Scan & learn history on the spot

Foreign and local tourists can get a quick heads-up on the historical and cultural sites of Argao town via special markers that feature quick response (QR) codes.

Visitors will get to access information about the town and the story behind the Spanish and American colonial period structure called Cabecera de Argao by scanning the QR codes using their smartphone.

“It is a very beautiful project because instead of tourists bringing around and reading magazines, all the information will be in their phones,” Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said after the launching.

“The more tourists come in, the more people are given income through livelihood What they (tourists) spend will go to the towns and small businesses of the residents,” he added.

Argao Mayor Edsel Galeos said the program will boost tourism in the town, his administration’s flagship program. The program is a collaborative effort of the Cebu provincial government, Argao municipal government, Smart Communications Inc. and InnoPub Media.

“If you don’t know the history of the place, it will be just another building. It does not have any meaning for you. What makes visits memorable are the people whom you meet and the stories behind the places you went to,” Smart Communications Inc. Public Affairs group head Ramon Isberto said.

Isberto said the launch is also timely since the province will host some events in the Apec Summit on 2015 and the International Eucharistic Congress in 2016.

To download information from the codes, the gadget needs to be connected to the Internet and have a QR code scanner which can be downloaded for free. The web-based guide can be downloaded by entering argao.myguide.ph in the mobile phone browser.

It contains an interactive map that allows tourists to view town attractions based on their locations through the mobile gadget’s global positioning system (GPS).

Max Limpag, founder of InnoPub Media, said this will advise tourists on what to do and where to stay in Argao and the rest of the province.

Davide said he will also seek authorization from the Provincial Board (PB) to enter into an agreement with Smart and InnoPub Media to expand the project in the province. /Peter L. Romanillos, Correspondent