DOT: Holy Week in Intramuros to boost cultural tourism

Photo courtesy of Department of Tourism

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Tourism (DOT) said the Holy Week activities in the walled city of Intramuros in Manila will be an opportunity to further boost cultural tourism in the country.

“Cultural tourism is one of the main products of the Department of Tourism and as part of our Filipino culture, Christianity has always been part and parcel of this culture,” Tourism Assistant Secretary Roberto Alabado III said Monday in a press conference.

Alabado said the tourism department made sure to coordinate with the Roman Catholic Church to promote the historical churches and shrines that offer a look in to the country’s religious and cultural traditions.

“We view this in the cultural sense that for locals in those areas, we always check with the local stake holders. And one of the stakeholders would be the Roman Catholic Church so we coordinate in terms of such activities,” Alabado said.

“If you could see our promotions, we usually would promote our historical churches and our historical shrines wherein we can exude the Christianity that we are known for, being the only predominantly Catholic nation in Southeast Asia,” he added.

For this year’s Holy Week, the DOT, in partnership with the Intramuros Administration opened nine churches and chapels for the annual Visita Iglesia.

These churches and chapels will be open to pilgrims and visitors starting April 18, Maundy Thursday, until April 20, Black Saturday.

READ: Intramuros opens 9 churches, chapels for Visita Iglesia 

“We have a lot of cultural heritage churches when you go to Bohol, when you go to Ilocos, when you go to Cebu. Please do not forget that before going to the beach, we have to also, the main purpose of our visit to these provinces is also to renew our faith,” Alabado added. / gsg

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