ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Clark launch tees up golf as PH tourism centerpiece

Clark launch tees up golf as PH tourism centerpiece

Published Aug 29, 2025 03:46 pm

At A Glance

  • DOT launches Philippine Golf Experience at Mimosa Plus Golf Course in Clark, Pampanga.
  • Program aims to position golf as a centerpiece of Philippine tourism.
  • Event drew support from foreign envoys, national and local officials, and private sector leaders.
  • Frasco highlights golf's role in promoting innovation, inclusivity, and livelihood opportunities.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco follows through her swing during the ceremonial tee-off at Mimosa Plus Golf Course in Clark, Pampanga, on August 29, 2025, leading the launch of the Philippine Golf Experience program that positions golf as a centerpiece of Philippine tourism. (Photo: Trixee Rosel/MANILA BULLETIN)
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco follows through her swing during the ceremonial tee-off at Mimosa Plus Golf Course in Clark, Pampanga, on August 29, 2025, leading the launch of the Philippine Golf Experience program that positions golf as a centerpiece of Philippine tourism. (Photo: Trixee Rosel/MANILA BULLETIN)
The Department of Tourism (DOT) unveiled the Philippine Golf Experience in Clark, Pampanga, on Friday, Aug. 29, casting golf as a centerpiece of the country’s tourism strategy to generate jobs, attract investments, and strengthen global competitiveness.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco led the ceremonial tee-off at Mimosa Plus Golf Course, saying the initiative seeks to present golf not only as a sport but also as a cultural and community-driven experience that sustains livelihoods and builds national pride.
Frasco highlighted the country’s more than 100 world-class golf courses, diverse landscapes, and renowned hospitality, noting that the Philippines is ready to rival regional golf destinations such as Japan and Thailand.
She cited Clark’s international airport, modern facilities, and the premium Mimosa Plus Golf Course as a model of globally competitive yet inclusive tourism.
The launch drew a strong diplomatic presence with representatives from Japan, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Ambassadors and senior officials from these countries expressed support for the Philippines’ tourism and golf development initiatives.
Business and industry leaders also attended, including executives from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CanCham), along with DOT-attached agencies such as the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), Duty Free Philippines Corporation, and the Philippine Retirement Authority.
National and local officials were likewise present, among them Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid and Nueva Ecija Governor Oyie Umali.
They were joined by golf associations and stakeholders led by the Professional Golfers Association of the Philippines, WAGC Philippines, and private sector representatives Jose Antonio “Mark” Leviste, GP Reyes, and Andi Manzano-Reyes.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco (center) is joined by foreign envoys, national and local officials, and private sector leaders during the launch of the Philippine Golf Experience program at Mimosa Plus Golf Course in Clark, Pampanga on August 29, 2025. (Photo: Trixee Rosel/MANILA BULLETIN)
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia-Frasco (center) is joined by foreign envoys, national and local officials, and private sector leaders during the launch of the Philippine Golf Experience program at Mimosa Plus Golf Course in Clark, Pampanga on August 29, 2025. (Photo: Trixee Rosel/MANILA BULLETIN)
The event, organized by the DOT Office for Golf Tourism through the Strategic Communications and Public Affairs–Office of Public Affairs and Advocacy, underscored government and private sector collaboration in advancing tourism innovation.
In a light moment, Frasco quipped that golf “requires far more patience and humility than politics” as she asked guests to “please pray for me” before the ceremonial tee-off.
She added that with the Philippine Golf Experience, the DOT is “setting in motion a bold new era for Philippine tourism that is innovative, inclusive, proudly Filipino, and uplifting to the lives of our people.”

Related Tags

DOT Department of Tourism Secretary Maria Christina Garcia-Frasco golf tourism
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.