Legazpi City to host First Phl Tourism Conference on CCA

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, July 30 (PIA) -- As preparations for the first Philippine Tourism Conference for Climate Change Adaptation (PTCCCA) heighten, the communication lines to Legazpi City are getting crowded due to the rush of confirmations and inquiries from chief executive officers and other top level officials across the country.

The PTCCCA is slated on August 23-25 this year and will be held at The Oriental Legazpi with some 1,000 expected participants.

Conference Director Manuel ‘Nong’ C. Rangasa said the callers from as far as the Ilocos Region and to Mindanao are eager to attend the three-day event.

President Benigno S. Aquino III said that he has great hope that the coming conference will ensure the government’s goal of sustainable development.

Vice President Jejomar’Binay also expressed eager anticipation for the EpiCentre, a special climate change magazine that will be launched during the conference.

This early, the 1st PTCCCA has already gained strong support from government, particularly from the President and his Cabinet who are expected to attend the national conference. Secretaries who had expressed support are Jesse Robredo of the DILG, Ramon Jimenez of DOT, Ramon Paje of DENR, Lucille Sering of the CCC, Nereus Acosta of the PAEP, and Elisea Gozun of the PACC, among others.

Earlier, DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo issued Memo-Circular 2012-108 ordering all local chief executives in the country to attend the 1st PTCCCA together with their tourism, environment, planning and anti-disaster officers as well as members of technical staff and council committee chairmen. The DILG directive was followed by a similar Civil Service Commission regional memo circular duly signed by Director Cecilia R. Nieto enjoining the same officials to attend the national conference, the first of its kind in the country.

From the Philippine Senate, it is environmentalist Senator Loren Legarda herself who will be coming to grace the national tourism event.

Meanwhile, in the local scene, the local government of Legazpi , headed by Mayor Geraldine-Barrameda Rosal is also seriously preparing for the Ibalong Festival, a twin celebration that will coincide with the 1st PTCCCA and the inauguration of the Boulevard de Legazpi and new roads going to the South Luzon International Airport (SLIA).

LCCAD, Inc. president and chairman, Nong Rangasa who is also the PTCCCA conference director, said the mobile NGO aims to complement and support government initiatives and efforts for progressive and sustainable development amidst climate change.

Rangasa added that the three-day event will be a fertile opportunity for media practitioners to interview key government personalities from the national offices as well as other participants from across the country. (MAL/LCCAD-PIA5, Albay)