADB delegates.

Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said in a briefing with Inquirer editors and reporters that the government developed the tour program for the spouses as part of the “coming out party” of the Philippines.

Under the “Journey to Our Past” package, guests will be brought to the historic district of Intramuros in the city of Manila. Among the places to be visited are Fort Santiago, San Agustin Church and Casa Manila. Guests can also choose to visit the Metropolitan Museum of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which houses some of the country’s national treasures, as well as the Rizal Monument.

Those who are into more contemporary sites may decide to take part in the tour titled “A Glimpse of Philippine Heritage, Pre-colonial Treasures and Development,” which will take the guests to the Ayala Museum, Bonifacio Global City and the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

Guests who would like to do some shopping can opt for the “Reminisce and Explore” package, which includes a visit to the Asian Development Bank headquarters and the nearby Tiendesitas shopping center operated by Ortigas and Co.

Those who want to venture farther afield also have a number of tours to choose from.

The “Sacrifice, Heroism and Freedom” tour, for example, will bring visitors to the tadpole-shaped island of Corregidor, which figured prominently in World War II, being the site of one of the fiercest battles in the Asia Pacific theater.

Then there’s the “Panorama and Quaint Old Town” tour that includes a visit to Taal Volcano—the smallest volcano in the world—and a side trip to the quaint old town of Taal in Batangas that is full of historical sites.

Foodies may choose to go for the “Craftsmanship, Industry and Culinary” tour of Pampanga, which is known for its culinary expertise. Aside from the food, guests will also be taken to the San Guillermo Parish Church and the town of Betis, which is known for its elaborately designed carved furniture. Guests may also want to take home a typical parol (Christmas lantern) made in Pampanga.