The Department of Tourism (DOT) released on Friday, Dec. 22, P2 million to the city of San Juan as part of its efforts in helping the local government make its tourism development plan a reality.
(Photo from San Juan LGU)
DOT-NCR Regional Director Sha Batin personally handed the check to San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora as she aired the agency's belief in San Juan's vision of being not just as one of Metro Manila's go-to shopping destination but also as one of the country's cultural and historical hotspots.
"Si Sec. Christina Frasco ay naniniwala na dapat ang Department of Tourism at ang mga local government units (LGUs) na nagpu-push ng tourism programs ay dapat magkaroon ng mas malalim na pagtutulungan (Sec. Christina Frasco believes that the Department of Tourism and LGUs must have a deeper cooperation in pushing for their tourism programs," Batin said as she handed the check to the mayor.
Zamora said he had previously visited Frasco to discuss San Juan's plans in relation to its tourism.
"Pinaliwanag ko kay Sec. Frasco na ang San Juan ay very historically significant at naniniwala s'ya sa potential ng San Juan in terms of local and historical tourism kaya ito pong araw na ito ay hinandog na sa atin ng Department of Tourism headed by Sec. Christina Frasco ang checkeng nagkakahalaga ng P2 million na s'yang gagamitin natin upang lalo pang mapalawak at maisakatuparan ang ating tourism development plan dito sa lungsod ng San Juan (I explained to Sec. Frasco that San Juan is very historically significant and she believes in San Juan's potential in terms of local and historical tourism, hence today, the Department of Tourism headed by Sec. Christina Frasco gives us this check for P2 million to be used for the realization and expansion of our tourism development plan)," Zamora explained.
Some of the city's historical and cultural landmarks include the Pinaglabanan Shrine containing the monuments of Dr. Jose Rizal, Gat. Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Jacinto, and of course, the "Spirit of Pinaglabanan" monument created to preserve the significance of the battle where the Katipunan, led by Bonifacio, decided to launch an attack in San Juan del Monte because of its two strategic locations: the El Polvorin gun powder depot and El Deposito water reservoir on Aug. 30, 1896.
Under Zamora's administration, the city started to improve and rehabilitate Pinaglabanan Shrine in 2019.
Another is the El Deposito water reservoir which Zamora says is one of the country's cultural landmarks, which is an old underground water reservoir built by the Spanish authorities in 1882 with a capacity of 15 million gallons to provide the residents of Manila and its surrounding areas with an adequate water supply.
The reservoir was historically known as the site where the onset of the Philippine Revolution through the Battle of San Juan del Monte took place in 1896.
"San Juan would not be complete without El Deposito because of its historical significance in the Philippine revolution against Spain, up to the Philippine-American War, including World War II against Imperial Japan. The walls of El Deposito are silent witnesses to the stories of our fight for freedom. It is also one of the largest remaining Spanish artifacts in the world which is in the midst of our city," he said.
"So, on Nov. 30, 2021, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the City Government of San Juan opened to the public the El Deposito tunnel and museum," he added.
During the 125th Independence Day celebration on June 12, the mayor also announced that the Pinaglabanan Shrine will be included in DOT’s “hop on, hop off” tour in Metro Manila. This will help in increasing the number of tourists and promote the city’s historical significance in Philippine Independence.
Through the DOT, the Pinaglabanan Shrine Visitor Center will also finally be realized. It will include a souvenir shop and a café that tourists can visit in Pinaglabanan Shrine.
San Juan City is also working on a tourism circuit that will take tourists to a historical, art, and food trail that features the Pinaglabanan Shrine, El Deposito Museum and Underground Water Reservoir and Museo ng Katipunan, among others, to showcase the rich history of San Juan City, with the DOT.