LEA G. VIRI
Teacher III
Virgen Delas Flores High School
City of Baliwag, Bulacan
We strongly commend our leaders in Bulacan for their newest program to promote our province’s very own heritage sites, our historical, cultural and various tourism destinations, this time, targeting the youth in particular.
In partnership with the Department of Education, the provincial government through the sangguniang panlalawigan is expected to approve a provincial ordinance which would prioritize visits to all the vital and most cultural and historical-rich places and locations in the province.
The ordinance theme, “Huwag maging dayuhan sa sariling lalawigan, unahing bisitahin ang yamang kultural at historikal ng Bulacan ” is conceptualized by Bulacan Provincial Tourism officer Eliseo Dela Cruz, Ph. D.
Under the proposed program to be implemented in all public and private elementary and high schools in Bulacan, no outside the province field trips or study tours would be allowed until all the listed most important tourist destinations in the province have been visited.
Instead of going to Sky Ranch in San Fernando, Pampanga, the numerous highly commercialized malls and theme parks in different areas in Metro Manila, like Star City, the Venice River in Bonifacio Global City in The Fort, Taguig, the SM Mall of Asia, the Nuvali Theme Park in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, our very own province, has more promising sites to experience and explore not only by our pupils and students but even their parents and guardians.
The malls and leisure and theme parks are mainly just for fun and leisure and would even entail exorbitant fees and expenditures in paying the school-required payments including for the children and the parents compare with the less expensive local trips which has educational and informative values, moral upliftment and will bring high sense of nationalism among our youth.
For the historical sites, Barasoain Church and Museum in City of Malolos, Marcelo H. Del Pilar Shrine and Museum and Gregorio Del Pilar monument in Bulakan town, Casa Real, Basilica Minore (Malolos Cathedral), House of Women of Malolos in Malolos, old houses turned government offices during the First Philippine Republic time under President Emilio Aguinaldo also in Malolos, Bulacan Military Area (BMA) in Bustos town, Biak-na-Bato National Park in San Miguel, Maestro Eusebio Roque Park in Pandi, Isidoro Torres Park in Malolos, Gen. Anacleto Enriquez bust in Bulakan town, the old Philippine National Railway (PNR) stations in City of Meycauayan, Balagtas, Guiguinto, City of Malolos and Calumpit and so many others, Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo house in Bulakan town, the old Spanish houses in Bustos and San Miguel town, also in Bulakan and Malolos.
Exposing the Bualkenyo youth to religious tourism is far more challenging but a very fulfilling advocacy and task. We will not only educate our children but we will also help in re-strengthening their faith in God to make them become more devoted and responsible members of their respective families.
Other than all these, each of the 20 towns and four cities in Bulacan have its own respective pride and distinct produce under the “One Town One Product” program and thrust of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). San Miguel town has the pastillas de leche, chicharon, Pulilan has the gatas ng kalabaw, Baliwag has the Buntal Hat, Angat has the espasol, Norzagaray has the cement factories, Malolos has the ensaymada and inipit, Meycauayan has the jewelry, Bulakan town has the tinapa, Paombong and Bulakan town has suka, Obando and Hagonoy have prawns and crabs, including bangus and tilapia, Guiguinto has hundreds of ornamental plants, Marilao has puto popular, Bocaue has chicharon and fireworks, Sta. Maria has chicharon and the once a year root crop “tugi,” Dona Remedios Trinidad (DRT) has coffee plantations, rambutan, pineapple, corn, etc. and is known as “The Tagaytay of the North” because of its pristine mountains and cold weather, falls, camping and glamping sites. Calumpit has the most sought longganisa.
The festivals –kneeling carabao in Pulilan every May 14 and 15; the January 17-23 Halamanan Festival in Guiguinto, the January Vegetable Festival in San Ildefonso, the January 11-20th Minasa festival of Bustos, the January 17-23 Fiesta Republika of Malolos, the Fertility Dance during the 3-day May 17,18 and 19 Obando Fiesta, the September San Rafael Angel Festival and the mother of all fiestas and festivals in Bulacan—The SIngkaban Festival, the SIning at Kalinangan ng Bulacan, and many more.
Each and every one of us Bulakenyos must be really proud because our province is undoubtedly the culture, history and heritage capital of the Philippines.
As a Music, Art, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH) teacher, I could not wait for this project to kick off. Bon Voyage!!
