Tourism Commission told: Prepare for 500th year of arrival of Christianity in the country

Oath-taking ceremony of the new officers of the Cebu City Tourism Commission. They took their oaths in front of Mayor Edgardo Labella. | CDND PHOTO / Delta Dyrecka Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The new officers of the Cebu City Tourism Commission will have to accomplish a lot of work in their hands in the incoming years as the 500th anniversary of Catholicism in the Philippines will be celebrated in Cebu on 2021.

That is the first order of Mayor Edgardo Labella to the Tourism Commission as he administered the oath taking of its officers including chairperson, Jocelyn Pesquera.

Labella said the quincentennialof the Catholic Church in the country would be the best time to showcase the best of Cebu City as most of the activities would be held in the city.

“This is an activity that will involve other local government units (LGUs) that have been part of the routes of Ferdinand Magellan: Homonhon, Limasawa, Mactan, and Cebu City,” said Labella.

READ: Group, Palma to plan activities for 500th anniv of country’s Christianity

Labella said he was hoping that the city would be ready for the expected influx of tourists by 2021.

He instructed the commission to make sure that the city would be prepared to accept these guests.

Pesquera said that her first plans as the chairperson of the Tourism Commission would be to strengthen the office staff with the vision to improve tourism in Cebu City.

She said the office must be united so the implementation of programs and projects would be smooth sailing.

The primary goal now of the Tourism Commission is to map out the existing tourists spots and potential tourists spots in the city in order to help put emphasis on these areas and develop them to be more tourist friendly.

She also promised to streamline applications of touring companies and groups so they could operate as soon as possible. / dbs