As the City of Manila aims to be a top tourist destination, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan urged all of the city's barangays to use their area‘s own unique features to promote tourism. 

The mayor said that by working together, nothing is impossible, as she cited the importance of the barangays in promoting tourism during the launching of the Barangay Tourism Officers Orientation-Seminar at the San Andres Sports Complex in Malate, Manila on Tuesday, March 12. 

Lacuna-Pangan said that the orientation activity was an offshoot of the ordinance that mandated all the barangays within Manila to create their respective barangay tourism committees.

The ordinance was authored by Councilor Lei Lacuna and passed by the Manila City Council led by presiding officer and Vice Mayor John Marvin Yul Servo-Nieto. 

Mayor Honey said she immediately signed the ordinance into a local law since its purpose is to encourage tourists and investors to visit Manila. 

She said that the local government wants every possible project to showcase what the city has to offer to tourists in terms of beautiful attractions and keeping alive age-old traditions, history, culture, and the arts that can be seen in the city's different barangays. 

She called on every barangay leader to use the opportunity of the ordinance to showcase the unique features of their areas and to create more awareness among their constituents on the history of the city.

"Malaki ang paniniwala ko sa magiging tulong ng barangay sa pagsulong ng ating industriya ng turismo. Mas kabisado ninyo ang inyong komunidad. Higit ang inyong kaalaman sa mga kayamanang sining at makulay na kasaysayan ng inyong mga barangay (I have great faith in the barangay's help in promoting our tourism industry. Barangay leaders know their community better and they know more about the arts, and colorful history of their barangays),” the mayor said.

“Batid ninyo ang talento ng inyong mga nasasakupan. Sa inyong palagiang pakikisalamuha sa inyong mga ka-barangay, marami kayong matutuklasan na may potensyal sa pagpapa-unlad at pagpapasigla ng turismo sa inyong mga lugar (You are aware of the talent of your constituents. In your constant interactions with your people, you will discover many things that have the potential to develop and stimulate tourism in your areas),” she added.

The mayor explained that even a simple carinderia, old houses, or even traditions that can only be found in the barangays could become local or foreign tourist attractions.

Lacuna-Pangan said that the ordinance is the start of a deeper bond between the city government and barangays for their common goal of making Manila a top tourist destination in the country.

She also assured all barangay authorities that the city government -- through the Department of Tourism, Culture, and the Arts-Manila (DTCAM) under the stewardship of Charlie Dungo -- will guide them to become efficient barangay tourism officers.