ALAMINOS, Pangasinan — Vice President Sara Duterte on Sunday lauded the efforts of the people of behind the remarkable achievements of Alaminos to re-establish its image as one of the country’s cherished treasures.

The Vice President made the statement during the celebration of the Alaminos City Hundred Islands Festival at the Plaza Marcelo Ochave here.

In her 14-minutes message, Duterte said the people of Alaminos are praise-worthy for ensuring that the Hundred Islands National Park positively contribute and infuse growth to the local economy.

“Let me commend your commitment and dedication that enables you to rapidly revive a culture of high spirit and regain your sense of pride and shared belief in creating positive outcomes through community efforts,” Duterte said.

“Your celebration of the Hundred Islands Festival is a strong example of our need for collective cultural joy that functions as a gateway for national tourism and an opportunity to continually foster innovative ideas that positively infuse the local economy,” she added.

The Hundred Islands National Park is considered as one of Asia’s premier natural wonders and tourist destinations.

Alaminos City, according to Duterte, not only shines as the heart of Western Pangasinan and its central node of commerce, finance, education, industry, and services, but is also the first and one of the country’s leading bearers of national park tourism.

She added that she is “in great awe” of the people’s continued efforts to give fresh impetus to preserving the visual identity of the city and its historical character.

“This initiative is laudable because it generates benefits on an educational, cultural, social, and economic level and continues to pave a productive, sustainable daily life in the city,” Duterte said.

“Preservation of national heritage is not only attractive to tourists but also an investment to keep revitalizing local economies and the local services sector,” she added.

Duterte also offered Alaminos City one of Office of the Vice President’s projects, the Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day (MTD), to assist women and members of the LBBTQI+ beneficiaries by augmenting their daily income, making them economically empowered and independent.

The Magnegosyo Ta ‘Day (MTD) livelihood program is one of Duterte’s many flagship projects when she was still mayor of Davao City. The project has been adopted by the OVP for nationwide implementation.

The MTD was launched in San Pedro, Laguna on March 8, and the same offer of entrepreneural project was given to Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental on March 14.

OVP MEDIA