In their joint 2nd Quarter Meeting with the Provincial Tourism Council, the Nueva Vizcaya Council for Culture and the Arts broadened their knowledge of the province through the extensive reporting of representatives from the academic sector and the Provincial Tourism and Culture Office (PTCO).
The PTCO revealed their new submissions for the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property, namely the Kasibu landmark Machalet Falls, and the weaving practice of Ikat by the Isinay, primarily in Dupax del Sur. The historical and cultural significance of both entries were outlined in the reports alongside their dimensions and location in the case of Machalet Falls, and unique procedure in the case of Isinay Ikat weaving.
Machalet Falls as a destination is included in the recently launched Captivating Kasibu Tourism Circuit, alongside Edralin Falls, the Capisaan Eco-Trail, and Capisaan Caves as part of the showcase of Nueva Vizcaya’s natural beauty. For Dupax del Sur’s known historical heritage tourism, the revival of Isinay Ikat weaving is considered culturally significant and has gained support from the local and provincial government units, with the PTCO recently supporting and participating in a weaving workshop by Aruga Handwovens, revivers of the art.
Two academic studies had also been presented during the meeting, one of self-identity and outward perception of the Bugkalot indigenous people, and the other a dissertation from NVSU on the status of NV as a tourism destination. The former was an ethnohistorical outlook on decolonization as practiced by the Bugkalot people, while the latter measured the satisfaction rate of tourists and took suggestions into account when reporting the areas of improvement for tourism in the province.
The cultural and historical heart of the province, through the efforts of the NVCCA and the PTCO, are not only preserved but revived and allowed to thrive for the coming generations. /igmb
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