The Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Tourism Council (NVPTC) held its 2nd Quarter Meeting on June 23, 2025, in the PIHO Function Room, Capitol Compound, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. The meeting was presided over by NVPTC Chairperson Ruth R. Padilla, joined by Acting Provincial Tourism and Culture Office (PTCO) Chief Marichelle O. Costales. The topics under discussion included previous concerns, feedbacking on the Grand Ammungan Festival 2025, and proposals for different projects by the Provincial Tourism Council and the Department of Trade and Industry.
Ms. Costales would present the first part of the agenda, which was the raised concern of the Smart Telecommunications Tower and its proximity to the Bagabag Airport. While issues were considered minor, records and communications were pulled and presented to the council on this matter, with Chairperson Padilla also relating the need for greater oversight of the Bagabag Airport. She also raised the point that a thriving airline industry in the province may also strengthen the tourism industry.
Discussion continued on a previously proposed film project by Aritao-born filmmaker Mes de Guzman, with Ms. Costales and Chairperson Padilla stating that it had been in the works for a significant period of time. Ms. Costales stated that this project had already been included in the provincial Annual Investment Plan (AIP). Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) representative Mr. Silvester Miguel endorsed the project, stating that the DTI greatly supports film development and passed a Resolution of Support, to be forwarded to the governor regarding the film project.
This previous point also opened the topic of a burgeoning film festival in the works for the September Tourism Month celebration. Ms. Costales expressed the intention to focus on ‘grassroots short films’ by local filmmakers. Suggestions were then made between the PTCO and DTI to collaborate on this effort.
A general report on the Grand Ammungan Festival 2025 was also given during the meeting, which also included a highlight video of the various events. Saint Mary’s University Representative Sir John Michael Ibarra congratulated Ms. Costales, Director General for GAF 2025, and the many committees for the success of the festival, and moved to pass a resolution acknowledging the success of the GAF 2025. Mr. Miguel also expressed gratitude for the PTCO’s collaboration with DTI on the first-ever Nueva Vizcaya Coffee Festival and Habi Vizcaya events, proclaiming their willingness to sustain their partnership for these same events on the next festival. Chairperson Padilla revealed that while the coffee industry is young in the province, the production of Nueva Vizcaya-specific coffee beans is low, thus creating short supply, unable to supplement the many coffee shops in the province. With earlier plans proclaimed by Governor Atty. Jose V. Gambito himself regarding coffee farming within the province, there may be gradual changes for this matter on the horizon.
The PTCO also presented their ‘Mangan: Nueva Vizcaya Gastronomy’ project proposal during the meeting, which is a ‘food tour’ of municipality-specific foods, restaurants, and other gastronomy-related places within the province. The discussion turned to an in-depth discussion of food tourism within the province, and the earlier point of the One Town One Product (OTOP) initiative in progress throughout municipal tourism offices, ending with another proposed collaboration between the DTI and the PTCO on both the OTOP and the gastronomy tour. The representative of Nueva Vizcaya State University also offered their resources, as the university is conducting research on the gastronomy of different Indigenous People (IP) communities in the province.
The final point in the agenda was a proposal from the DTI for the Provincial Tourism Council to become part of the regional taskforce for the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal to be considered as the Cagayan Valley Food Hub. The PTC passed a resolution in the affirmative, designating the council now to be part of the taskforce.
Through the persistent efforts of the Provincial Tourism Council, the Provincial Tourism and Culture Office, and the Department of Trade and Industry, Nueva Vizcaya continues its progress towards not only accessibility to the wider public, but the expansion of its products, arts and culture to the rest of the country. /igmb
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