Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco handed out educational assistance to Pagsanjan, Cavinti, and Lumban (PaCaLum) recipients as part of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gives initiative recently at the Pagsanjan Town Plaza, Pagsanjan, Laguna.
Highlighting her advocacy for education, Frasco shared about her stint as the Mayor of Liloan, Cebu, where she spearheaded initiatives that provided scholarships to around 10,000 scholars.
“It wasn’t a difficult decision for me and my husband to decide to support this very noble andworthy initiative of PATA.”
“It wasn’t a difficult decision for me and my husband to decide to support this very noble and worthyinitiative of PATA to provide our humble scholarship assistance to the children of our bangkeros sothat they too can have a better life and a life that is forged upon the strength of having an educationthat can give them the needed advantages in life,” the tourism chief said upon her her return to the municipality of Pagsanjan.
Last May 2023, the tourism head and Deputy House Speaker Duke Frasco donated P200,000 from their personal funds to support the PATA PaCaLum education program.
Under the guidance of PATA Philippine Chapter Chairperson Dr. Maria Paz Alberto, PhD, 60 deserving students were awarded financial aid for books, school supplies, and transportation allowances.
Joining the ceremony, which coincided with the opening of the Bangkero Festival 2024, are Pagsanjan Mayor Cesar Areza, Cavinti Mayor Arrantlee Arroyo, and Lumban Mayor Rolando Ubatay who all expressed their gratitude for the initiative, as vital in fostering the growth of the local tourism industry.
“Dahil nakikita po natin na dahil po sa inyong pagkakaisa ay lumago na po yung turismo ng inyong mga bayan.”
“Your unity forged by your common aspirations for your livelihood, your employment, your people, ofyour local government units here in Laguna is such a great source of inspiration for me personally. Dahil nakikita po natin na dahil po sa inyong pagkakaisa ay lumago na po yung turismo ng inyong mga bayan,” Frasco said, returning the gratitude expressed by the three local chief executives.
“I can see that the root of all the unity that we see here in the beautiful province of Laguna is nothingelse but love-pagmamahal, pag-ibig, or, as we say in Cebu, gugma. Love is the source of this unity, and love will be the reason that the tourism of your province will be propelled to greater heightsbecause you have come together for your love of country, for your love of God, for your love forPagsanjan, Cavinti, and Lumban, and for your love for the Philippines,” she continued.
DOT OIC Undersecretary and PATA Vice Chairperson Verna Buensuceso, DOT IV-A Regional Director Marites Castro, local government unit officials, members of the PaCaLum Tourism Council, and tourism officials of the three municipalities also joined the awarding event.
