Biñan bagged an award at the ATOP-DOT Pearl Awards 2022

by Lily Gut November 3, 2022 (L-R) BCHATO Head Dr. Bryan Jayson Borja, Biñan City Mayor Arman Dimaguila, Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, and Councilo...

by Lily Gut
November 3, 2022

(L-R) BCHATO Head Dr. Bryan Jayson Borja, Biñan City Mayor Arman Dimaguila, Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, and Councilor Dada Reyes at the ATOP-DOT Pearl Awards 2022 held in Tagaytay City. (Photo from Biñan City Information Office)

BIÑAN CITY, Laguna — Biñan City recently received four awards at the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) - Department of Tourism (DOT) Pearl Awards 2022, including the Grand Winner award for Best Program for Culture and Arts, Biñan City Center for Performing Arts, as well as the 1st Runner Up award for Best Tourism Event (Festival), Puto Latik Festival, Best Tourism Event (Historical Commemoration), Biñan Day: Biñan 1075, and Best Tourism Publication, Pamana ng Buhay Coffee Table Book.

Dr. Bryan Jayson Borja, Department Head of the Bian City Culture, History, Arts, and Tourism Office (BCHATO), expressed gratitude to Mayor Arman Dimaguila, Vice Mayor Gel Alonte, Biñan City Lone District Rep. Len Alonte, and the entire Biñan city government for their support of their office and the tourism programs.



In the Sulong CALABARZON program of the Philippine Information Agency CALABARZON, Borja mentioned that it is vital for the city government to enrich the culture and history of Biñan through tourism.

“We believe na ang tourism, output yan eh. Wala naman tayong tourism kung wala tayong product. Ang cultural, historical, at artistic na aspeto ay cultural product na maituturing. Kailangan namin yang muling i-unerarth, kailangan muling alamin kaya kami nag-cultural mapping.”



With cultural mapping, BCHATO developed various programs and also printed publications.

“And because of those cultural mapping activities, we were able to publish different books, magazines, souvenir programs, mga songs, nakapag-produce kami ng videos for Biñan,” said Borja.



He said, “Because of our cultural mapping project, ang talagang main naming ginawa ay nagpublish talaga kami ng materials para sa mga estudyante. Sila naman talaga ang makikinabang ng lahat ng ito. We want them to have a history na buhay, we want them to have a history na totoo at alam nilang maipagmamalaki nila."

According to Borja, despite being a developed and highly industrialized city, its priority is culture-based governance.

He believes that every town and city in the country must always return to its native culture and history to ensure its future.

“Ang bawat isang bayan ay unique ang kanilang kultura, kasaysayan, at sining. I think we really have to capitalize on this to be able to go towards national development. Hindi kasi pwedeng payaman lang nang payaman, paunlad lang nang paunlad, patayo lang nang patayo ng building pero binubura natin kung sino tayo. If we’re going to personify it, hindi naman magandang pwedeng tumatanda tayo na wala tayong pinagtatandaan,” said Borja.