Filmfest, food fair and bike circuit set in Baguio
By Carlito C. Dar
DOT – CAR OIC Regional Director Jovi Ganongan calls for partnership in bringing the tourism industry back to its feet through safe and responsible tourism events and activities. (CCD/PIA CAR)
BAGUIO CITY, March 17 (PIA) – – City folks and visitors may look forward to some exciting events this month and in April set by the Department of Tourism –Cordillera(DOT-CAR) and its partners.
The Montañosa Film festival will be held in Baguio City from March 20 to 28 featuring 10 digital creative creations of Cordillera filmmakers. These will have various screening venues including a drive thru theater along the runway of the Loakan airport in keeping with the health protocols , Council for Baguio Creative City Action Officer Ferdie Balanag announced in the DOT-CAR- led Kapihan forum here on Tuesday.
In the drive thru theater which will offer relaxing experience, viewers can also enjoy food and music featured thereat.
Screening of the Montañosa Film Festival will also be spread out in various venues including Baguio Country Club, the Manor, Grand Sierra Pines and Le Monet Hotel, Balanag said.
DOT – CAR OIC Regional Director Jovita Ganongan, in same media forum, also announced that in partnership with the City Government of Baguio, the “Mangan Taku” (Let Us Eat) food fair that showcases famous indigenous Cordillera cuisines and delicacies, will be staged on April 25 to 29.
Mangan Taku was started in 2019 but was temporarily sidelined last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ganongan also shared that DOT-CAR with the local government units of Baguio and Benguet LGUs, are working on a bicycle circuit event dubbed as “Elevate to Recover” for the month of April wherein riders will bike from Baguio City to Atok then to Kabayan , Benguet, and as far as Tinoc, Ifugao if negotiation push through.
The tourism industry has suffered so much setback due to COVID-19 pandemic, which is why the DOT, in partnership with local tourism stakeholders, is now working hard in slowly and carefully re-starting safe and responsible tourism activities to spur local tourism.
Ganongan also shared that they are also focusing on emerging destinations and continuously inspecting and accrediting tourism establishments in terms of safety of their operations in line with the COVID pandemic.
To date, there are 259 DOT – accredited tourism establishment in Cordillera. DOT encourages others establishments in the provinces to work for accreditation so that they are ready when they open their tourism destinations.
For the Kapihan media forum, Ganongan and Balanag were joined by Andrew Pinero representing the Hotel and Restaurants Association of Baguio and the Baguio Country Club, Joma Rivera of the Baguio City Tourism Office and Felix Nayusan of Benguet Provincial Tourism Office, who also shared tourism – related updates and announcements. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)
