Press Release
July 28, 2008

GORDON TO DURANO: FULFILL PROMISE TO REVIVE
"BEST OF THE REGIONS"

"I intend to ask Secretary Durano to do what he has promised to us, and that is to revive the Best of the Regions in Intramuros. This program created livelihood--the blind massagers, the caricature artists, the magtataho, vendors, and many others. Those in the provinces get to go here in Manila and show and sell what their region has to offer. It also promoted domestic tourism and the country's rich culture, food, art and history. Intramuros did all of these for us," said Senator Richard Gordon.

A showcase of the country's cultural heritage and bountiful resources, a boom in domestic tourism, countless opportunities for livelihood, and a chance to promote local goods, all in one program--the Best of the Regions.

It is for these reasons that Senator Gordon urged the Department of Tourism (DOT), including the Philippine Tourism Authority and the Intramuros Administration, to revive the Best of the Regions, which is a brainchild of the Senator when he was DOT Secretary.

"In Intramuros, you will see slices of the Philippines , you will really see the best of the regions. We get to be proud of what we have, we get to share our rich culture. So we really have to continue this, we have to continue something that is good. That is why I ask Secretary Durano to be true to his word and restore the life of Intramuros," Gordon said.

Moreover, he has called on the DOT to start the restoration of the Maestranza Wall in Intramuros, which was bombed by Japanese forces during the World War II.

"Before I left as Tourism Secretary in 2004, I was able to convince the Japanese government to provide the money for the restoration of the wall. Kinunsensya ko 'yung mga Hapon, sabi ko kayo sumira nyan eh, dahil binomba nyo ng binomba, ang daming namatay dyan. Para makumpleto 'yung wall, sabi ko kailangan i-restore 'yung wall para mabuo na. Nagbigay sila ng $5 million, pero hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin nasisimulan ang pagbuo nung pader," Gordon said.

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