2nd LA UNION AGRI-TOURISM FESTIVAL: A COMPLETE SUCCESS

By:  Joy Ann L. Gurtiza |  By: GPC-PIO |  Date: MARCH

As part of the 169th La Union Foundation Anniversary celebration, the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) successfully put-up the first-ever Agri-Tourism Village within the Provincial Capitol Complex as it organized the 2nd Agri-Tourism Festival.

The festival officially opened on February 22 through a Pyromusical Show and a Lighting Ceremony of the Agri-Tourism Village where booths of the 20 component LGUs of the province and 30 participating stalls of the Agri-Tourism Village Bazaar were officially opened to the public. The event gathered more than 400 participants from the municipalities and lone city composed of their local and barangay officials and other guests and visitors from different national government agencies.

One of the highlights of the Agri-Tourism Festival was the Search for Best Agri-Tourism Booth wherein each LGU was given their respective booth that they decorated with indigenous and other raw materials while highlighting its unique agriculture and tourism sites, products and services. A couple of thousand attendees and visitors witnessed the showcase of the different One-Town-One-Product (OTOP).

As an element in the Performance Governance System of the province, the LGUs which were clustered by Agri-Tourism circuits, also performed from February 23 to March 4 in front of the Provincial Capitol Building and conducted circuit programs by showcasing their festivals, culture, traditions and OTOPs. Other activities such as Art Competition, Parade of Lights, ELYUlympics, and Bougainvillea Show through Centerpiece and Bridal Bouquet Making Contests were also conducted. Bougainvillea is the official flower of the province as declared in the Provincial Ordinance No. 001-2002.

The Best Agri-Tourism Booth Champion was awarded to the City of San Fernando followed by the Municipality of Bauang as First Runner-up and Municipality of Bangar as Second Runner-up.

Moreover, the Grand Prize for the Centerpiece Making Contest was given to Sea and Sky College while First and Second Runners-up were given to Polytechnic College of La Union and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University – Mid La Union Campus (DMMMSU-MLUC), respectively

The Grand Winner for the Bridal Bouquet Making Contest was awarded to Saint Louis College followed by DMMMSU-MLUC as First Runner-up and DMMMS-NLUC as Second Runner-up.

The Agri-Tourism Festival concluded on the night of March 9 as a grand display of fireworks lightening up the sky. The various activities were held in partnership with the Provincial Agriculture Office and Provincial Information Office – Tourism Operations Unit.

PGLU has high hopes to double the activities and further publicize the festival next year. Through teamwork and commitment among the component LGUs, the province will achieve its vision to be the Heart of Agri-Tourism in Northern Luzon by 2025.

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