Las Piñas City Tourism and Cultural Office chief, Paul Ahljay San Miguel
The Department of Tourism (DOT) awarded the Las Piñas City Tourism and Cultural Office (LPTCO) with “Best Tourism Festival: Religious Festival” for promoting the city's tourism during the Association of Tourism of the Philippines (ATOP) Pearl Awards.
Mayor Imelda Aguilar said the LPTCO, under the leadership of Paul Ahljay San Miguel, used the International Bamboo Organ Festival as its entry in the pearl awards.
The mayor was very proud of the hard work of San Miguel for his programs in promoting the city's tourism to local and foreign guests.
According to San Miguel, the city was ranked number 2 for the given award category. Manila and Parañaque City also received the same awards.
San Miguel added that the city was also given a certificate of recognition.
He mentioned that local and foreign tourists visiting Las Piñas usually toured at Saint Joseph Church, where the famous Bamboo Organ is located and was constructed in 1816 under the direct supervision of Fray Diego Cera dela Virgen del Carmen, who was also the first parish priest in the city.
He explained that the International Bamboo Organ Festival is usually held for the local and foreign guests to hear its beautiful sounds.
The National Museum of the Philippines officially declared the bamboo organ a national cultural treasure.