STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL 2015 CALENDAR

STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL 2015

            CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES

March 2-31

Theme: “A Colorful Panaspulan tan Pandadsahan – Strawberry Festival 2015”

(A Colorful Gathering and Merry-making – Strawberry Festival 2015)

DATE	TIME	ACTIVITY	VENUE
February 16	10 am	Kapihan (Press Conference)	Municipal Park
March 2-31		Agro-Industrial Trade Fair and Best Barangay Booth Competition	Public Market Grounds
March 6	8 am	Valley Clean-Up Drive	Roads, Balili river and tributaries
March 6	8 am	Ecumenical Service and Opening Program	Public Market Grounds
March 7	8am-5pm	La Trinidad Tourism Adventure	La Trinidad Valley
March 7	8 am	G-string Downhill Bike Challenge	La Trinidad Valley
March 7-8	8 am	PBA Legends Basketball Clinic	Municipal Gym
March 7-31	8am-5pm	Art and Photo Lane (w/ Art workshop and Photo Competition)	Municipal Park
March 7,14,27	5pm-9pm	“Concert at the Park”	Public Market Grounds
March 9	8am-5pm	International Women’s  Day Celebration	Municipal Gym
March 13	6 pm	Mr. and Ms. Strawberry Body Building Pageant and Biggest Loser Challenge	Municipal Gym
March 13	1 pm	La Trinidad Indigenous Games	Public Market Grounds
March 14	9 am	La Trinidad Dog Show	Public Market Grounds
March 14	2 pm	Flower Arrangement Contest	Strawberry Lane
March 14	6 pm	Strawberry Punch (Boxing and Muaythai)	Municipal Gym
March 16	9 am	Ribbon Cutting Ceremony / Opening of the Strawberry Lane & Agro-Industrial Trade Fair	Municipal Park
March 16	1 pm	Strawberry Baking and Pastries Competition	Municipal Gym
March 16	2 pm	Festival Strawberry Cake	Municipal Gym
March 18	6am- 10am	Street Dancing and Parade	Assembly@ BSU Parking, Betag
March 18 (Festival Main Program)	10 am	“Panaspulan tan Pandadsahan” “A Colorful Panaspulan tan Pandadsahan – Strawberry Festival 2015”	Public Market Grounds
March 18	12 nn	“Kekkan”	Municipal Gym
March 18	2 pm	Multi-cultural Celebrations and Owik tan Tayao	Municipal Gym
March 19	6 am	Procession in Honor of St. Joseph	To San Jose Parish Church
March 19	9 am	Renewal of Vows	Municipal Park
March 20	1 pm	“Strawberry Forum”	BSU
March 20	8 -10 am	Mini-float Competition and Parade and Drum and Lyre Competition (Barangays and Establishments)	End Mun. Park
March 20	6 pm	Barangay Night	Municipal Gym
March 21	5 am	Strawberry Fun Run and Walk	End Mun. Park
March 21	7:30 am	Duting tan Dukto	Municipal Park
March 21	10 am	Search for the Sweetest & Biggest Strawberry Fruit	Strawberry Lane
March 21	2 pm	Vegetable Fun Race	Public Market Grounds
March 21	4 pm	Battle of the Bands	Public Market Grounds
March 21	7 pm	Mixed Martial Arts (Lakay MMA)	Municipal Gym
March 21-22	8am-5pm	Inter-barangay Football Championship and Men’s and Women’s Invitational Football Cup	BSU Grounds
March 23-24	8am-5 pm	Day Care Children Recognition	Municipal Gym
March 25	1 pm	La Trinidad Youth Symposium	Public Market Grounds
March 25	5 pm	Acoustic Band Competition	Public Market Grounds
March 27	8 am	La Trinidad Got Talent	Municipal Gym
March 27-28	5 pm	Dart Wars	SVHR
March 28	6pm–12pm	Coronation Night – Mr. & Ms. La Trinidad	BSU Gym
Mar. 28-29	8 am	Gymkhana in La Trinidad (Festival of Horses)	La Trinidad Valley
29	8 am	“Strawberry Festival Mountain Bike Challenge”	La Trinidad
29	8 am	Karate Invitational Competition	La Trinidad
March 30-31	8am–5pm	Jobs Fair	Municipal Gym
March 31		Search for the Cleanest and Greenest Barangays and Schools
March 31		Search for the Cleanest, Greenest and the most Colorful Business Establishments and Homes	La Trinidad
March 31	6:30 pm	“Strawberry Night Classique” (An Evening of Wine, Food and Music)	Municipal Park
March 31	2pm–5pm	Culminating & Awarding Program	Public Market Grounds

Note: Approved by the Strawberry Festival Executive Committee on Jan. 27, 2015

-       Valred Olsim, Strawberry Festival Secretariat

Mt. Yangbew of Brgy. Tawang, La Trinidad, Benguet

The "Little Pulag" (Photo by Julius Tibao)

"the sky is the roof!"

Campfire area

...at night...sleep well campers...brrrr...

La Trinidad Tourism Adventure!

