President Arroyo, Senator Roxas to grace One Visayas expo
PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is expected to grace the One Visayas, One People, One Destiny expo which opens on March 11 at Villareal Stadium, Roxas City, Capiz.
Department of Tourism (DOT) 6 director Edwin Trompeta said President Arroyo is invited to attend the four-day gathering which was meant to foster unity among the three regions in the Visayas. The President donated P1 million to the host province.
Aside from the President, Liberal Party vice presidential bet Senator Mar Roxas is also invited as one of the resource persons in one of the 15 activities set during the gathering with a theme Heroes and Nationalism.
Trompeta said though the affair is “apolitical” but the organizers could not avoid since the senator is from Capiz and a grandson of former President Manuel Roxas. The theme alone speaks that the senator is competent to discuss the subject matter.
Candidates can attend the affair but could not campaign or deliver campaign speeches during the activity. The affair ends on Mar 14 with fireworks exhibition in the evening.
One Visayas expo is a project initiated by the Regional Development Council Executive Committee of Region 6, 7 and 8. It is an activity that will gather the three regions to showcase arts, culture, tourism products, fiestas and cultural heritage.
The RDC 6 is headed by Antique Gov. Sally Perez. The tourism department is exerting efforts for the success of the forthcoming One Visayas, One People, One Destiny expo.
The expo will feature visual arts exhibits, film showing, food festival, cultural performances, concert, parade of festivals, crafts and food fair, tours, artistic workshops, cultural summit, heritage exhibits, destination pavilion, photo exhibits and cooking demonstrations.
The gathering will give meaning to the government’s tourism highway initiative. Visayas is one of areas identified as tourism highway because of the presence of resorts and festivals, said Trompeta.
The three-Visayan regions are the only regions separated by bodies of water. The expo is one way in emphasizing oneness in the culture, arts, festivals and products, he said.
The same gathering will enable Regions 6, 7 and 8 to come up with an integrated development philosophy. The German government and the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) are currently conducting studies to put the three regions in all in the same time, said Trompeta.
The development should not be limited in one island. The One Visayas is different from the One-Island, One Region concept. All regions should participate. The participation of every region is a must, said Trompeta.