Valentines in the Valley :)

Valentines in the Valley

“Valley of Colors Itinerary”

February 14, 2015 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm)

8:00 -8:30                Assembly in front of the La Trinidad Municipal Hall

8:30                            Travel to Strawberry Farms

8:45 – 9:25                Search for Biggest Strawberry Activity and View of farms

9:30                            Proceed to Bahong Rose Gardens

10:00 – 11:30            Visit Bahong Rose Gardens and Jeffrey Visaya’s Landscape area

11:30                           Proceed to Mt. Kalugong Eco-park

12:00                          Lunch at Mt. Kalugong Picnic grounds

1:00 – 2:00               Viewing of the Valley from Kalugong Stone formations        

2:15                             Start trekking to Mt. Yangbo

3:00                            Snacks at Tayawan Heights

3:30 – 4:00               Arrival at Mt. Yangbo

4:00 – 4:30               Picture Taking and Rest at Mt. Yangbo

4:30-5:15                   Cultural Presentation

5:30 – 8:00               Bonfire and Dinner

* Campers will stay until morning

*Non- Campers will be transported back to the LT Municipal Hall.

Established Tourism Spots in LT

La Trinidad Tourism: "Where are we, and where are we going"

The future is colorful for La Trinidad tourism J. After so many years, the municipality will finally adopt a tourism plan for 2015-2019 that will guide our legislators and implementers in making La Trinidad a distinct and exciting destination in the country (as an Agri-eco-cultural destination). Great credit goes to the DOT-CAR’s assistance, the participation of all the members of the Tourism Council from various sectors, and of course, the present administration’s relentless passion towards tourism investment and development.

What made us more proud, as one of those who participated in the tourism planning months ago, is the adoption of our group’s brand slogan which features our tourism brand essence for La Trinidad:“Valley of Colors” The slogan, initially drawn from our distinct tourism products of strawberries, cut flowers, coffee, and vegetables, finally serves as both inspiration, and challenge, not just to the town’s officials, but also to every soul in our community – how can we sustain such claim? How can we really make a “colorful” La Trinidad for our tourists? Can our town keep up with such kind of tourism promotion and marketing? Are our existing  infrastructures and accommodations ready for it?

If these thoughts cross you, then that is cheerfully the first step towards cultivating a tourism conscious community. Tourism consciousness is a culture treasured by communities who see tourism as a valuable opportunity for economic growth. Palawan and Sagada, for instance, have this culture; residents regulate themselves and maintain cleanliness and orderliness because they have a decent and holistic view of the tourism systems. “If I throw my waste here, our tourist spot will become dirty and no tourist will come anymore…it means my parents won’t have customers and they won’t be able to pay taxes that our government will use for projects that will help us” a 7 year old-child in Sagada answered when I inquired about their regular cleaning-activities.

For many urbanizing towns, this consciousness may slowly expire: “We don’t have to invest on tourism since we have schools, banks, and other establishments that can sustain our local economy” said a friend in one unforgiving debate, “trumapik lang ti turista”. Although he has a point, such naive outlook is not only backward, but also conceited – it only proves that we lack a tourism conscious culture.Tourism, the activity of travelling and staying in a certain place, is not only an economic phenomenon but also a social and cultural one. It involves most part of communities’ lives – can we imagine our place without a single visitor? What lasting impression do we want our tourists or visitors to have upon their visit to our town? What “experiences” do we want them to have from our place?

For a long time, La Trinidad, although it had successfully penetrated the market of tourism products, has yet to substantially invest in projects that will improve its destination-based tourism aspect. “It’s all in the pipe…the tourism plan is the start...” our Mayor Tabanda assured me. I sincerely believe her.

Partnerships, unity and cooperation are the keys. We need a united and collective consciousness that puts the community first before any other interests. Nothing can go wrong when everyone dreams the same thing, when we all want to go in the same direction…when we all want to be living in a Valley of colors - alive with peaceful and loving diversity, thriving in vibrant cultures, and imbued with dynamism and environmental consciousness.

Others, perhaps, are initiative and volunteerism. In most developed countries, most events-based tourism (and even destination-based) are initiated and developed by the private sector( like Macy’s parade of New York by the privately owned store-chain). Or as practiced locally, the private academe continually supports the tourism industry of Baguio City; UC, for instance, donated millions-worth Burnham master plan as a gift to the city and the people of Baguio, and SLU initiates the city’s Lantern Parade, something that boosts the city tourism’s year of events. Even in my visits to other provinces with successful tourism values, it is the private sector which develops (even donates) parks and attractions for the community's and tourists' enjoyable experience.

In La Trinidad? Hmmmm. Perhaps all sectors must finally set aside pretexts in community development (including its tourism aspect), to really propel our town to better heights. As i-La Trinidad people who have stake in our own town’s tourism industry, the ball is now in our hands in a dying second to make a goal. With the everyone's support, I really believe that we can score on this one. J

(The Tourism Plan Presentation will be posted soon. Happy New Year to all :)

****

In my past work, I have learned to become abreast with the legislative developments of our town just in case I ever need to be professionally prepared. Hence, I have known of the 2011 Municipal Tourism Officer Ordinance years ago even before its posting last year. In preparation for it, I have been acquiring significant trainings and eligibilities which include Diploma in Tourism Studies, and NC-II Tour Guiding Services, among others, although the ordinance specifically includes Bachelor of Laws, and Communication courses among the qualifying degrees (which is already in my line).

Contrary to some opinions, my decision came, not from a spur of a moment, but of months and nights of mental anguish in decision-making. What are the chances? What if the appointing power has not taking a liking of me? What if the hiring was postponed? What if I have taken the job opportunity abroad? Sometimes, ‘fate’ or destiny (and even accident) is a combination of many things; perfect preparation, luck, timing, and guts. This new year, it finally dawned to me that our town’s tourism status is now substantially dependant on our proposals, planning, and actions. (Wish us luck nyayy!!J)